Failure to Diagnose a Heart Attack

Most people are aware of the signs and symptoms of heart issues, but regardless, doctors throughout Maryland often fail to determine that their patients are suffering from heart attacks. A failure to diagnose a heart attack can lead to extensive lifelong harm, and in many instances, such oversights and omissions can be fatal. In most cases, a doctor’s failure to diagnose a heart attack constitutes neglect and is grounds for pursuing damages via medical malpractice claims. If you or someone you loved suffered injuries because a healthcare provider carelessly failed to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, the capable Prince George’s County medical malpractice attorneys of Foran & Foran, P.A., can advise you of your rights and aid you in pursuing any damages you may be owed.

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, 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 key to diagnosing a heart attack. Doctors must also order appropriate tests, such as EKGs, to determine whether a person is suffering from heart issues.

The failure to diagnose a heart attack is usually the result of inattentive care rather than an intent to harm a patient. In most instances, then, people harmed by such omissions will seek compensation in medical malpractice cases via negligence claims.

In Maryland, to demonstrate a defendant should be held liable for medical negligence, the plaintiff first must show the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty. The obligation a doctor owes their patient is to provide them with treatment that meets the applicable standard of care, which is the care that a competent professional who works in the same field would offer in a similar situation. In most instances, expert testimony is needed to demonstrate what the relevant standard of care requires.

Next, the plaintiff has to demonstrate that the defendant’s omissions or actions constitute a breach of the standard, which generally requires expert testimony as well. Finally, the plaintiff needs to prove that the defendant’s departure from the standard of care directly caused them to suffer actual harm. In other words, they have to prove that they would not have suffered losses absent the defendant’s breach. A plaintiff who successfully demonstrates a defendant’s fault may be granted compensation for their financial harm as well as their intangible injuries.

Many people who suffer heart attacks make a full recovery and go on to lead normal lives, but a prompt diagnosis is essential to achieving good outcomes. As such, a doctor’s failure to diagnose a heart attack can irreparably harm a patient’s health and often constitutes medical malpractice. If you or a family member were hurt by a doctor’s failure to diagnose a heart attack, it is in your best interest to talk to an attorney regarding what claims you may be able to pursue. The dedicated Prince George’s County medical malpractice attorneys of Foran & Foran, P.A., take pride in aiding victims of medical negligence in the pursuit of justice, and if you hire us, we will tirelessly pursue the results you deserve. We have an office in Greenbelt, Maryland, and we often represent parties in medical malpractice lawsuits in Hyattsville, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Waldorf, La Plata, Silver Spring, Rockville, and other cities in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Charles County, and all counties in the State of Maryland. You can arrange a confidential and free meeting by contacting us through our form online or by calling us at (301) 441-2022.