Can I File a Malpractice Lawsuit if My Doctor Failed to Diagnose an Ectopic Pregnancy?

In a normal pregnancy, the fetus develops inside the mother’s uterus. In an ectopic pregnancy, however, the fetus implants outside of the uterus, normally in one of the fallopian tubes. There are various health issues that can increase your risk of ectopic pregnancy:

• Endometriosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Surgery in the fallopian tubes
• Previous abdominal or pelvic surgery
• Prior ectopic pregnancy
• Having certain STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia

Eventually, the fetus will grow big enough to cause a rupturing of the fallopian tube. This will cause the mother to die unless she receives treatment immediately. The course of treatment at this point is to remove the fetus, or the fallopian tube along with the fetus. However, if the ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed early on, the patient can be given a medication to keep the fetus from growing.

Your doctor should ask you about these risk factors and monitor your condition accordingly throughout the pregnancy. Keep in mind, however, that even women without any of the above risk factors can have an ectopic pregnancy. Thus, it’s up to the doctor to order and correctly evaluate ultrasounds and other diagnostic tests.

Having an ectopic pregnancy is not a legal basis for a lawsuit against the hospital, OB/GYN, and others who were involved in caring for you during your pregnancy. Tragically, ectopic pregnancies often happen for no reason at all, and the patient is not at fault.

So, does that mean that the doctor is to blame for what happened? Most doctors are able to see the signs of ectopic pregnancy right away and recommend a course of treatment to save the patient’s life. Thus, you will need to show that an ectopic pregnancy was not detected by your physician when there was clear evidence indicating that you had this condition. Had you gone to another doctor of equal experience and qualifications, it’s more than likely that you would not have suffered the consequences of a ruptured fallopian tube and other complications of ectopic pregnancy. You can also file a doctor malpractice claim if you were incorrectly diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy, or you were recommended ineffective or inappropriate treatment based on your medical condition.

To give you a better sense of what we are talking about, let’s look at some examples of medical malpractice that can serve as grounds for an undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy claim:

• The doctor failed to order tests or take other necessary actions, though you had one or more risk factors that increased the potential for ectopic pregnancy.
• The doctor or radiology technician found out from a routine scan that there was no fetus inside the uterus. However, they did not proceed with further testing to check for signs of an ectopic pregnancy.
• An ectopic pregnancy was diagnosed, but the doctor delayed treatments, which caused the patient significant harm and suffering.
• The patient was not prescribed the right medication for their needs, and this resulted in serious and permanent health complications.
• The OB/GN did not meet the standard of care that is expected of a doctor at his or her level of expertise.
• The doctor exhibited signs of carelessness or deviation from board medical standards during a surgical procedure for ectopic pregnancy (laparoscopy or salpingostomy).

If you or your loved one went through any of these experiences, please take some to learn about the legal actions that are available to you. Our team of ectopic pregnancy malpractice lawyers can help you file a lawsuit and fight to bring you the highest possible settlement

As the victim of negligence by a healthcare provider, you are not required to hire a medical malpractice lawyer if you wish to file a claim. But there is no denying that legal representation is the best way to protect your rights and maximum your chances for a successful outcome.

Medical malpractice cases are extremely challenging to prove, as so much of it is based on medical knowledge that’s unfamiliar to the general public. A California attorney that specializes in negligence by doctors is critical to gathering evidence, finding medical experts, filing the right paperwork with the court system, and many other tasks that have to do with a medical malpractice lawsuit.

At the end of the day, a physical malpractice claim is not just about the money. It’s a way for the victim to empower themselves and hold doctors responsible when they fail in their duty of care to the patient.

We believe in protecting our clients’ finances during the course of a legal proceeding, and this is why we will never charge upfront for the cost of legal representation. As one of our clients, we will ensure that any payment owed to us is deducted at the end of your case, and only if you receive compensation from the party at fault. So, if we fail to recover your settlement, you are not responsible for the cost of legal fees, even if your case was tried in court.

We know that you are likely to have questions and concerns if you suffered complications or lost a loved one to an ectopic pregnancy. Contact DTLA Law Group and schedule a free case evaluation with one of our attorneys.

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