Acute Coronary Syndrome Death: $1.5 Million Settlement
2026 Medical Malpractice Settlement Report
By Attorney William J. Thompson
Berkshire Superior Court, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Lawsuit claims a failure to diagnose and treat cardiac condition in 39-year-old man, resulting in death while hospitalized
on 6/4/2019, the plaintiff’s decedent died at age 39 from a cardiac arrest due to acute coronary syndrome while hospitalized. He was admitted the same day around 10:44 a.m. with mid sternal 3/10 chest pain that radiated to his back. The pain was acute and constant since at or around 7:00 p.m. the prior evening. He also had a tingling sensation in his face and right arm, shortness of breath and anxiety.
His medical history included hypertension, and a ½ pack per day smoking habit for 18 years. He also reported using cocaine a few days priors. Prior to his arrival, he had taken aspirin with no relief.
An EKG timed 10:48 a.m. was noted to be “abnormal” with “ST depressions” or “diffuse T wave inversions.” Blood work timed 11:21 a.m. included an elevated troponin 1 of .137 (nl 0.0- 0.045). A chest x-ray timed 10:57 a.m. showed no acute process. At 11:29 a.m., and again at 11:44 a.m., he was given Nitro .4 mg. for chest pain.
There was concern regarding the patient’s cocaine use and it was recommended that the patient stay for further evaluation. At 12:27 p.m., the patient underwent a second EKG which was “unchanged” from prior EKG. He then was given heparin.
At 1:11 p.m., urine drug tests resulted positive for opiates and cocaine. At or around 1:30 p.m. a repeat troponin was drawn and resulted as .102. (nl. 0.0- 0.045) At 1:37 p.m., the patient’s chest pain was noted to be relieved. At 2:20 p.m., he was transferred to a floor.
At or around 8:15 p.m., a code was called when the patient was found unresponsive and pulseless. It is unclear how long he had been down. Resuscitative efforts were unsuccessful and he was pronounced at 8:48 p.m.
The plaintiff claimed the providers were negligent in not treating the patient for a cardiac condition.
The case settled during discovery for $1,500,000.
Lubin & Meyer attorneys Andrew C. Meyer and William J. Thompson represented the plaintiff in this medical malpractice lawsuit.
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