How an Undiagnosed Heart Attack Could be Medical Malpractice in Oregon
Understanding How an Undiagnosed Heart Attack Could be Medical Malpractice in Oregon: Portland Lawyers Explain
A heart attack is a medical emergency. We all know that. Even children know that. It does not take a medical degree to know this. But unfortunately, far too many medical professionals like doctors, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, technicians, and other healthcare professionals fail to take the complaints of a heart attack seriously. This means that some patients may become victims when they are left in the waiting room, prematurely discharged, or otherwise ignored by healthcare providers. There are many ways that an undiagnosed heart attack could be medical malpractice in Oregon, and our Portland lawyers explain how this can happen.
Why Not All Heart Attacks are Obvious
First thing’s first: not all heart attacks are like you see on TV or in the movies. Indeed, some heart attacks may have very mild symptoms. They could have symptoms like chest tightness or even sound like/feel like acid reflux. Individuals could have symptoms that they do not realize or even connect to a heart attack. In fact, according to Harvard Medical School research, approximately 45% of all heart attacks are “silent” heart attacks.
This means that patients and their families rely on trained healthcare providers to assess the symptoms or complaints of a patient, and then complete the property diagnostics and testing to discover the heart attack. When this does not happen, this is how an undiagnosed heart attack could be medical malpractice in Oregon.
Delays in Treating a Heart Attack Means Delays in Stopping Damage
A heart attack is caused by a blockage which prevents blood flow to the rest of the heart and the body. This means that the heart is not receiving oxygen. When any part of the body is not receiving oxygen, it will begin to sustain damage. Damage can prevent the organ or part of the body from working properly. The longer that the heart does not receive oxygen, the more time that the heart sustains damage. This can be permanent, disabling, and obviously fatal.
How do Undiagnosed Heart Attacks Occur?
There are several ways how an undiagnosed heart attack could occur. Most of the ways are due to Oregon medical malpractice. This means that a reasonably prudent healthcare provider could have identified and treated the heart attack, but did not. A victim and his family could be entitled to damages caused by this undiagnosed heart attack. Some of the most common ways how a heart attack could be undiagnosed includes the following:
- Delaying treatment to a patient
- Ignoring the complaints of a patient
- Misreading diagnostic tests like EKGs
- Failing to order diagnostic tests, like EKGs
- Leaving a patient alone
- Improperly discharging a patient that is still experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack
- Misdiagnosing a heart attack as something else
- Negligent hiring of staff
- Improper training and supervision
- Failing to identify the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, including a silent heart attack, and
- Many other common causes.
Ask our Portland Lawyers for Help With an Undiagnosed Heart Attack
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.