diff --git a/src/medcheck/llm/base.py b/src/medcheck/llm/base.py
index ee1252e..587c613 100644
--- a/src/medcheck/llm/base.py
+++ b/src/medcheck/llm/base.py
@@ -109,17 +109,23 @@ class AnalysisResult:
 
 
 def parse_llm_json(raw: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    """Extract and parse the first valid JSON object from *raw* using brace-depth tracking."""
-    start = raw.index("{")
-    depth = 0
-    for i, ch in enumerate(raw[start:], start):
-        if ch == "{":
-            depth += 1
-        elif ch == "}":
-            depth -= 1
-        if depth == 0:
-            result: dict[str, Any] = json.loads(raw[start : i + 1])
+    """Extract and parse the first JSON object embedded in *raw*.
+
+    Uses json's incremental decoder — which is string/escape aware — rather
+    than manual brace counting, so a ``}`` inside a string value (plausible in
+    LLM free-text fields) cannot truncate the object. Candidate ``{`` positions
+    are tried in order until one decodes to an object.
+    """
+    decoder = json.JSONDecoder()
+    pos = raw.find("{")
+    while pos != -1:
+        try:
+            result, _ = decoder.raw_decode(raw, pos)
+        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+            result = None
+        if isinstance(result, dict):
             return result
+        pos = raw.find("{", pos + 1)
     raise ValueError("No valid JSON found")
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_llm/test_base.py b/tests/unit/test_llm/test_base.py
index a756ce1..afef265 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_llm/test_base.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_llm/test_base.py
@@ -121,3 +121,26 @@ def fn():
         call_with_retries(fn, provider="x", attempts=3, base_delay=0)
     # Non-transient error: no retries.
     assert calls["n"] == 1
+
+
+def test_parse_llm_json_braces_inside_string_values():
+    raw = (
+        '{"overall_impression": "Normal study (note: {contrast} was not administered)",'
+        ' "structures": [{"name": "ACL", "status": "intact", "confidence": 0.9}]}'
+    )
+    result = parse_llm_response(raw)
+    assert "not administered" in result.overall_impression
+    assert len(result.structures) == 1
+    assert result.structures[0].name == "ACL"
+
+
+def test_parse_llm_json_object_after_stray_brace():
+    raw = 'Header {not json. {"overall_impression": "ok", "structures": []}'
+    result = parse_llm_response(raw)
+    assert result.overall_impression == "ok"
+
+
+def test_parse_llm_json_markdown_fenced():
+    raw = 'Here is the analysis:\n```json\n{"overall_impression": "unremarkable", "structures": []}\n```\nDone.'
+    result = parse_llm_response(raw)
+    assert result.overall_impression == "unremarkable"