Abstract
Most medico-legal cases that arise result from a person's or institution's act or a failure to act. This exposes the patient to injury or loss. The risks and resulting failures usually take the form of failure to inform or to obtain informed consent, failure to perform, failure to diagnose, failure to treat or refer, failure to monitor, or negligence. Some of these failures will be examined as they relate to and affect ultrasonography. For a more detailed review of the cases, the citations may be consulted.