Thomas Kamlow successfully acted for Mr B in a clinical negligence claim, following delays in the diagnosis and treatment of a heart attack in December 2021, which resulted in permanent damage to his heart.
Posted on 31st March 2026
Chest pain is one of the most common causes of presentation in the emergency department. A diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome can cause uncertainty, the key considerations for clinicians to investigate are history, age, risk factors (such as cholesterol levels), troponin and ECG imaging.
At Blackwater Law we have represented many clients in cases where they have attended the emergency department with chest pain but were not fully assessed or investigated. In some cases, patients were discharged or treatment was delayed when they were suffering a myocardial infarction (heart attack), missing the golden window to treat this and minimise or prevent damage.
The symptoms of a heart attack are well known, and pain is often referred across the chest to the neck, shoulder blades, arms and up to the jaw. Due to this referred pattern of pain, we see all too often patients diagnosed with a shoulder or neck injury and referred to physiotherapy when they are in fact suffering a heart attack.
Shortness of breath, palpitations and discomfort in the chest are also common symptoms and are misdiagnosed as a chest infection and/or anxiety, with antibiotics commonly prescribed whilst the underlying heart attack is missed. Angina is also a common misdiagnosis in this scenario.
Once a patient seeks emergency care for chest pain, there are several stages where risks may arise if appropriate assessment and monitoring are not carried out. These can include
- Delays in ambulance attendance or transfer to hospital
- Delays in assessment and triage on arrival at A&E
- Failure to adequately monitor patients in the emergency department
- Misinterpretation of ECG results
- Misdiagnosis of cardiac symptoms as musculoskeletal injury or chest infection
- Delays in treatment following assessment and triage
Failures at any of these points can lead to substantial delays in correctly diagnosing a heart attack and treating in a timely manner to limit injury and prevent further damage to the heart. The effects of negligence in this scenario can lead to life-changing injuries for patients and claims against Trusts for clinical negligence.
When a patient presents to A&E with chest pain, it is important that clinicians fully investigate whether the symptoms are heart-related and assess the patient’s risk of a heart attack.
Early diagnosis allows patients to receive optimal medical therapy or interventions such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting, which can restore blood flow and reduce long-term heart damage.
Failures in diagnosis or treatment may mean opportunities for early intervention are missed potentially causing avoidable harm.
