An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, most often inside a fallopian tube. An ectopic pregnancy cannot be carried to term. Ectopic pregnancies can become life-threatening if they cause the fallopian tubes or ovaries to rupture. When doctors diagnose this condition, they almost always recommend immediate termination of the pregnancy using a medication called methotrexate or, in emergency situations, through surgical removal of the fetus.
If a doctor incorrectly diagnoses a viable pregnancy as ectopic, the patient may be given harmful medication or undergo unnecessary surgery. Additionally, failing to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy can have devastating effects. These kinds of mistakes can have devastating consequences and may serve as grounds for a civil lawsuit. A Connecticut ectopic pregnancy misdiagnosis lawyer from Berkowitz and Hanna, LLC can help you pursue full and fair compensation.
To file a civil lawsuit against a medical professional for causing harm through professional misconduct, you must prove through a preponderance of the evidence that the doctor violated the standard of care owed to you. This means that after establishing a doctor-patient relationship with you, the medical professional directly caused harm to you or your unborn child by failing to act the same way as any equally qualified doctor would have with the same information and working conditions.
As any experienced malpractice attorney will tell you, proving that a doctor acted negligently or unprofessionally to this degree can be challenging. This is especially true in cases where there is no objective best option for treating a particular medical condition. However, given how serious ectopic pregnancies are, a Connecticut doctor who fails to confirm their initial diagnosis by ordering, correctly performing, and accurately interpreting multiple diagnostic tests has likely breached the standard of care expected of them.
Even though misdiagnosing an ectopic pregnancy is often a clear example of medical negligence, you must still meet certain procedural requirements before filing a lawsuit. Most notably, Connecticut law requires you to complete a reasonable inquiry process before submitting your initial complaint. This involves reviewing your case with at least one medical expert who is willing to testify under oath that malpractice is likely to have occurred.
There are also strictly enforced filing deadlines for claims of this nature, usually based on when you first discovered that malpractice occurred. Assistance from a knowledgeable malpractice lawyer can be key to building a strong and legally sound lawsuit over an ectopic pregnancy misdiagnosis in Connecticut within applicable time limits.
Misdiagnosing or failing to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy can have serious effects. If you or your baby suffered harm because of this kind of medical error, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the responsible physician and potentially others, including the medical facility where you received substandard care.
Our legal team offers compassionate, personalized guidance to help you pursue the justice and compensation that your family deserves. Contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation with a Connecticut ectopic pregnancy misdiagnosis lawyer.
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