Missed Warning Signs in the ER: A Preventable Pulmonary Embolism Tragedy in State College
A trip to the emergency room is often overwhelming, marked by long wait times, uncertainty, and heightened stress. In such a fast-paced and crowded environment, critical symptoms can unfortunately be overlooked or misdiagnosed. A recent tragedy in State College highlights how quickly a missed or delayed diagnosis can turn a medical emergency into a devastating outcome. The incident was featured this week in the Centre Daily Times and statecollege.com.
Friedman Schuman Layser attorneys, Derek R. Layser, Jacqueline M. Reynolds, and Caitlin Dryden Groeber represent Misty Dickinson, who filed a medical negligence lawsuit against Mount Nittany Health following the preventable and tragic death of her 24-year-old son.
Kaleb Barth, an engineering technology student preparing to graduate and planning to pursue a career in architectural engineering and design, arrived at Mount Nittany Medical Center Emergency Department on February 24th, 2025, with ongoing symptoms of numbness in his fingers and toes, foot pain, dizziness, and lightheadedness. An emergency department physician diagnosed Barth with dehydration and low potassium, noting that testing showed no “life-threatening abnormalities.” A nurse expressed concern regarding abnormalities in Barth’s blood pressure and heart rate, however, despite those concerns, Barth was discharged from the emergency room with instructions to follow up with his primary care physician in one month.
Kaleb Barth was found dead in his apartment on March 1st, 2025. The medical examiner recorded the cause of death as a pulmonary embolism.
Barth experienced common signs and symptoms of blood clots. Had the emergency department physician followed the standard procedure of care by administering additional testing and kept him at the facility overnight for observation, the deep vein thrombosis that led to a preventable pulmonary embolism may have been treated and Barth could still be alive today.
“Kaleb Barth failed to receive proper work-up, evaluation, diagnosis, management, intervention and treatment, was exposed to an increased risk of harm, and was caused to needlessly suffer catastrophic injuries and death,” shares Derek R. Layser.
Access the full story here.
If you or a loved one has experienced negligence in a healthcare facility that led to the misdiagnosis of a pulmonary embolism or death due to a pulmonary embolism, contact one of our experienced medical malpractice attorneys today for a case consultation. We are here to guide you through the legal process and find justice.