Woman says husband’s heart condition was misdiagnosed in wrongful death lawsuit
The widow of a 28-year-old heart patient has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against multiple healthcare providers after she says their failure to diagnose a serious heart condition led to his death.
According to the lawsuit, Brandon Hopps arrived at the emergency room at OSF Saint Paul Medical Center in Mendota, Illinois, in April 2023. He complained of chest pain, dizziness and difficulty breathing, telling doctors the symptoms had first started two days earlier. He underwent an electrocardiogram and multiple blood tests. When clinicians identified that his D-dimer level was elevated, they ordered a CT angiography (CTA) exam. A radiologist with Central Illinois Radiological Associates in East Peoria, Illinois, reviewed the imaging results.
Hopps was eventually diagnosed with acute pericarditis and sent home on medication. He died four days later from cardiac tamponade and a ruptured aortic dissection.
"Clear signs of an aortic dissection” were missed in Hopps’ CTA results, “ultimately leading to his death," the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit names OSF Saint Paul Medical Center, Central Illinois Radiological Associates and radiologist Derek Beatty, DO, as defendants. The plaintiff has requested a jury trial and is seeking a judgement of at least $50,000.
“What happened to this family is a tragedy that should never have occurred,” attorney Jim McPhedran of Meyers & Flowers in St. Charles, Illinois, said in a statement. “Patients trust their doctors and hospitals to make the correct diagnoses. When that trust is broken, families suffer unimaginable losses.”
“We hope this lawsuit not only brings justice for our client but also serves as a wake-up call for healthcare providers to prioritize accuracy and diligence in patient care,” added attorney Nick Flowers. “These errors are preventable, and patients deserve better.”
OSF Saint Paul Medical Center declined to comment on this case. CIRA has not yet replied to a request for comment.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.