Man With Classic Heart Attack Symptoms Released After Brief, Hospital Examination; Heart Attack Kills Him While Waiting For Taxi In Lobby

Sometimes instances of medical malpractice can just make you angry. Frankly, it is downright frustrating when trained, medical staff disregards clear and absolute signs of a condition. It was even more frustrating when that condition is dangerous and potentially deadly. And it is absolutely appalling when the medical staff’s failure to take care of that dangerous and potentially deadly condition leads to the death of an individual.

In this out-of-state case, a man was taken to the hospital suffering from chest pains. The emergency medical services unit that took him to the hospital noted that he showed signed consistent with an impending cardiac arrest. Meaning, he was about to or in the early stages of having a heart attack. At the hospital, staff performed an EKG which brought up abnormal results. Thus, all signs pointed to a heart attack.

However, hospital staff discharged him! They told him to head home and immediately contact his cardiologist for a follow-up appoint. He agreed and went to the lobby to wait for a taxi home. The next morning he was found dead in the hospital waiting room still in his chair; the cause of death was a heart attack. In fact, he had actually been deceased for so long and undiscovered that rigor mortis—which usually occurs in 3 to 8 hours after death—had actually set in and hospital staff had trouble moving him.

The man’s family has brought a lawsuit based on negligence and wrongful death. They claim that, because of the observations by the EMS unit, the clear symptoms the man was suffering, and his past history of cardiac issues, the medical staff should have admitted him for observation after the EKG was abnormal.

I just can’t imagine hearing the news of this case if you are the family. This is absolutely devastating to know that your loved one had been brought to the hospital and the proper individuals who would care for him. Yet, they failed to do their job when the facts and circumstances were just so clear.

But what do you think? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com . You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.