Misdiagnosed Aortic Dissection

Our Client, a 49-year-old man presented to the defendant’s emergency room with chest pain and fatigue, elevated troponin levels, and an abnormal EKG. The cardiologist performed a transthoracic echocardiogram, which was normal, so the cardiologist diagnosed pericarditis and gave the patient steroids. The steroids provided some relief of his chest pain, and he was discharged. Unfortunately, this was the wrong diagnosis. The patient went home and died of an aortic dissection. The client was survived by his wife and two adult children.