Misdiagnosis or Failure to Diagnose and Treat Heart Attacks
Did a medical professional misdiagnose your condition or fail to diagnose a loved one’s heart attack? Our medical misdiagnosis attorneys are here to help. Call us today for a free case evaluation.
Written and edited by our team of expert legal content writers and reviewed and approved by Daniel Harwin
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Heart attacks don’t always happen “out of the blue.” Signs and symptoms may exist that warn of a heart attack before cardiac arrest occurs. If a patient presents with chest pain, general weakness, jaw pain or shortness of breath and the attending physician fails to diagnose (FTD) a heart attack, the patient or his/her loved ones could potentially have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit, if the failure to diagnose and treat results in preventable injuries or wrongful death. Contact Freedland Harwin Valori Gander to discuss the possibility of bringing a claim for failure to diagnose a heart attack against a Florida hospital or physician. You could be eligible for monetary recovery.
Common Causes of the Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack
It is sometimes possible to catch the early signs of a heart attack and take steps to prevent stroke or cardiovascular failure before it happens.
A few early symptoms that could point to an impending heart attack include:
- Chest discomfort or pain
- Upper body pain or uncomfortable pressure
- Squeezing feelings
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Lightheadedness
- Syncope or cold sweats
If a patient presents any of these symptoms to a doctor, the doctor must not rule out a heart attack without conducting the proper tests.
Some of the most common reasons a heart attack diagnosis can be missed include:
- Misinterpreting symptoms
- Ignoring warning signs
- Confusion in the emergency room
- Turning a patient away too soon
- Failing to order proper tests
- Misreading test results
Symptoms of a heart attack – especially paired with risk factors such as age, weight, and medical and family history – should receive certain tests to screen for cardiovascular issues.
The most common test physicians order to diagnose a heart attack is the electrocardiogram (EKG). EKGs measure the electrical activity of the heart, testing for abnormalities or problems with the heart’s status. Failure to order an EKG could be malpractice if another doctor would have in a similar situation. In some cases, a doctor will order an EKG and it registers a heart attack, but the physician misses it. After a failed diagnosis of heart attack, talk to a misdiagnosis attorney about the possibility of a medical malpractice claim.
Florida Medical Malpractice Laws
Failures to diagnose might qualify as medical malpractice if the injured patient can prove that a “reasonable and prudent” doctor would not have made the same mistake. For example, an expert medical witness testifies to the fact that he or she would not have missed a heart attack showing on an EKG and therefore would have diagnosed the condition.
Timely diagnosis in heart attack cases is imperative for the overall outcome of the patient’s case. In Florida, hiring a medical expert to sign an affidavit attesting to the validity of the claim is a filing requirement.
The attorneys at Freedland Harwin Valori Gander have the skill and resources to help clients fulfill all the necessary requirements for bringing a medical malpractice claim in the state of Florida. We can file your claim for failure to diagnose heart attack in a timely manner for an efficient legal process. Your journey toward justice begins with a free case evaluation at one of our local offices. Call (954) 467-6400 or submit your message online to request yours today.
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ALL FIELDS REQUIRED
- BIRTH TRAUMA
- EMERGENCY ROOM MISTAKES
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE OR MISDIAGNOSIS – CANCER
- FAILURE OR DELAY IN DIAGNOSIS OF SEPSIS
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT GESTATIONAL DIABETES
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE BREAST CANCER
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE HEART ATTACK
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE OR TREAT AORTIC DISSECTION
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE PNEUMONIA
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE PULMONARY EMBOLISM
- FAILURE TO TREAT STROKE
- HOSPITAL MALPRACTICE
- INTRAVENOUS INFILTRATION
- MEDICATION ERRORS
- MEDICATION OVERDOSE
- MISDIAGNOSIS
- NEGLIGENT FETAL MONITORING
- OB/GYN ERRORS
- PACU ERRORS
- PLASTIC SURGERY ERRORS
- PREOPERATIVE CLEARANCE ERROR
- PSYCHIATRIC MALPRACTICE
- RADIOLOGY ERRORS
- SPINE SURGERY MISTAKES
- STILLBIRTH & MISCARRIAGE MALPRACTICE
- SURGERY CENTER ERRORS
- SURGICAL ERRORS
CASE RESULTS
TESTIMONIALS
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