Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack

Most doctors are aware of the signs and symptoms of heart issues, but doctors throughout Florida often fail to determine that their patients are suffering from heart attacks. A failure to diagnose heart attack can lead to devastating harm. Usually, failures to diagnose heart attacks are caused by negligence, and doctors who carelessly cause their patients to suffer severe injuries may be deemed liable for medical malpractice. If you or a family member suffered harm due to a physician’s failure to diagnose heart attack, the Boca Raton misdiagnosis attorneys at The Grife Law Firm can inform you about your potential claims and help you seek the full amount of compensation recoverable under the law.

Myocardial infarctions, commonly known as heart attacks, happen when a heart’s blood supply is suddenly stopped or reduced. The reduction in a heart’s blood supply can cause damage to the heart and the death of cardiac tissue. Typically, coronary artery disease, which involves the narrowing and blockage of arteries, causes heart attacks, but they can also be caused by spasms of the coronary artery. Symptoms of a heart attack commonly include pain in the chest, which may extend to the jaw, back, shoulders, or arms, as well as nausea, shortness of breath, and light-headedness.

A prompt diagnosis is critical when a patient is suffering from a myocardial infarction. Delays can lead to cardiac necrosis, stroke, brain damage, and death. Not all people who are suffering from heart attacks present with typical symptoms, however, and a thorough examination and assessment of a patient’s medical history is vital to diagnosing a heart attack. Doctors must also order appropriate tests, such as EKGs, to determine whether a person is suffering from heart issues.

A missed or delayed diagnosis often constitutes malpractice. Thus, many people harmed by a physician’s failure to diagnose a heart attack will seek damages via a civil lawsuit. To obtain a favorable outcome in a medical malpractice lawsuit, a plaintiff must prove liability. In other words, the plaintiff must show that the defendant had a duty to treat the plaintiff in accordance with a certain standard of care, but the defendant breached the duty, causing the plaintiff to suffer damages.

The standard of care that applies is the treatment or care that a reasonably competent doctor practicing in the same area of medicine as the defendant would provide when faced with similar circumstances. Generally, the standard of care and the manner in which the defendant departed from the standard must be established via expert testimony. Only certain people are qualified to testify as experts in medical malpractice cases, though. Specifically, pursuant to Florida Statute 766.102, a person cannot testify regarding the accepted standard of care for those in the defendant’s profession unless the person is a health care provider with a valid and active license. The person must also conduct a complete review of the relevant medical records and meet other criteria that vary depending on the defendant’s area of practice.

Undiagnosed heart attacks can lead to life-shattering injuries. If you or a loved one sustained harm due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose heart attack, you could be owed significant damages and should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. The proficient medical malpractice attorneys at The Grife Law Firm are mindful of the devastating losses that a health care provider’s negligence can cause, and if you hire us, we will work tirelessly to help you seek the best outcome available under the circumstances. Our office is located in Boca Raton, and we regularly represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits in the surrounding area, as well as in the areas around Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach. You can reach us via our online form or by calling 855-998-0770 to schedule a meeting.