The woman had a medical history of a heart valve abnormality that was diagnosed in 2017, which put her at risk for an aortic dissection. On December 1, 2020, at about 12:30 p.m., the woman and her mother went to the hospital with the woman complaining of a sharp and burning pain in her chest and abdominal area, which are classic symptoms of an aortic dissection…medicalmalpracticelawyers.com, $7.25M Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Settlement For Death Due To Undiagnosed Aortic Dissection In Hospital, August 2023
Despite the woman being in excruciating pain, and her distraught mother repeatedly telling the emergency room staff that her daughter needed immediate medical attention, the Pennsylvania medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuit alleged that there was a five-hour delay in ordering required medical tests, leading to the unnecessary delay in diagnosing and treating the medical emergency.
At about 5:35 p.m., the woman was transferred to another hospital where she underwent emergency heart surgery. She suffered cardiac arrest resulting in death at about 6 a.m. on December 2, 2020.
The family’s Pennsylvania medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuit claimed breaches in the standard of care at the original hospital and by the emergency room medical staff, including doctors and nurses. The lawsuit also stated claims of medical negligence against three doctors who had treated the woman in the years prior to her death, for their alleged failure to treat and monitor her heart valve abnormality.