A diagnostic centre’s wrong reporting wreaked havoc in a patient’s life recently.
Ashish had approached the diagnostic centre to ascertain the sperm count, but was shocked to receive the report which stated that there were no sperms in the semen. Ashish’s wife got hold of this report and divorced him – evidently, thinking that there were no prospects of bearing a child.
Sensing something amiss, Ashish went to another diagnostic centre which reported that the sperm count was more than enough for a chance to conceive. He again visited the earlier diagnostic centre for checking the sperm count and it concurred with the other diagnostic centre’s report – the sperm count was enough! But it was too late to save the marriage.
Devastated by this mishap, Ashish sued the diagnostic centre and claimed that two subsequent reports confirmed that the sperm count was enough to conceive and such wrong reporting led to his divorce.
The diagnostic centre tried best to scoot away. It was stated in defence that the results of the tests depended upon the volume of the semen sample and other biological factors. They outrightly denied that Ashish got divorced because of such test result. The most baffling defence however, was that the semen sample did not belong Ashish!
The last claim drew Commission ire. It was observed that the first report given by the diagnostic centre was in stark contrast to the second report from another diagnostic centre and the third report again given by them. It was also observed that the diagnostic centre did not place any medical literature to prove that other biological factors could play a role in determining the test results.
The diagnostic centre was held negligent and ordered to pay Ashish four lakh rupees as compensation.
Source: Order pronounced by Rajasthan State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jaipur on 2nd January, 2019.