Another lawsuit has been filed over a CT scan radiation overdose. The class action lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Alabama, names GE Healthcare as the defendant.
In October, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced it was investigating CT scan overdoses. The FDA probe was launched after Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles confirmed that 206 patients mistakenly received eight times the regular dose of radiation during CT brain scans. Just last week, the FDA released interim results of its investigation. In addition to the cases at Cedars-Sinai, the agency identified at least 50 additional patients who were exposed to excess radiation of up to eight times the expected level during their CT brain scans.
According to the Alabama lawsuit, Becky Coudert had a scan on Sept. 8 at Huntsville Hospital. She said she soon lost her balance, had trouble with her memory and her hair fell out in a narrow band from ear to ear. Her lawsuit claims GE Healthcare “carelessly researched the design and failed to adequately test” its products, and that the scanners lacked safety features to warn of overdoses. The lawsuits seeks a minimum of $5 million to set up a fund to cover future healthcare costs and payments, specifically providing regular monitoring for brain cancer in all affected patients.
The CT radiation overdose scandal has spawned dozens of lawsuits. At least 200 similar patients in Los Angeles have joined a class action lawsuit against GE Healthcare and Cedars-Sinai. That lawsuit claims Cedars-Sinai staff and GE Healthcare were negligent in performing the scans. The suit also alleges medical malpractice, product liability and breach of warranty. It seeks general and economic damages.
