Heart attack is the leading cause of death in America. Heart pain is also the number one cause of emergency room visits. As such, doctors are always on the lookout for heart issues. Yet, many heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) go undiagnosed, leading to further injury to the patient, or even death. In other cases, a doctor or surgeon may diagnose a heart attack, yet fail to provide proper care, resulting in unnecessary and avoidable harm to the patient. If you or a loved one had a heart attack and it was either improperly diagnosed or treated, you may be able to succeed in medical malpractice claim. Here at Freidin Brown, P.A., our Tampa heart attack malpractice lawyers have over 45 years of history fighting for our clients, and have taken on the largest hospitals and insurance companies and come out victorious. We can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)
There are a number of emergency tissue-saving (and life-saving) procedures that can be performed after a patient suffers a heart attack. These include methods as simple as giving the patient Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and as complex as angioplasty—an emergency surgery that opens narrow or blocked blood vessels with the aid of a stent. The sooner treatment is provided, the less damage the patient’s heart undergoes and the less likely the patient suffers serious harm or death. The signs and symptoms of a heart attack are well-known: shortness of breath, pain in the shoulder and chest, nausea, sweating, dizziness, and pressure in the chest. While these symptoms could be myriad of other illnesses or injuries, doctors have a duty of care that requires them to screen a patient complaining of such symptoms for a heart attack. Failure to diagnose a heart attack can be fatal.
Failure to Treat a Heart Attack
Sometimes a doctor will diagnose a heart attack in time, but fail to provide medical services that meet the necessary standard of care. For example, they may not provide the correct dose or type of medication, or a surgeon may not perform a surgery correctly, resulting in unnecessary harm or death to the patient.
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Damages in a Heart Attack Malpractice Claim
Victims of medical malpractice or the surviving family members of loved ones who passed away due to medical negligence can seek the following damages:
- Medical expenses and future medical procedures
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages and lost earning ability due to disability
- Emotional distress
- Loss of joy of life
- Ongoing nursing, housing, or medical care if the injury caused a major disability
- Loss of consortium if malpractice caused death
- Loss of lifetime earnings if malpractice caused death
- Funeral and burial expenses if malpractice caused death
- Loss of joy of life if malpractice caused death
Call a Tampa Heart Attack Malpractice Lawyer Today
No doctor should ever misdiagnose a heart attack as indigestion or asthma, just as no surgeon should fail in their duties to provide surgery to the standard of care. If you or a loved one were harmed due to medical negligence, the Tampa heart attack malpractice lawyers at Freidin Brown, P.A. can help. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.