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Ohio Failure to Diagnose Heart Conditions Lawyers
More than 50 years of combined experience fighting for medical malpractice victims in Ohio
Prompt heart care is often the difference between life and death. Fast-quality cardiac care can mean a patient has a normal life, while delayed care can mean strokes, paralysis, constant fatigue, and a lifetime of trauma. At Crandall & Pera Law, our lawyers work with cardiologists, surgeons, and other physicians to show what heart care should have been provided and why delays in treatment were preventable. Our Ohio failure to diagnose heart condition lawyers demand compensation for the difference between the life you would have lived if timely care had been provided and the life you have now. We demand wrongful death benefits when delayed heart care is fatal. Contact us for experienced help today.
Here are three heart-related settlements we were proud to handle:
- A $4M settlement. Our client, a healthcare worker, required heart surgery. He developed a blood disorder after the operation, which was undiagnosed for nearly two weeks and resulted in the partial amputation of both feet and one of his hands. Our client had to terminate his medical practice. We were able to negotiate a settlement through the use of medical experts as well as a life care planner, and an economist.
- $2 Million Settlement. We obtained this amount for a 59-year-old woman who was set to be discharged after successful heart transplant surgery. As a result of the delay and failure to read the X-ray results, our client suffered a respiratory arrest when fluid was not drained, which left her with brain damage. A trust was created to pay for home nursing care, medical equipment, and home modifications so that she could live safely.
- $1.3 Million Settlement. We obtained this amount in a wrongful death action after a woman sought help from her family doctor – exhibiting signs of sepsis, a racing heart, fever, elevated temperature, and low oxygen level. She was diagnosed with a headache and sent home. She subsequently became unresponsive while at home and died the following day.
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What is heart failure?
According to the Mayo Clinic, heart failure occurs “when the heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should.” This condition can cause blood to back up and fluid to build in the lungs, causing shortness of breath. Some heart conditions gradually prevent the heart from pumping blood due to high blood pressure or narrowed arteries.
Patients with heart disorders that are treated in a timely manner often benefit from medications, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, and medical treatments. Untreated heart failure can cause the patient to suffer strokes, heart attacks, or die.
What are the signs and symptoms of heart disease/disorders in Ohio?
At Crandall & Pera Law, we work with cardiologists who understand the symptoms, risk factors, and diagnostic tests your heart doctor and family doctor should examine.
Common heart disorder conditions include:
- Shortness of breath – when exercising or lying down
- Tiredness and weakness
- Swelling in the legs, feet, and ankles
- A fast or irregular heartbeat
- A reduced ability to exercise
- Wheezing
- A persistent cough
- Rapid weight gain due to fluid buildup
- Swelling of the belly area
- Nausea and lack of appetite
- A reduced ability to focus
- Lack of alertness
- Chest pain if heart failure is caused by a heart attack
What causes heart disorders?
Our Ohio heart disorder lawyers work with cardiologists to understand why your heart disorder/failure happened and what steps your heart doctors should have taken to protect your heart.
Some of the reasons heart failure, heart attacks, and death occur include:
- A weak or damaged heart can cause the heart chambers to stretch and become larger, which can prevent the heart from pumping out the necessary amount of blood
- The ventricles are stiff and can’t fill with enough blood between beats
- Infections
- Alcohol or drug use (especially illegal drug use)
- Chemotherapy
- Genetics
- Coronary heart disease and heart attacks occur when fatty deposits narrow the arteries, reducing the flow of blood
- High blood pressure (hypertension) forces the blood to work harder than is healthy, causing the heart muscle to become weak or stiff
- Heart valve disease causes the heart to have to work harder to pump blood
- Inflammation of the heart muscle, also called myocarditis, is “most commonly caused by a virus, including the COVID-19 virus, and can lead to left-sided heart failure”
- Irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmias, “may cause the heart to beat too fast, creating extra work for the heart”
- A slow heartbeat can also cause heart failure
- Other diseases, such as diabetes, an HIV infection, an overactive or underactive thyroid, or an excess of protein or iron, can cause heart failure
Some of the signs of sudden heart failure include allergic reactions, blood clots in the lungs, an illness that affects the entire body, severe infections, certain drugs, and viruses that attack the heart muscle.
Heart failure usually starts with the lower left heart chamber/left ventricle – though sometimes heart failure can start in the right ventricle.
What are the risk factors for heart disorders in Ohio?
Family doctors and cardiologists should know the risk factors for heart disorders, which include:
- Coronary heart disease
- Heart attacks
- Heart valve disease
- High blood pressure
- Congenital heart disease
- Diabetes
- Sleep apnea
- Obesity
- Viral infections
- Aing
- Alcohol use
- Smoking or using tobacco.
Cardiologists and family doctors should understand which medications can cause or contribute to heart disease. For example, some diabetes drugs are known to increase the risk of heart failure in some people.
Some of the possible complications from heart disease include kidney damage or failure, liver damage, and sudden cardiac death.
How do medical providers diagnose heart conditions in Ohio?
At Crandall & Pera Law, our medical malpractice doctors review whether your physician conducted the correct diagnostic tests – as a result of a routine checkup or if a patient has any risk factors or symptoms of heart disease.
Some of the common diagnostic tests for heart disorders include:
- Blood tests. These tests, among other concerns, look for a “specific protein made by the heart and blood vessels. In heart failure, the level of this protein goes up.”
- Chest X-ray.This test helps to show the condition of the lungs and heart.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).This test uses electrical signals to show how quickly or how slowly the heart is beating.
- Echocardiogram. This test uses sound waves to show the “size and structure of the heart and heart valves and blood flow through the heart.”
- Ejection fraction.This test “measures the percentage of blood leaving your heart each time it squeezes.”
- Exercise/stress tests or stress tests.These tests generally involve walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike while the heart is monitored. Patients may be given medicines instead of being given an exercise test.
- CT scans and cardiac MRIs. These tests create detailed images of the heart.
- A coronary angiogram.This test helps spot blockages in the heart arteries.
- Myocardial biopsy.This test involves removing very small pieces of the heart muscle for examination.
The stage of your heart disease is analyzed using either the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification or the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association classification. The classification is used to determine your treatments.
What are the treatments for heart disorders in Ohio?
The treatments vary depending on the severity of your heart disease, the cause, and your current health. Some common medications include:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- Angiotensin receptor plus neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs)
- Beta-blockers
- Diuretics
- Potassium-sparing diuretics
- Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors
- Digoxin (Lanoxin).
- Hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate (BiDil)
- Vericiguat (Verquvo)
- Positive inotropes
- Other medicines, such as statins to reduce your cholesterol levels
Heart surgeries included coronary bypass surgery, heart valve repair or replacement, an Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), a ventricular assist device (VAD), or a heart transplant. The use of stents is also common.
End-of-life patients usually need emotional and psychological support.
Who is responsible for delays in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disorders?
Our Ohio failure to diagnose heart disease lawyers file medical malpractice claims against all responsible parties, including:
- Family doctors
- Cardiologists
- Emergency care doctors
- Anesthesiologists
- Hospitals
- Nurses
- Lab technicians
- Other responsible healthcare providers
How do you fight for the victims of medical malpractice in Ohio?
Our Ohio medical malpractice lawyers work with respected cardiologists to show how your doctors failed you or your loved one. These failures include:
- Understand the risk factors for heart disease and assess how these failures apply to your health
- Conduct routine cardiology examinations
- Conduct a thorough physical examination
- Conduct a thorough oral examination
- Take a complete family medical history
- Review your heart condition symptoms
- Order and properly review the necessary diagnostic tests
- Provide a proper diagnosis that a patient does have heart disease, a heart disorder, or heart failure
- Provide a proper treatment plan
- Explain the dangers of not following that treatment plan
We file personal injury damages for survivors and wrongful death actions if medical malpractice causes the death of your loved one. Our attorneys seek full compensation for all your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, inability to enjoy life’s pleasures, bodily function losses, and other damages.
We also represent patients when doctors fail to properly diagnose and treat a stroke.
Do you have an Ohio lawyer near me who can handle my heart-related malpractice case?
Crandall & Pera Law represents heart patients and families when delays in competent diagnostic care cause harm or fatalities in Ohio from our office at 850 Euclid Ave #1122, Cleveland, OH 44114. We also maintain locations in Cincinnati, Columbus, Chesterland and Chagrin Falls.
If you can’t come to our office because of your heart condition, we can make arrangements to meet with you away from the office. Our lawyers also consult with clients by phone, Zoom, and other online platforms.
We understand how scared and angry you are, and we’re prepared to explain your rights and guide you calmly and clearly through the claims process.
Speak with our Ohio medical malpractice lawyers now
At Crandall & Pera Law, our medical malpractice lawyers have more than 50 years of experience fighting for patients who suffer due to negligent medical care. We work with medical experts and life planners to show why your doctors are responsible and the value of your claim. Call our Ohio personal injury and wrongful death lawyers now, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.