Failure to Diagnose Heart Conditions, Heart Attacks and Heart Strokes
Ohio medical negligence attorneys explain common cardiac mistakes that result in medical malpractice
More than 600,000 people die from heart disease in the United States each year, making it the leading cause of death in the country. An American dies from heart disease every minute and has a heart attack once every 43 seconds. These statistics from the Centers for Disease Control confirm how important it is for general physicians, emergency-room doctors, and cardiologists to get the diagnosis of heart conditions or a possible heart attack correct.
The Ohio medical malpractice lawyers at Crandall & Pera Law know how deadly and serious a failure to diagnose heart attack or heart disease can be. Heart attacks and strokes can kill or permanently disable a person in an instant. Our attorneys have obtained millions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice cases because we are able to prove that doctors, hospitals, and nurses failed to recognize or test for heart disease or diagnosed the patient’s heart symptoms incorrectly. We work with doctors and Registered Nurses to hold accountable health providers who fail to make a correct and timely diagnosis of heart disease. Our attorneys have obtained million dollar verdicts for victims of medical malpractice throughout Ohio including Columbus, Chagrin Falls, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Chesterland.
Heart disease causes and symptoms
Many of the causes of heart disease are well known, and could easily be verified through correct testing procedures and oral histories of the patient. The causes which doctors should be able to determine through a quick physical and informal examination or through simple tests include:
- Obesity
- A history of smoking
- Alcohol excess
- Lack of exercise
- Poor diet
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High LDL cholesterol
Heart attack symptoms include chest pains, difficulty breathing, fatigue and dizziness, pain in the jaw or neck, left shoulder pain, nausea, and shortness of breath – sometimes. In truth, many people, especially women, experience heart attack symptoms more akin to indigestion, which can lead doctors to misdiagnose a heart attack.
Misdiagnosis of heart disease
Misdiagnosis is different than a delayed diagnosis. Misdiagnosis of heart disease means the doctor, hospital, or nurse attributed the symptoms to some other non heart-related cause such as abdominal pain or gastrointestinal disorders. Other diagnosis mistakes include:
- Acid reflux
- Panic attacks
- Angina
- An ulcer or gallstones
- A fractured rib
There are also other types of medical malpractice that are heart-related. Prescribing the wrong medication for heart disease or prescribing drugs for non-cardiac reasons without considering the effect on the heart can also result in catastrophic harm. Even when heart disease is properly diagnosed, improper treatment can cause harm to the heart and the body.
The Ohio medical malpractice attorneys of Crandall & Pera Law review your history and your medical treatments, to see if negligent delay or misdiagnosis caused or worsened any cardiac problems. Just seconds in the delay of treatment can cause heart damage, a heart attack, stroke, or death.
Advocating on behalf of victims of medical delay and medical misdiagnosis of heart disease
Living with heart disease can be difficult; choosing the right Ohio medical negligence lawyer should not be. Crandall & Pera Law protects the rights of victims and their families when an act of medical negligence led to the delay of your diagnosis or treatment. Please call 877-686-8879 or complete our contact form to schedule an appointment at one of our offices in Chagrin Falls, Chesterland, Columbus, Cleveland or Cincinnati.
