Despite being trained to recognize symptoms like tightness in the chest, sweating, and pain in the jaw and left arm, many emergency room personnel make the wrong diagnosis. As a matter of fact, heart attack misdiagnosis is one of the most common reasons for medical malpractice claims.

The most common misdiagnosis is mistaking a heart attack for heartburn or indigestion. In women, a heart attack is often mistaken for anxiety. If you go to the emergency room suffering from a heart attack and are sent home with some antacids or anxiety medication, you are likely to suffer permanent injury or you may even die.

The Central Florida medical misdiagnosis lawyers at Martinez Manglardi have been representing the injured in Florida since 1988, including Orange County, Orlando, Apopka, Seminole County, Kissimmee, Osceola County, Palm Bay, Brevard County, Ocala and other cities and counties throughout Florida, so we understand the damage caused by misdiagnosis. Our medical malpractice attorneys have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlement for our clients – and we’re ready to put our experience to work for you.

When a healthcare professional does not accurately diagnose a patient’s symptoms, serious repercussions can occur. Doctors may overlook dangerous conditions that require immediate action. Often, misdiagnosis of an easily treated illness results in a much graver, even fatal condition.

We have handled multiple medical malpractice cases that resulted in successful outcomes for our clients, including:

•  $1.35 million recovery for failure to diagnose HIV.
•  $1 million award for a delayed breast cancer diagnosis.
•  $950,000 award for failure to diagnose a bowel obstruction.
•  $600,000 recovery for failure to diagnose a heart condition.

Multiple factors can play a role in misdiagnosis, including:

• Lack of communication among medical staff.
• Emergency room personnel failing to notice danger signs associated with deadly conditions, such as heart attack.
• Failure to order, properly evaluate or follow-up with patient regarding tests.
• Doctors not conducting thorough examinations of patients, such as failing to take a patient history.
• Providers not listening to patient complaints.

Medical Misdiagnosis Causes Harm

When medical personnel fail to meet accepted standards of care, patients become victims.  Moreover, a healthcare misdiagnosis wreaks havoc on a patient’s health, causing side effects that range from discomfort to death.

• Tragically, many cancers — including colorectal, breast, and lung cancer — that are all treatable at early stages, go undiagnosed. When doctors don’t diagnose quickly, treatment options rapidly diminish. As a result, this sharply reduces prospects for a full recovery.
• Improperly diagnosed conditions may cause unnecessary suffering. When doctors mistake broken bones and other painful injuries for sprains or other conditions, there may be long-term consequences.
• When medical staff overlooks signs of distress in a laboring mother or baby, the child can suffer birth injuries and the mother’s condition can quickly deteriorate. (For more information, see Birth Injuries)

If you are a victim of medical misdiagnosis, you should hold the medical provider accountable. 

Martinez Manglardi medical malpractice lawyers are on your side. We can help you make informed decisions about your doctor negligence claim. A team of professionals, including nurses, doctors, and other experts will work on your case.  We offer free consultations in your home, at the hospital or in our offices. In any case, you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us today at one of our convenient Central Florida locations in Orlando, Kissimmee, Apopka, Palm Bay or Ocala by calling 407-846-2240. We serve clients throughout Florida