If you have been injured due to a medical professional’s failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis of a heart attack, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering among other losses. We are working with experienced failure to diagnose a heart attack medical malpractice lawyers in RI and MA, who charge no fee unless you receive a settlement or award. Call us toll free 24/7 or contact us online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

A man suffering from a heart attack

Have You Suffered a Heart Attack After a Failed Diagnosis
Call Us Now For a Free Case Evaluation!

How Do Heart Attacks Happen?

According to the Mayo Clinic:

A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked, most often by a build-up of fat, cholesterol and other substances, which form a plaque in the arteries that feed the heart (coronary arteries). The interrupted blood flow can damage or destroy part of the heart muscle.”

Illustration of human heartEach year, approximately 7 million people enter an emergency room with heart attack symptoms. More specifically, 4.6 million patients present at emergency departments each year for chest pain. Around 1.5 million of those people are suffering from a heart attack and 30% of these patients do not survive. Statistics show that the “missed” heart attack rate is between 2% and 8%, consistently making this one of the top reasons for medical malpractice cases against emergency physicians.

What Is My Failure To Diagnose A Heart Attack Medical Malpractice Case Worth?

You could be entitled to compensation for:

  • Current and Future Medical Bills;
  • Lost Wages;
  • Loss of Future Earnings;
  • Pain and Suffering;
  • Among Others.

The experienced failure to diagnose a heart attack lawyers that we work with can answer any questions that you may have regarding the value of your potential medical malpractice lawsuit.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Heart Attack?

Heart Attack Symptoms:

  • Shortness of Breath
  • Fatigue
  • Pain in the Shoulder, Back, Neck, and/or Jaw
  • General Weakness
  • Nausea and Vomiting
  • Dizziness or Lightheadedness
  • Cold Sweats

Why Are Heart Attacks Misdiagnosed Or Not Diagnosed At All?

Heart attacks are misdiagnosed for a variety of reasons. Most often, the reason for this failure to diagnose is that the symptoms of heart attacks often lead doctors to believe the patient is suffering from a different medical condition.

Doctors often misdiagnose heart attack patients with the following conditions:

  • Heartburn
  • Pulled Muscle
  • Fractured Ribs
  • Gallstones
  • Back Pain
  • Indigestion
  • Gastric Reflux
  • Anxiety/Panic Attacks

An older man clutches his chest as he suffers from a heart attack.Another reason why doctors fail to properly diagnose patients with heart attacks is they fail to consider heart attacks in younger patients and overlook how common it is for women to suffer from heart attacks. It is a common misconception that heart attacks in women are rare. However, heart disease actually kills five times more women than breast cancer. Additionally, doctors are likely to misdiagnose a woman’s heart attack as a gastrointestinal condition because women typically suffer symptoms of nausea, while men usually have chest pain.

Why Are There Failure To Diagnose Heart Attack Medical Malpractice Cases?

Emergency room physicians have the highest average payments for medical malpractice claims stemming from errors in treating heart attack patients. Generally speaking, these claims result from allegations of failure to diagnose, or failure to provide treatment in a timely manner. Second to none, heart attacks are the leading cause of death in both men and women.

Unfortunately, failing to diagnose a heart attack is also the most common medical malpractice mistake. More malpractice payouts are awarded for misdiagnosis of heart attack than for any other diagnosis. A much more reliable method of diagnosing heart attacks is the Echocardiogram (or cardiac imaging).

Another available method of diagnosing a heart attack is by using cardiac markers (also known as biologic markers). After a heart attack, damaged heart cells release chemicals in the patient’s blood. If present, these markers may assist doctors in properly diagnosing the patient.

How Can You Protect Yourself Against A Heart Attack Misdiagnoses?

A man in a hospital bed

If a patient has any doubts about the initial diagnosis they are given, they should not hesitate to seek a second opinion. To avoid misdiagnosis, patients should provide their physicians with any and all pertinent information regarding their symptoms. Finally, providing family and medical history information may assist doctors in making the proper diagnosis.

Why Contact Us?

A medical malpractice lawyer discusses a case with his two clients.If you have suffered from a doctor’s failure to diagnosis a heart attack, you deserve to be compensated. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and other losses. Our firm is working with some experienced medical malpractice lawyers in RI and MA and there is no fee until you receive a failure to diagnose a heart attack settlement or award.

Every medical malpractice claim has a time limit that the lawsuit must be filed in. This means time could be running out on your claim. It is important to have any potential heart attack lawsuit claim reviewed as soon as possible to make sure you and your loved ones rights are protected. Contact us toll free 24/7 or contact us online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.