A pregnant woman underwent multiple 2D ultrasounds, all prescribed for routine fetal well-being. No anomaly scan or Level II imaging was advised. After birth, the child was diagnosed with severe spinal abnormalities.

The family alleged negligence by the sonologist for failing to detect the defect and not recommending further testing.

A patient underwent laparoscopic surgery for an ovarian mass at a private hospital. The excised tissue was sent for histopathological examination. The report described features consistent with a mucinous cystadenoma—a benign tumour. No signs of stromal invasion were noted, and malignancy was not confirmed.

Months later, the patient experienced complications and was referred to a tertiary hospital. A second histopathology report, based on the same tissue slide, diagnosed mucinous adenocarcinoma and advised ruling out metastasis from the colon. The patient was subsequently treated for cancer and passed away during the pendency of the complaint.

A retired serviceman was admitted to a primary care hospital with abdominal distension and breathlessness. Initial vitals were stable. The treating doctor diagnosed chest and abdominal infection and began intravenous antibiotics. Imaging was delayed until the evening, and a CT scan was performed the next day at an external diagnostic centre. The scan revealed a lung abscess.

The patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly. The hospital advised shifting him to a higher centre, citing lack of advanced imaging and procedural capability. The family declined, citing financial constraints. Later that evening, the patient died of respiratory arrest.

A patient underwent a routine PCNL procedure for kidney stone removal. The surgery was uneventful, and the discharge summary stated that the stone had been cleared. No complications were noted, and the patient was advised to return for follow-up.

Weeks later, the patient experienced recurring pain. A CT scan revealed residual stone fragments. When the patient approached the hospital for clarification, it was confirmed that a post-operative X-ray had been taken—but the report had not been shared, nor had its findings been documented in the discharge summary.

The patient was admitted with persistent bleeding and discomfort—symptoms that had lingered for weeks. A sonography done earlier had pointed to uterine complications. When she arrived at the hospital, the attending gynecologist reviewed the old report and advised laparoscopic hysterectomy. The decision was made swiftly. No fresh imaging. No colposcopy. The surgery was scheduled for the next morning.

She was discharged soon after. But within days, her condition worsened. Acute pancreatitis set in, followed by sepsis and multi-organ failure. She was moved to a higher centre, placed on ventilator support, and eventually passed away.

A patient was admitted to a nursing home in the early hours with abdominal pain, fever, and suspected intestinal perforation. An initial deposit of ₹5,000 was made, and glucose was administered. The hospital advised urgent surgery and demanded ₹12,000 along with two units of blood.

Unable to arrange the amount, the patient’s family requested discharge. The hospital claimed the patient was released alive, and a refund of ₹4,560 was issued after deducting treatment charges.

The discharge note included a written statement from the patient’s brother, acknowledging voluntary discharge.

He arrived late at night, unable to walk without support. The pain was sharp, radiating down his legs, and the MRI left little room for doubt: a massive lumbar disc herniation compressing the cauda equina. The orthopedic surgeon advised urgent surgical decompression. Delay, he warned, could lead to irreversible damage—paralysis, bladder dysfunction, permanent nerve loss.

The family listened, but hesitated. The cost of surgery—₹1.8 lakh—was beyond their means. They asked for something temporary. Something that could ease the pain, at least for now.