Chicago Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Lawyer

Seek Justice for a Misdiagnosed Heart Attack

If you or a loved one suffered harm due to a failure to diagnose a heart attack, an experienced heart attack misdiagnosis lawyer from our team is ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.

A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked, depriving it of oxygen. This blockage is usually caused by a buildup of plaque in the arteries, a condition known as heart disease. When doctors fail to recognize the warning signs or delay critical treatment, the consequences can be devastating.

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we represent individuals and families affected by a misdiagnosed heart attack, holding medical professionals accountable for their negligence. 

Settlements & Verdicts Recovered by Our Chicago Law Firm

Our Chicago misdiagnosis attorneys have vast experience representing heart attack victims and their families, helping them recover financial compensation for medical negligence

• 9,000,000 Settlement – Frank, a 63-year-old Chicago resident, went to a local emergency room with chest pain but was discharged after a brief exam. Hours later, he died from a heart attack. His family filed a lawsuit, securing a $9 million settlement due to the doctor’s failure to recognize symptoms.

What Are the Dangers of Heart Attack Misdiagnoses?

A heart attack misdiagnosis can have severe consequences, particularly if a doctor acts negligently and fails to diagnose or mistakes the condition for something less serious. When a missed or delayed diagnosis occurs, the patient may not receive the emergency treatment needed for a successful outcome.

Failing to diagnose a heart attack in a timely manner can result in:

• Permanent heart damage;
• Brain damage;
• Stroke misdiagnosis;
• Fatality.

What Are Commonly Misdiagnosed Conditions in Heart Attack Cases?

Because heart attack symptoms can mimic those of other medical conditions, health care providers may mistakenly diagnose a heart attack as something else. Common misdiagnoses include:

• Indigestion or acid reflux;
• Anxiety or panic attacks;
• Muscle strain or costochondritis;
• Pneumonia or lung issues;
• Gallbladder disease;
• Stroke misdiagnosis;
• Lung cancer or breast cancer.

What Medical Errors Typically Cause Heart Attack Misdiagnoses?

A heart attack misdiagnosis can occur for many reasons, often due to negligence by a medical provider. Whether a provider fails to recognize symptoms, does not order the appropriate testing, or overlooks key risks, these errors can delay life-saving treatment.

Failure to Recognize Heart Attack Symptoms

Not all heart attack symptoms follow the classic pattern of severe chest pain and left-arm discomfort. Many patients, especially women, the elderly, and individuals with diabetes, experience atypical symptoms such as:

• Nausea or vomiting;
• Shortness of breath;
• Fatigue or dizziness;
• Pain in the jaw, back, or stomach.

Inadequate Testing 

Accurate medical tests are essential for identifying a heart attack, yet many health care professionals fail to order or correctly interpret them. Common errors include:

• Not performing an electrocardiogram (EKG);
• Misinterpreting blood tests;
• Relying only on a chest X-ray.

Communication Errors

Errors in healthcare are not always due to a single mistake. Miscommunication between doctors, nurses, and other health care providers can contribute to diagnostic errors. Examples include:

• Incomplete patient history;
• Failure to explain test results;
• Miscommunication in emergency settings.

Overlooking Risk Factors

When evaluating heart attack symptoms, Doctors should always consider a patient’s history and risk factors. A failure to diagnose can occur when providers ignore warning signs such as:

• A family history of heart disease;
• High blood pressure or high cholesterol;
• Diabetes or obesity;
• Smoking or heavy alcohol use.

What Are the Consequences of Heart Attack Diagnostic Errors?

When a medical professional fails to diagnose a heart attack correctly, the patient may not receive the emergency care they need. This can lead to delayed treatment, unnecessary procedures, and significant financial hardship.

Delayed Treatment

A delayed diagnosis of a heart attack can mean the difference between survival and life-threatening complications. If a doctor doesn’t diagnose correctly or dismisses the patient’s concerns, the necessary steps to treat properly may not be taken in time. As a result, patients face increased heart damage, higher risk of complications, and even death.

Unnecessary Treatment

When a heart attack misdiagnosis occurs, patients may be treated for the wrong condition, exposing them to unnecessary risks and side effects. Some examples include:

• Patients misdiagnosed with anxiety may be prescribed sedatives that lower heart rate and blood pressure, worsening their condition.
• A misdiagnosed patient may undergo unnecessary surgery.
• Patients may not receive critical heart medications or lifestyle guidance to prevent future heart attacks.

Emotional Distress

A misdiagnosed heart attack can take a serious emotional toll on both the patient and their family. Many patients experience fear, anxiety, and loss of trust in medical providers. Surviving family members who lost a loved one due to medical negligence often experience profound grief and anger.

Financial Burden

A lawsuit can help recover the financial compensation needed to cover the high costs of medical mistakes. The financial consequences of diagnosis negligence include:

• Increased medical bills;
• Lost wages;
• Funeral and burial costs.

What Legal Options Do Misdiagnosed Patients Have in Illinois?

When a misdiagnosis occurs, heart attack patients and their families may face serious health complications, emotional trauma, and financial burdens. If a health care professional fails to properly diagnose a heart attack due to negligence, legal action may be an option. 

A misdiagnosis lawyer can help victims file a lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries and losses.

Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional fails to provide the appropriate standard of care, leading to harm. Misdiagnosed heart attacks happen when:

• Fails to recognize symptoms of a heart attack;
• Misinterprets diagnostic tests, such as blood tests, an ECG, a cardiac CT, or a chest X-ray;
• Does not order necessary tests to confirm a diagnosis;
• Ignores a patient’s medical history, including risk factors for heart disease;
• Incorrectly attributes symptoms to another condition, such as anxiety, acid reflux, or muscle strain.

Proving Negligence

To succeed in a lawsuit, the patient (or their legal representative) must prove that the health care provider acted negligently. This requires establishing four key elements:

• Standard of care: The doctor or hospital had a duty to provide care that meets accepted medical standards.
• Breach of duty: The health care professional failed to meet this standard, either by failing to provide an accurate diagnosis, misreading tests, or delaying treatment.
• Causation: The error directly led to harm, such as permanent damage, additional medical complications, or death.
• Damages: The patient suffered measurable losses, such as increased medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, or funeral costs in a wrongful death lawsuit.

What Laws Govern Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Lawsuits in Illinois?

Under Illinois medical malpractice law, a heart attack misdiagnosis lawsuit must include a certificate of merit, as required by 735 ILCS 5/2‑622. This means a qualified healthcare professional must review the case and confirm that the healthcare provider may have deviated from the standard of care. Without this affidavit, most medical malpractice claims will be dismissed early in the process.

735 ILCS 5/13-212 sets the time limits for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in Illinois. Victims typically have two years from the date they knew or should have known about the injury, but no more than four years from the date of the alleged negligence. For a misdiagnosed heart attack, this timeline is critical, especially in fatal cases.

In LeBron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, the Illinois Supreme Court struck down caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases. This decision allows victims of heart attack misdiagnosis and their families to pursue full compensation for emotional trauma, pain, and suffering without being limited by statutory damage caps.

How a Chicago Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Attorney Can Help

Filing a lawsuit can be complex, requiring strong evidence and legal expertise. An experienced attorney can guide patients and their family members through the process and fight for the financial compensation they deserve.

Legal Expertise

Not all lawyers have experience with heart attack misdiagnosis cases. These cases often involve failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis, or diagnostic errors, which require a deep understanding of medical standards and hospital procedures. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can:

• Identify negligence and whether a health care provider breached the standard of care;
• Understand the common symptoms and appropriate tests used for heart attack diagnosis;
• Handle cases involving permanent damage, death, or severe complications.

Investigation and Evidence Gathering

A strong heart attack misdiagnosis claim requires substantial evidence. A medical malpractice lawyer will:

• Obtain medical records;
• Consult medical experts;
• Analyze diagnostic errors;
• Gather witness statements.

Negotiation and Litigation

Many cases are settled outside of court, but legal action may be necessary if a fair settlement isn’t offered. A Chicago lawyer will:

• Negotiate with insurance companies;
• Hold healthcare providers accountable;
• Take the case to trial if needed.

What Damages Can Be Recovered in Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Cases?

When a health care provider’s negligence results in a misdiagnosed heart attack, victims have the right to seek compensation through a lawsuit. Compensation can help cover:

• Medical expenses;
• Lost wages;
• Pain and suffering;
• Loss of enjoyment of life;
• Wrongful death damages.

What Is the Average Heart Attack Misdiagnosis Claim?

According to Law.com’s VerdictSearch, the average heart attack misdiagnosis claim is valued at approximately $2.2 million, with reported cases ranging from $30,000 to $7 million.

Several factors influence the value of a heart attack misdiagnosis lawsuit, including:

• Whether the patient died or suffered permanent disability
• The extent of medical expenses and ongoing medical care
• Loss of income and earning capacity
• Emotional trauma experienced by the patient or surviving family members
• Strength of the medical evidence, including medical records and expert testimony
• Whether the case ends in a settlement or a jury verdict

Example Cases

$7,000,000 Verdict – Doctors Overlooked High-Risk Heart Patient

Timothy Fletcher, 39, was treated for years by a medical group that failed to act on clear signs of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, despite repeated abnormal test results and a strong family history of early heart attacks. Fletcher died of a myocardial infarction while still under the group’s care. His wife filed a lawsuit. 

A jury awarded $7 million, $3 million for wrongful death and $4 million for survival damages. However, insurance complications limited the estate’s expected recovery to roughly $2.4 million. The case highlighted a decade-long failure to provide proper treatment or diagnosis.

$5,339,037 Jury Award – Urgent Care Misdiagnosis Ends in Fatal Heart Attack

Rodney Robbins, 39, reported severe chest pain, shortness of breath, and other warning signs consistent with a heart attack. Urgent care staff performed a treadmill stress test and misdiagnosed his symptoms as gastritis, discharging him within two hours. He collapsed at home shortly after and could not be revived. 

His family sued for medical malpractice, alleging the providers ignored textbook heart attack symptoms and used an inappropriate test. The jury awarded $5,339,037, over $2.3 million in lost earnings and $3 million in non-economic damages. The defendants had argued his symptoms didn’t match unstable angina, but the jury disagreed.

$3,000,000 Settlement – Hospital Fails to Act on Abnormal EKG, Patient Left with Permanent Heart Damage

Charles Whiteside, 54, experienced pain in his chest after a stent placement and reported it to a hospital nurse, who conducted an EKG. The nurse failed to alert the on-call physician about abnormal results. By morning, Whiteside had suffered a heart attack that permanently damaged his heart muscle. He could no longer work, faced ongoing angina, and may require a heart transplant in the future. 

He and his wife sued for medical malpractice, arguing that earlier intervention would have prevented lasting injury. The case settled for $3 million, covering lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium for his spouse.

$1,534,369 Award – Man Misdiagnosed with GERD Dies of Heart Attack

Ramon Ramirez presented with chest pain, shortness of breath, and elbow pain, but his doctor diagnosed GERD and sent him home without proper cardiac testing or referral. He died of a heart attack days later while on a short vacation. His adult children filed a heart attack misdiagnosis lawsuit, alleging negligence and failure to act on dangerous symptoms. 

They claimed the doctor did not order further diagnostic tests, warn him of the risk, or take a complete medical history. A jury awarded over $1.5 million for funeral costs, pecuniary loss, and emotional damages for his surviving children.

$900,000 Award – Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack Led to Severe Complications

Mark Day, 50, experienced ongoing chest pain and shortness of breath, but was diagnosed with GERD by a clinic physician despite multiple heart attack risk factors. Days later, he suffered a heart attack that led to a ruptured heart valve, open-heart surgery, and permanent heart damage. 

He spent a month in a medically induced coma and faced long-term care needs, including future valve replacement and ongoing medication. A jury awarded $900,000, including medical costs, pain and suffering, and reduced earning potential. The case emphasized how a missed or delayed diagnosis of a heart attack can lead to lifelong consequences.

Book a Free Consultation

At Rosenfield Injury Lawyers, our medical malpractice attorneys have extensive experience handling heart attack misdiagnosis cases. We know how devastating a misdiagnosed heart attack can be, and we are committed to helping victims and their families seek justice.

We offer free consultations to discuss your case, and our contingency-based representation means you don’t pay any fees unless we successfully recover financial compensation for you. Call our Chicago personal injury attorneys at (888) 424-5757 or fill out our contact form to schedule your free consultation.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.