Case #46
Mr. G was a 58-year-old man with a history of multiple cardiac issues.
He saw his cardiologist (Dr. A) on October 14, 2014 for a regular check-up. His review of symptoms noted leg swelling, but it seemed to be a minor complaint and was not addressed.
10 days later, the patient presented to an ED with shortness of breath and leg swelling.
He rapidly declined and went into cardiac arrest, and unfortunately died.
An autopsy was completed showing DVT and PE.
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His wife filed a lawsuit against the cardiologist. The plaintiff hired an expert witness who wrote the following opinion:
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The lawsuit was filed in February 2017.
It was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum in March 2021.
MedMalReviewer Opinion
It is noteworthy that the plaintiff only sued the cardiologist and not the EM physician. This is a logical decision from a medical standpoint, but the legal system usually incentivizes naming multiple defendants.
After the lawsuit was filed, there was a 17-month gap (from October 2017 through March 2019) during which there was no legal progress. No motions, pleadings, or any other legal documents were submitted. The plaintiff then filed a motion for continuance, and the lawsuit continued to its resolution. Medical malpractice lawsuits often taken years to resolve, but the complete lack of activity for 17 months is bizarre.
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With a hx. of atrial fib/ flutter, I am curious why he wasn't already anticoagulated.