Professional Negligence Law Reporter

Doe, 53, presented to an ER after experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath while raking leaves in his yard. He underwent an EKG and was sent back to the ER’s waiting area. There, his symptoms continued, and his condition began to deteriorate. He later lost consciousness, prompting a code blue. Nevertheless, Doe died. The cause was determined to be ventricular fibrillation secondary to cardiac arrest. He is survived by his three adult children.

Suit against the attending ER physician alleged failure to properly evaluate Doe and seek treatment for a myocardial infarction, including activating the cardiac cath lab at the hospital or requesting a consultation with an interventional radiologist. The plaintiff asserted that even though the defendant had allegedly reviewed the EKG report within five minutes, noted that it was abnormal, and determined that Doe was having nonspecific diffuse ST elevations, the physician did nothing to further treat Doe.

The defense reportedly argued that the EKG results did not warrant an expedited workup.

The parties settled for $1.1 million.

Citation: Doe v. Roe ER Physician, Confidential Dkt. No. (Confidential Jxn. & Ct. June 28, 2024).

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ member Travis W. Markley, Richard L. Nagle, and James N. Knaack, all of Reston, Va.