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The aorta is the main artery inside the heart and plays an essential role in maintaining a steady flow of blood throughout the body. If the inner lining of the aorta tears, blood can pass through the tear, leading to a dissection. This creates a bulge, or aneurysm, between layers of aortic tissue, which can have immediate life-threatening consequences if it ruptures and allows blood to escape.
If your physician(s) allowed you to sustain serious harm because they failed to identify and provide proper treatment for this emergency, you may be able to take legal action that a Philadelphia aortic dissection lawyer can help you pursue. By working with an experienced medical malpractice attorney from Lowenthal & Abrams, you will have access to a team with extensive experience with similar cases and a long history of favorable outcomes.
What Standard of Care Should Physicians Meet With Aortic Dissections?
While aortic dissections can be extremely dangerous, they are also fairly rare, and men age 60 and above are the only demographic considered to be at significant risk for this medical emergency. However, other health factors can contribute to the risk of developing an aortic dissection, including:
- High blood pressure
- Atherosclerosis
- Narrow aorta
- Bicuspid aortic valve
- Certain genetic disorders, such as Turner Syndrome and Marfan Syndrome
The standard of care that physicians owe their patients requires them to act in accordance with the experience, knowledge, and best practices that any equally qualified physician would demonstrate under the same circumstances. That standard includes identifying at-risk patients and correctly diagnosing the symptoms of an aortic dissection. Physicians who allow a tearing of the aorta lining to go undiagnosed or untreated for an unreasonable amount of time may be civilly liable for malpractice, as a qualified attorney can further explain during your initial consultation in Philadelphia.
Procedural Requirements for Malpractice Claims
Even though diligent physicians can diagnose and treat aortic dissections before they cause life-altering harm, certain factors may limit their ability to do so in some situations. Since even responsible and skilled medical professionals can sometimes miss symptoms, state law establishes some unique rules for malpractice lawsuits to minimize disruptions to medical care and ensure physicians are not subject to frivolous claims.
Most notably, you must file a certificate of merit alongside your malpractice claim, which is a statement affirming under oath that you reviewed your prospective claim with an appropriate licensed professional who reasonably believes that malpractice may have occurred. An experienced lawyer’s help will be crucial to obtaining such a certificate and fulfilling other legal requirements during an aortic dissection malpractice claim in Philadelphia.
Discuss Your Legal Options With an Aortic Dissection Attorney in Philadelphia Today
Medical misconduct leads to hundreds of thousands of preventable injuries and deaths every year. If you or a loved one suffered an aortic dissection that your physician(s) did not properly diagnose or treat, you may be eligible to file a civil suit and demand compensation for your losses.
Lowenthal & Abrams can provide the custom-tailored legal support you need to proactively and effectively pursue the recovery you deserve. Call today to speak with a Philadelphia aortic dissection lawyer about your potential claim.
