Heart disease or coronary heart disease results in over 30,000 deaths in Pennsylvania each year. Many individuals with heart disease will suffer a heart attack, which occurs when a coronary artery is blocked by plaque. This prevents oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart, which can be fatal if not treated immediately.
It is crucial that medical professionals can identify the signs of a heart attack to give proper care to patients. If a doctor or other medical professional failed to diagnose or misdiagnosed your heart attack, you may have a medical malpractice claim in Pennsylvania.
Amended Law Helps Patients File Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Claims, Effective January 1, 2023
As of January 1, 2023, a change to Pennsylvania’s Rules of Civil Procedure will give patients the ability to choose where to file their medical malpractice lawsuits. Previously, patients were required to file medical malpractice claims in the county where the negligent conduct occurred. In January, cases may be filed in any county where 1. the defendant can be served (i.e., does business, has an office, etc.), 2. the negligent conduct took place, or 3. a relevant transaction or event took place.
Medical Misdiagnosis of Heart Attack in Pennsylvania
Family doctors, specialists, and hospitals in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Delaware County and Montgomery County, may misdiagnose a heart attack as chest pain, angina, or simply indigestion or heartburn. Women and younger adults are increasingly at risk of misdiagnosis of a heart attack.
Hospitals and doctors may be liable for medical misdiagnosis of a heart attack under the following circumstances:
- failure to order tests (EKG or echocardiogram),
- failure to order blood tests (cardiac enzymes in the blood),
- failure to take a full medical history,
- failure to identify heart attack risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.), and
- failure to perform a complete medical exam.
In Pennsylvania hospitals or emergency rooms, heart attack misdiagnosis or delay in treatment often occurs due to failure to follow procedures and protocols due to insufficient staffing or insufficient training.
Heart Attack Symptoms That Can Be Misdiagnosed
Symptoms and severity of symptoms vary from person to person. However, most report minor symptoms in the days or hours leading to the heart attack:
- chest pain or tightness
- pain or discomfort in the shoulders, arms, neck or jaw/throat
- stomach pain, including symptoms of heartburn or indigestion
- sweating
- vomiting
- dizziness
- anxiety
- shortness of breath, fast or uneven heartbeat
Our Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers accept heart attack misdiagnosis cases throughout Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, including Delaware County, Montgomery County, etc. Contact us now or call (610) 825-0500.
February 2022 Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Case Result: Our lawyers obtained a record-breaking $2 million settlement in a central Pennsylvania case against an emergency room hospital.
Understanding Heart Attack Treatment
Heart attack sufferers must get timely treatment. The faster the treatment, the better the outcome. In the best-case scenario, treatment will occur within 1-2 hours of the onset of symptoms. Delayed treatment may result in death or irreversible damage to the heart’s muscles.
Treatment of a heart attack typically includes blood clot or antiplatelet medications, thrombolytic treatment, cardiac catheterization, and bypass surgery.
When Can You File a Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Lawsuit in Pennsylvania
If a doctor or hospital was negligent in the diagnosis or treatment of a heart attack, patients and their family members may obtain compensation by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. Pennsylvania law puts a time limit on a patient’s right to sue for medical malpractice, so don’t delay.
Under Pennsylvania law, patients and their families may have legal rights to seek compensation for the often enormous personal and physical difficulties caused by a heart attack misdiagnosis or delayed heart attack treatment.
Patients who survive often need extensive medical treatment and ongoing medical care, including physical therapy. Medical costs alone are often crippling, let alone lost wages and ongoing pain and suffering.
Family members of those who don’t survive may seek compensation for the financial losses caused by death of their loved one.
Contact Our Pennsylvania Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Attorneys Today
The Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette law firm achieved a Best Law Firm rating by U.S. News & World Report in the areas of medical malpractice law and personal injury law from 2016 until the rating was discontinued in August 2023.
Our law firm focuses on complex Pennsylvania hospital malpractice cases, including heart attack cases. We’ve succeeded in medical and hospital malpractice cases against some of the largest medical providers in Philadelphia, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. Contact us for a free consultation. (610) 825-0500