A routine nasal check-up at a government medical college spiralled into a four-year grievance when a patient claimed he never received his CT scan report and accused the hospital of medical negligence. The test, done in 2018, was meant to evaluate a nasal problem. The complainant said he waited outside the radiology room the day of the scan but no report was handed over. He alleged that repeated requests were ignored and that he finally received a “temporary report” only in 2021 after persistent online complaints.
Armed with this narrative, he approached the consumer forum demanding a refund of the scan fee and ₹1.5 lakh as compensation for the physical and mental suffering allegedly caused by the delay.
The hospital countered that the CT films were provided the same day and that patients are expected to collect their formal written reports later. Records showed that a letter asking him to collect the report was delivered in March 2021, but he appeared at the hospital only in late April—nearly a month after receiving the intimation. He produced no evidence of any health loss or follow-up treatment during the long gap of almost four years.
Both the district and state consumer forums dismissed the complaint, finding no deficiency in service. They noted that the complainant made no effort to collect the report earlier, nor did he seek treatment despite claiming nasal polyps. The forums stressed that no medical harm or financial loss was proved, and that merely waiting for a report without follow-up cannot establish negligence.
When the matter reached the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, the complainant fared no better. The Commission pointed out that its revisional jurisdiction is narrow and that both lower forums had already returned concurrent findings. With no evidence of misconduct and no jurisdictional error, the Commission refused to interfere and dismissed the petition.
IML Insight
This case reinforces a simple truth: consumer forums look for proof of harm and documented deficiency, not just delay. Patients must actively follow up on their medical reports and maintain records of their efforts; otherwise, even a long wait will not translate into legal relief.
Source : Order pronounced by National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on 14th January, 2025.