Failure To Run Test For Heart Attack Causes Death

Bob Carroll

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People who go to a hospital emergency room because of chest pain have a right to expect a careful and complete medical work-up to rule out a heart attack. Apparently, that was not provided to George Rowell.

$4.3 million awarded in Port St. Lucie wrongful death case

A jury has awarded $4.3 million to the family of a Port St. Lucie man who died in 2003 after a doctor at St. Lucie Medical Center's emergency room released him without running a test that could have revealed the heart condition that eventually killed him.

George Rowell, a 60-year-old electrician for the Martin County School District, was taken by EMTs to the emergency room Jan. 23, 2003, after suffering from chest pains.

According to the lawsuit, Rowell was under Mastalski's care in the emergency room and the doctor failed to run a test for an enzyme present in blood during cardiac malfunction.