Unanimous Defense Verdict Obtained for ER Physician in Cardiac Tamponade Wrongful Death Case

A unanimous defense verdict was secured by our attorneys in a case brought against an emergency room (ER) physician following the death of a patient after a cardiac tamponade and cardiac arrest.

The patient had presented to the emergency department (ED) with complaints of abdominal pain and with a history of moderately severe aortic valve insufficiency, hypertension, and renal stones. He had also undergone an aortic valve replacement approximately two weeks earlier.

The morning after presenting at the ED, the patient experienced cardiac tamponade and cardiac arrest while admitted to the local hospital, and died days later. Plaintiff alleged that the ER physician was negligent in failing to recognize and appreciate the pericardial effusion by not immediately ordering an echocardiogram performed and not transferring the patient right away to a hospital or facility with the ability to perform one.

At trial, the defense team successfully argued that the physician appropriately reviewed the patient's medical history, requested a CT scan that identified the pericardial effusion, requested additional blood tests that returned normal, and contacted the clinic that performed the patient's aortic valve replacement two weeks earlier.

After consulting with the cardiac specialist, it was agreed that an echocardiogram would be ordered for later in the week, as it was not imminently needed. Out of an abundance of caution, the physician admitted the patient to the local hospital for observation.