Cardiologists are physicians who specialize in every aspect of the cardiovascular system. Your cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. Since the heart is such a vital organ, cardiologists often diagnose conditions that are life-threatening and conduct invasive procedures on some of the illest patients.
As you may know, the heart’s main job is to move nutrients and oxygen-rich blood to every part of your body and transport deoxygenated blood back to your lungs. It is important for your cardiovascular system to work properly, and for the proper measures to be taken if it starts to function improperly.
When a cardiologist is negligent with your care in some way and you endure injuries as a result, cardiology malpractice has occurred.
Establishing Cardiology Malpractice
It is important to keep in mind that not all medical mistakes are considered medical malpractice. Similarly, not all cardiology mistakes are deemed cardiology malpractice.
In order to establish cardiology malpractice, all of the following must be proved:
- You were owed a professional duty of care from your cardiologist,
- There was a breach in the professional duty of care,
- The cardiologist’s mistake caused measurable harm to you, and
- You incurred damages as a result of the cardiology mistake.
Examples of Cardiology Malpractice
To better conceptualize what a cardiology mistake that warrants a medical malpractice lawsuit looks like, the following are some examples of cardiology malpractice cases:
- The wrong procedure is conducted on you.
- You are operated on the wrong body part.
- Your vitals are not adequately monitored.
- You are administered the incorrect dose of anesthesia.
- There are issues with your diagnosis, such as:
- Misdiagnosis
- Delayed diagnosis
- Failure to diagnose
- Your medical treatment is mismanaged.
- The surgeon handling your care makes an error.
Misdiagnosis is the most frequent reason for cardiology malpractice cases. About 25% of cardiology malpractice cases are the result of a misdiagnosis.
Cardiologists sometimes misdiagnose myocardial infarctions—particularly those without specialized cardiac training. However, it is more likely that a cardiologist will overlook a non-cardiac diagnosis that appears similar to a cardiac ailment, such as:
- Pulmonary embolism
- Aortic dissection
- Cancer
The second-most common reason for cardiology malpractice lawsuits is complications during a procedure or surgery. Unfortunately, even the most accomplished and capable physicians can experience complications and patients may endure harm as a result.
The third leading reason for cardiology malpractice cases is the result of vascular access complications, particularly retroperitoneal bleeding, embolism, or coronary artery damage.
Electrophysiology complications represent the fourth-most common reason for cardiology malpractice lawsuits.
The use of particular medications in cardiology is often linked to complications that can warrant malpractice cases. In fact, medication mismanagement is the fifth leading cause of cardiology malpractice.
For instance, there can be severe side effects in the lungs and liver as a result of amiodarone administration. In a similar fashion, warfarin has a relatively narrow therapeutic window to reduce your risk of a stroke but has the potential to cause serious bleeding.
We Can Help Injured Cardiology Malpractice Victims
Sustaining harm as a result of cardiology malpractice is unfair and unacceptable. If you’ve been hurt due to medical malpractice, you deserve justice. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced team right away to discuss the details of your case. We have helped many other people in similar situations and we will do everything in our power to fight for justice on your behalf too.
If a medical professional caused your injuries and you need help with a medical malpractice lawsuit, contact the skilled attorneys at Berthold Law Firm, PLLC with the details of your case by calling (304) 605-2040 or by filling out our online contact form.