Radiation overdoses can cause side effects that are more painful and debilitating than cancer itself. In recent years, several people who were injured by high-powered radiation systems made by Varian Medical Systems have filed lawsuits and received multi-million dollar settlements for their injuries.
What You Can Do & How a Radiation Overdose Lawsuit Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting radiation overdose induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by radiation treatment, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is the problem?
Radiation therapy is one of the best weapons we have in the war on cancer. About half of all cancer patients undergo some form of radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
There are many types of radiation treatments, but one of the fastest-growing technologies is stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). This procedure, often performed in an outpatient clinic, uses a machine called a linear accelerator to shoot high-energy beams of radiation at a highly-specific target.
Because patients typically receive only one powerful dose of radiation, scalpel-like precision is extremely important.
Unfortunately, there have been reports of patients who were severely injured or died from complications linked to radiation overdoses involving SRS machines made by Varian Medical Systems and its frequent partner, Brainlab.
How Do Injuries Occur?
In December 2010, the New York Times warned that radiation overdoses can occur in several ways:
- Cone attachment: Some hospitals “mix and match” linear accelerators with a cone attachment to perform SRS. Unfortunately, if the radiation beam is even slightly larger than the cone, the patient will get a massive overdose in healthy tissues.
- Software problems: Complex software, programming errors, and inadequate training can all lead to radiation overdoses. Several patients have been severely over-radiated when the metal “jaws” that normally shape the beam were left completely open.
How Many People Have Been Injured?
No one knows exactly how many people have been injured. Radiation overdoses often go unreported and even normal treatments can have severe side effects.
However, according to the New York Times, there have been scores of injuries and deaths:
“In June, The Times reported that a Philadelphia hospital gave the wrong radiation dose to more than 90 patients with prostate cancer — and then kept quiet about it. In 2005, a Florida hospital disclosed that 77 brain cancer patients had received 50 percent more radiation than prescribed because one of the most powerful — and supposedly precise — linear accelerators had been programmed incorrectly for nearly a year.”
$15 Million Settlement Awarded in Radiation Overdose Lawsuit
September 2013 — Varian Medical Systems and a hospital in Hawaii agreed to pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit filed by a man who died after he was given a massive overdose of radiation.
The man, 45 year-old Zacarias Chichioco Jr., was given 2.5-times the dose of radiation he should have received on 21 out of 35 radiation treatments. The side effects were so severe that he stopped treatment and died from lung cancer in 2011. Before his death, he had problems swallowing, hearing loss, paralysis, and hallucinations.
Side Effects of Radiation Overdoses
- Nausea, vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Burns
- Fever
- Dizziness and disorientation
- Weakness, fatigue
- Problems swallowing or dry mouth
- Skin peeling
- And more
Do I have a Radiation Overdose Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting radiation overdose induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by radiation treatment, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
