Was your loved one’s heart attack misdiagnosed?
It’s incredibly important you receive proper medical care urgently if you are experiencing signs of a heart attack. In some cases, symptoms can be mistaken by doctors for something less serious, which can lead to a heart attack misdiagnosis, resulting in pain and suffering, if not worse. Medical misdiagnoses like this can occur for many reasons, including when a hospital is understaffed, undertrained, or simply not following protocol to understand the scope of the patient’s symptoms.
If you or someone you love has experienced a heart attack misdiagnosis, you may be owed compensation for physical injuries, medical bills, and other losses. Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has decades of experience with medical malpractice cases, and we will fight to get you the justice you deserve.
Common heart attack symptoms
We’re often told to never underestimate any symptoms that could be related to a heart attack, no matter how inconsequential they may seem. It’s important our medical teams do the same. Heart attacks should be treated within one or two hours of onset; if they aren’t, severe damage can happen to your organs, or worse. Often, heart attack symptoms show up in ways that could be confused as other common ailments. If you experience any of the common symptoms, particularly chest tightness and pain in your left arm, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Common heart attack symptoms, according to the CDC, include:
- Chest pain, particularly tightness, like a feeling of something large sitting on your chest
- Discomfort in your shoulders & arms as well
- Shortness of breath & fast heartbeat
- Sweating, nausea, dizziness
- Indigestion or heartburn-like feelings
- Bad balance & coordination
Heart attacks can present differently in women, according to the American Heart Association, which is why they are at greater risk for misdiagnosis. If you are a woman, pay special attention to possible heart attack symptoms above, but also:
- Fatigue or trouble sleeping
- Back pain
- Light-headedness
- Flushed feeling
- Non-radiating pain
How heart attack misdiagnoses happen
Hospitals, particularly emergency rooms, can be hectic, which is why it’s important that doctors follow all policies and procedures when diagnosing patients. Otherwise, it could result in pain and suffering, or even death, for heart attack patients. Something that might seem like a common indigestion or heartburn-like feelings to you can in reality be an indication something is very wrong. Heart attacks can be especially dangerous for women and younger people, as they are the most at-risk for a misdiagnosis.
Your doctor may have misdiagnosed your heart attack as something less severe because they didn’t:
- Order common blood or diagnostic tests like an EKG
- Get a full medical history or exam
- Take risk factors seriously enough if the patient has high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.
Who may be at-fault in a heart attack misdiagnosis
It’s likely if you believe you were experiencing a heart attack that you ended up in an emergency room. However, if you believed your symptoms were more benign and you went to your primary care doctor, they may be at fault for not diagnosing you and recommending proper care or attention at a hospital.
To help you discover who is legally at-fault for your misdiagnosis, you’ll want to speak to an experienced lawyer. Our team at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has extensive experience in medical malpractice law. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for patients who have experienced pain and suffering from a misdiagnosis; as well as for families who unfortunately lost a loved one due to improper care. We can help review your case to determine what medical professionals may be at fault for your heart attack misdiagnosis.
Medical professionals who may be responsible for a heart attack misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis include (but are not limited to):
- Emergency room doctor
- Emergency room triage nurse
- Any consulting doctors, including cardiologists, medical students, interns
- Primary care / family doctors
- Urgent care doctors
- Lab technicians, or anyone performing blood or diagnostic tests
Speak to a medical malpractice attorney today
A heart attack is one of the most disruptive and damaging things that can happen to your body, making it important you receive proper medical care urgently. If you experienced a heart attack that was misdiagnosed by your doctor as something else, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and other losses. Families who have tragically lost a loved one to a heart attack misdiagnosis are also able to seek compensation for their pain and suffering.
The medical malpractice lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys are ready to speak to you about your case today. Cost is no object when it comes to hiring a top Pennsylvania malpractice attorney, because we don’t collect a fee unless we win financial compensation for you. Call today at (844) 385-9601 or use our online form to schedule your free consultation today.
