Wife Awarded $2.43 Million For Husband's Misdiagnosed Heart Attack

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In the case of Wirth v. Connecticut Heart and Vascular Center, the estate of a man who died of a heart attack sued two doctors who allegedly misdiagnosed his heart condition.

Wesley Wirth, 61, who worked for more than two decades as a heating and air conditioning specialist for Stratford, was taken to St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport on March 30, 2009, after complaining of chest pain that radiated to his left shoulder, as well as dizziness and lightheadedness. After a chest X-ray and electrocardiogram (EKG) came back normal, Wirth signed himself out of the hospital and went home. Wirth’s symptoms persisted, however, and he returned to the hospital the next day. Another EKG was administered, according to his estate’s lawyers. Wirth was evaluated by Dr. Kevin Lenhart, and this time was admitted to the hospital. A nuclear stress test was ordered to rule out ischemia, a condition in which a body part is receiving an inadequate blood supply. Wirth’s EKGs from the two days revealed abnormalities and Wirth continued having chest pains while in the hospital.

His attorneys said this was “highly indicative of a coronary artery disease.” Yet, the plaintiff’s attorneys said, parts of the stress test came back normal and other parts showed abnormalities. But the final report was not reviewed by the doctors. Instead, Wirth was released from the hospital with the doctors attributing his symptoms to gastrointestinal problems such as acid reflux. On May 12, 2009, Wirth awoke in the middle of the night complaining of severe indigestion pain. Several minutes later, he became unconscious. He was taken to the emergency room at Griffin Hospital in Derby and died a short time later. The cause of death was cardiopulmonary respiratory arrest and myocardial infarction. The Wirth family’s lawyers argue that the death could have been prevented if Drs. Lenhart and Charles Landau of Connecticut Heart & Vascular Center had sent Wirth for a heart catheterization test to see if he had any blocked arteries. If so, doctors could have immediately placed a stent in the artery or if there had been a severe enough blockage, recommended bypass surgery, the attorneys said. The defense argued that the doctors did not violate the standard of care in their treatment of Wirth. The defense noted that Wirth passed the exercise portion of his stress test.

The jury awarded Wirth’s estate $2 million. It also awarded Josephine Wirth $425,000 for loss of consortium, bringing the total verdict to $2,425,000. The defense filed a motion to set aside the verdict.

Josephine Wirth, Executrix of the Estate of Wesley Wirth, and Josephine Wirth, Individually v. Connecticut Heart & Vascular Center, Kevin Lenhart, M.D., and Charles Landau, M.D.

At Maya Murphy, P.C., our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to achieving the best results for individuals and their family members and loved ones whose daily lives have been disrupted by injury, whether caused by a motor vehicle or pedestrian accident, a slip and fall, medical malpractice, a defective product, or otherwise. Our attorneys are not afraid to aggressively pursue and litigate cases and have extensive experience litigating personal injury matters in both state and federal courts, and always with regard to the unique circumstances of our client and the injury he or she has sustained. 

Please contact Joseph C. Maya, Esq., at 203-221-3100, or at JMaya@mayalaw.com, to schedule a free consultation.

Source: Jeff Forte, Top Connecticut Verdicts & Settlements of 2015, CONN. LAW TRBN. at 8 (July 2016) discussing Josephine Wirth, Executrix of the Estate of Wesley Wirth, and Josephine Wirth, Individually v. Connecticut Heart & Vascular Center, Kevin Lenhart, M.D., and Charles Landau, M.D.