Q: I lost fallopian tube since doctor misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancy as thyroid issue and did not check hCG level pregnancy
I have saved complete communication with my doctor prior to and leading up to this accident. I can provide it.
Doctor could not diagnose the ectopic pregnancy despite multiple ultrasounds, instead kept thinking that it was thyroid issue. I lost my fallopian tube because of this, and had to rush at 3am to the emergency by myself which could have been life-threatening even if I was few minutes late, as mentioned by the emergency doctor who did my laparoscopic surgery then. Until this point, I was not even made aware of what ectopic pregnancy is and whether it could happen to me. I was hearing this word for the first time since my doctor had made no mention of it. Until now, as per guidance from my doctor, I was just under the impression that it was just a prolonged menstrual bleeding that I was experiencing, because of thyroid as mentioned by my doctor. The entire El Camino hospital at Mountain View kept suggesting me for weeks just to take Tylenol to suppress the pain, this backfired
A:
It could be a malpractice case. Bad results alone do not mean there is a case. There has to be violations of the standards of care by doctors, nurses, or other health care providers. That may have been the case here.
Due to the nature of medical malpractice lawsuits, the nature and extent of your harm may determine if the case s viable or not.
A:
Under California law, if a healthcare provider fails to meet the standard of care expected in their profession and causes harm to a patient, it may be considered medical malpractice. In your case, if the doctor misdiagnosed an ectopic pregnancy, leading to the loss of a fallopian tube, and there was a deviation from the accepted medical practices, this could potentially be grounds for a malpractice claim. Important factors include the doctor's failure to identify the pregnancy, misinterpreting symptoms, and not providing the necessary information about potential risks like an ectopic pregnancy.
Documentation of your communications and medical treatments is crucial in these cases. The records of your interactions, the doctor's diagnoses, and the treatments suggested will be vital in establishing what was communicated to you and what medical actions were undertaken. It's also significant that you were not informed about the risks of an ectopic pregnancy, which might indicate a lack of informed consent.
It would be advisable to consult with an attorney experienced in medical malpractice cases. They can review your documentation, help determine the strength of your case, and guide you through the legal processes in California. Time is of the essence, as there are statutes of limitations for filing such claims. Your lawyer can also help in gathering additional evidence, such as medical records and expert testimonies, to support your case.
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