Placental Abruption Missed—How Attorneys Build These Cases
Placental abruption is one of the most serious obstetric emergencies. It occurs when the placenta separates from the uterine wall before delivery, depriving the baby of oxygen and the mother of needed blood supply. If not recognized and treated immediately, the consequences can be catastrophic—resulting in stillbirth, hypoxic brain injury, maternal hemorrhage, hysterectomy, or even death.
Unfortunately, many abruption cases are missed or misdiagnosed in emergency departments or labor units, leading to preventable harm. Attorneys handling these cases must prove both the medical failures and the resulting injuries.
At Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, we partner with attorneys nationwide to reconstruct timelines, analyze records, and highlight where standards of care were breached.
Warning Signs of Placental Abruption
Placental abruption can present suddenly, but warning signs are often documented if providers know what to look for:
Vaginal bleeding in the second or third trimester
Severe abdominal or back pain not relieved by rest
Uterine tenderness and abnormal contractions
Fetal distress on monitoring (late decelerations, bradycardia)
Maternal hypotension or shock
Failure to act on these symptoms can result in devastating outcomes.
How Misdiagnosis Happens
Despite clear risk factors and symptoms, providers sometimes miss or delay diagnosis. Common errors include:
Attributing pain to false labor or musculoskeletal causes
Failing to order emergency ultrasound or lab testing
Misinterpreting fetal monitoring strips showing distress
Delaying stat cesarean section when abruption is suspected
Under-documenting symptoms or ignoring nursing concerns
In litigation, attorneys look closely at how quickly providers recognized and responded to these red flags.
Proving Liability in Abruption Cases
To establish liability, attorneys must show that:
Symptoms were present and documented but not acted upon.
Standard interventions—such as emergency delivery—were delayed.
The delay or mismanagement directly caused harm to the infant or mother.
Key records often include:
Prenatal records showing risk factors (e.g., hypertension, trauma, prior abruption)
Labor and delivery records documenting maternal complaints and nursing notes
Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) strips
Timing of orders and interventions compared to onset of symptoms
Operative and pathology reports
How Lexcura Summit Supports Attorneys
At Lexcura Summit, our team of 200+ board-certified clinicians provides attorneys with the tools to build strong abruption cases:
Medical Chronologies – Reconstructing events minute by minute to reveal delays.
Narrative Summaries – Explaining how providers failed to recognize abruption.
Expert Case Screening – Identifying whether a claim is medically supportable.
Life Care Plans – Documenting long-term needs of infants with hypoxic brain injuries.
Defense & Rebuttal Reports – Supporting both plaintiff and defense strategies.
Our deliverables are HIPAA-compliant, nationwide, and completed in 7 days (rush in 2–3).
Key Takeaways
Placental abruption is a true medical emergency requiring rapid recognition and delivery.
Missed or delayed diagnosis can lead to catastrophic maternal and infant outcomes.
Attorneys rely on records, EFM strips, and timelines to prove liability.
Lexcura Summit provides expert medical-legal support that strengthens these cases.
Contact Lexcura Summit
If you’re handling a placental abruption malpractice case, we can help.
Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, LLC
📞 (352) 703-0703
🌐 www.lexcura-summit.com
