Review Shows Diagnosis and Treatment Issues Drive Claims in Cardiology

Diagnosis‑related failures and medical treatment issues continue to drive the majority of cardiology malpractice claims, according to a new analysis.

A review of 321 closed cases from 2010 to 2025 by The Doctors Company shows breakdowns in clinical judgment, communication and recognition of high‑risk complications—patterns that remain consistent across more than a decade of claims data.

Diagnosis‑related allegations and medical treatment issues each accounted for 36% of cardiology claims, according to the February review. Medication‑related allegations represented 13%, and surgical treatment allegations made up 7%. The average indemnity for cardiology claims reached $394,000, while 69% of claims closed without payment. Average gross expense incurred was $79,000, reflecting the cost of defending high‑severity cases even when no indemnity is paid.

Clinical judgment was the most common contributing factor, present in 69% of claims. Communication issues appeared in 41% of cases, followed by behavior‑related factors at 28%, documentation at 22.% and technical skill at 13%. Behavior‑related factors produced the highest mean indemnity at $429,000, underscoring the severity of cases involving lapses in attentiveness, follow‑through, or escalation of care. Claims involving clinical judgment averaged $398,000, and communication‑related claims averaged $384,000.

The report also highlights recurring patterns in high‑severity events, including delays in recognizing complications after invasive procedures, inadequate follow‑up on abnormal findings and failures to escalate care when patients present with worsening symptoms. These trends mirror broader national malpractice patterns in cardiology, where missed diagnoses and delayed interventions remain leading drivers of patient harm, the report shows.

The Doctors Company plans to continue releasing monthly specialty‑focused malpractice reviews throughout the year.