Case Study – Delayed Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy Complications

Lisa had just found out she was pregnant. The next day, she had severe stomach pains, and she was concerned. Lisa went to the emergency room, but hospital staff said she was okay. Unfortunately, Lisa had an ectopic pregnancy. This failure to properly diagnose the cause of Lisa’s pain led to irreversible harm that could have been prevented. Delayed diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy complications can be fatal. This is Lisa’s story.

This story is a real case handled by the attorneys at Kane & Silverman. The names and exact details of the situation have been changed to protect the identities of the parties involved. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Any pictures are for illustrative purposes only. Legal disclaimer.

Case Type: Medical Malpractice – Delayed Diagnosis
Location: Pennsylvania
Date of Surgery: Summer of 2023
Injuries: Permanent damage to reproductive system
Initial Offer From Hospital: $63,000
Final Settlement: $170,000
Date of Final Settlement: Summer of 2026
Attorney: Randall M. Justice

Pregnancy Pain

Lisa had taken a home pregnancy test after missing her period. The test was positive, and she was pregnant. The good news quickly turned to worry. She woke the following day to severe stomach pain and cramps. The pain was so bad, she went to the hospital emergency room. She told her care providers about the results of her recent pregnancy test. Was something wrong with her or her baby?

Emergency Room Diagnosis

The care team in the emergency room ran a few tests and diagnosed Lisa with abdominal pain, nothing to worry about. She was prescribed an antibiotic and sent home. Lisa was worried, but the doctor had assured her everything was okay. However, the doctor ignored medical standards of care in this situation. Abdominal pain like this in a pregnant patient could be a symptom of more serious problems.

Lisa’s Pain Got Worse

The pain didn’t go away. In fact, it got worse. Lisa went back to the hospital emergency room the next day. Staff hooked her up to a heart monitor, which showed Lisa was having Premature Ventricular Contractions. Again, hospital staff ignored the warning signs that Lisa’s problem was more than just stomach pain. Lisa was left alone, without anyone checking on her for several hours. It wasn’t until Lisa collapsed that staff finally sent her for an ultrasound.

Transfer To Another Hospital

The ultrasound revealed a problem, but the hospital didn’t have anyone qualified to diagnose or treat Lisa. She was transferred to a different hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment. Her care team diagnosed an ectopic pregnancy that had ruptured Lisa’s fallopian tube. She was suffering a life-threatening emergency. The second hospital didn’t have anyone who could operate on Lisa. Lisa was transferred to another hospital for emergency surgery.

Lisa’s medical care providers told her the emergency surgery would remove one of her fallopian tubes. What they didn’t tell her was that if they had acted sooner, they could have prevented this damage. The truth was in Lisa’s medical records. The first round of tests showed a possible problem that doctors failed to follow up with additional testing.

Ectopic Pregnancy

Lisa was experiencing complications of an ectopic pregnancy. In an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg is stuck outside the main cavity of the uterus. It will never grow into a healthy fetus. However, an ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening for the patient if not diagnosed and treated. Timely diagnosis and treatment is important to prevent serious harm. Lisa’s abdominal pain was the first sign that something was wrong.

In Lisa’s situation, she had severe stomach pains and had told her care team about her recent pregnancy. The standard of care dictates that the doctor should have ruled out an ectopic pregnancy, out of an abundance of caution for the patient. The delay in diagnosing the cause of this pregnant patient’s abdominal pains allowed the minor harm to turn into permanent damage to Lisa’s reproductive system.

Delayed Diagnosis Case

Lisa was in the very early stages of her pregnancy and experiencing abdominal pain/cramps. Doctors should have understood this as a possible symptom of an ectopic pregnancy and tested to rule it out.

In Lisa’s case, the first hospital ignored the signs that Lisa could have been having more serious problems with her pregnancy. On her second visit to the hospital, she was left alone for several hours while her condition got worse. Again, staff failed to recognize that Lisa’s situaiton was more than just stomach pains. These delays wasted precious time. Lisa suffered serious complications due to the delays. She also suffered permanent harm that could have been prevented if her care providers had followed the standard of care.

Delayed Diagnosis Settlement

Our legal team put together a solid case using Lisa’s medical records and expert witnesses. We represented Lisa in her medical malpractice case for the delayed diagnosis and treatment. Our medical malpractice team recovered $175,000 for Lisa without a trial. Learn more about delayed diagnosis lawsuits.

Free Medical Malpractice Consultation

If you have been harmed by a delayed diagnosis or treatment, we may be able to help you. Contact the team at Kane & Silverman for a free medical malpractice consultation. Our team can review your medical records and the details of your case to explain your options. If you don’t have your medical records, we can help you through the process to request your records for a more thorough review.