Failure to Treat Heart Attack Results in Wrongful Death Case

An ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is a serious heart attack, typically caused by a sudden and complete blockage of a coronary artery. “ST-segment elevation” refers to a specific pattern on an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), the test used to look for heart attacks.

A STEMI requires immediate treatment to open the blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart muscle, so it can continue to pump blood effectively. Shelley had a STEMI, but the hospital failed to timely send her to the catheterization lab to open her blocked artery, resulting in her wrongful death.

The Eisen Law Firm Wrongful Death Case Facts

Shelley unexpectedly suffered a cardiac arrest in her car. Her husband called 911, and paramedics arrived, resuscitated her, and brought her to the emergency department. An EKG was done, and there was a dispute between the ED physician and the on-call cardiologist as to whether it showed a STEMI that required emergent transfer to the catheterization lab. After a delay of several hours, Shelley eventually was transferred and underwent cardiac catheterization. Unfortunately, it was too late. She died shortly after the procedure. She was only 57 years old.

Shelley’s family suspected Shelley’s death might have been prevented if she had been sent to the catheterization lab sooner. Accordingly, the family set out to locate an experienced and reputable medical negligence law firm.

The Eisen Law Firm Case Investigation and Preparation

Shelley’s husband and children contacted The Eisen Law Firm to handle their medical malpractice and wrongful death case. Todd Gurney, lead attorney, quickly began investigating the medical issues. He reviewed all the medical records and figured out that a key piece of Shelley’s medical record – the initial EKG that likely was misinterpreted – was missing. When health care facilities intentionally alter or delete medical records, they have engaged in spoilation of evidence and need to be held accountable for their action (or inaction). In this particular case, Shelley had an early EKG that indicated fast action was needed. Had fast action been taken, Shelley likely would be with her loving family today.

Published guidelines establishing the standard of care require door-to-intervention to open the artery (often using a “balloon” procedure), for STEMI in 90 minutes(120 minutes if transfer to another facility is required). In this case, door-to-intervention time was FIVE HOURS. This was medical negligence.

Proving medical negligence is only part of the battle. It must also be shown that if Shelley had been treated in accordance with the standard of care, it is more likely than not that she would still be alive today. To prove this, Mr. Gurney consulted with a top-notch interventional cardiology expert and performed exhaustive research through the world’s medical literature. The Eisen Law Firm does not rely on paralegals to assist in working up cases. Mr. Gurney did his own medical research, reviewing articles, books, and professional journals, so that he understood fully the medical issues and the legal issues in this case.

The Eisen Law Firm’s Wrongful Death Case Settlement

After gaining a strong understanding of all the medical and legal issues involved in the case, Mr. Gurney was able to convince the hospital of its potential exposure. As a result, the hospital agreed to retain a private mediator in an effort to reach a pretrial resolution. Ultimately, a confidential, seven-figure settlement was achieved.