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Tell us your story, we're here to listen. Our experienced medical negligence lawyers will review your circumstances to provide you with the best advice.
 | 30+ years of experience |
 | No Win, No Fee claims |
 | Home or hospital consults |
30+ years of experience
No Win, No Fee claims
Home or hospital consults
A heart attack misdiagnosis can have catastrophic consequences, with delays in treatment leading to worsening conditions and increased risks for the patient. Maurice Blackburn’s expert heart attack misdiagnosis lawyers are committed to advocating for those affected by medical negligence, helping them secure the compensation they deserve for misdiagnosis or inadequate treatment.
Heart attack misdiagnosis occurs when a medical professional fails to identify the signs of a heart attack or mistakes them for another condition. This can delay life-saving treatment, cause severe damage to the heart, and put the patient's life at risk. In some cases, this may be referred to as cardiac misdiagnosis, particularly when symptoms mimic non-cardiac conditions.
Symptoms of a heart attack are not always obvious, and they can vary between individuals. Some of the most common conditions that a heart attack can be mistaken for include:
- gastrointestinal problems - conditions like indigestion, heartburn, or acid reflux.
- musculoskeletal pain - chest discomfort from muscle strain or injury.
- anxiety or panic attacks - symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
Several factors contribute to the misdiagnosis of heart attacks. Some of these include:
- gender and age-related diagnostic bias – women and younger individuals often face higher rates of heart attack misdiagnosis
- inadequate testing – insufficient or improper tests
- missing or misinterpreting results – even if appropriate tests are ordered, the results can sometimes be missed or misinterpreted
- atypical symptoms – heart attack symptoms can present in non-traditional ways.
- failure to consider patient history – a lack of attention to a patient’s medical history or risk factors can contribute to missed or incorrect diagnoses
- lack of specialist consultation – failing to refer to a cardiologist or seeking further specialist evaluation.
A missed or delayed heart attack diagnosis can have severe, long-lasting effects on a patient’s health and quality of life. Some of the most significant impacts of a delayed or missed diagnosis include:
- severe heart damage – delayed treatment can worsen heart muscle damage, leading to heart failure, arrhythmias, or permanent loss of function.
- increased risk of stroke – lack of timely care raises the chances of stroke, blood clots, and other serious complications.
- long-term health issues – patients may experience chronic pain, reduced mobility, or require ongoing medical care.
- emotional and financial strain – misdiagnosis can cause anxiety, depression, high medical costs, and lost income.
Speak to a medical negligence lawyer
We've successfully represented hundreds of patients and their families in complex and sensitive cases.
No Win, No Fee medical negligence claims
Our No Win, No Fee policy means that if we don’t win, you don’t have to pay our legal fees.
Can you claim for medical negligence after a heart attack misdiagnosis?
If you’ve been a victim of medical negligence, it’s important to understand your rights and how to pursue a claim for compensation. Lodging a medical negligence claim can help cover the financial burden of additional medical treatment, recovery time, loss of income, and the emotional distress caused by the misdiagnosis. Medical negligence lawyers can help you pursue a claim.
Process for making a claim
Our specialised lawyers will assist you with your claim and make sure you know about your rights and options. We'll keep you informed throughout the whole process and provide you with legal advice that is easy to understand.
1. Get in touch
2. We’ll prepare your claim.
We take care of the legal process on your behalf. You will be kept informed of all stages along the way, including what fees are payable.
3. Process payment.
If your claim in successful and damages are awarded, we'll process your payment as soon as we receive it.
Understanding medical negligence and duty of care
To be successful in a claim relating to medical negligence, there are a number of matters that you will need to prove:
- breach of duty or ‘negligence’: you must establish that the medical professional failed to provide a reasonable standard of care
- causation: you must also demonstrate that the poor or unreasonable care caused you to suffer injury or harm, such as worsened health, additional treatment, or loss of earnings. This requires detailed medical evidence and documentation.
How Maurice Blackburn can help
Why choose us for your heart attack misdiagnosis claim?
With decades of experience standing up for patients, Maurice Blackburn is committed to securing maximum compensation for those harmed by heart attack misdiagnosis. Get in touch with us today for advice tailored to your situation or contact one of our office locations.
No Win, No Fee – What It Means for You
We offer No Win, No Fee arrangements for many of our legal services. We fight to provide you with the best legal advice and representation while keeping our fees as low as possible.
Our lawyers will work with you through every step of the process
If a heart attack misdiagnosis has impacted you, speak to Maurice Blackburn. Our expert lawyers will assess your case, explain your options, and guide you through the next steps to securing the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a confidential, no-obligation consultation.
Need to speak to us sooner? Call us on 1800 111 222
30+ years of experience
No Win, No Fee
Home or hospital consults
Contact our expert medical negligence team
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Contact our expert medical negligence team
We have experts all over Australia ready to help you with your medical negligence claim.
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Marie Eberlein
Senior Associate, State Leader Medical Negligence, Medical injury
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Perth, WA
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(08) 6220 4300
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We have lawyers who specialise in a range of legal claims who travel to Tasmania. If you need a lawyer in Hobart, Launceston or elsewhere in Tasmania, please call us on 1800 675 346.