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MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

BROWARD CIRCUIT COURT

A jury decided a cardiologist was not liable in the death of a patient he was treating at a hospital.

Lisa Macko, 41, a mother of two, died from cardiac arrest on July 8, 2014, a day after she went to a hospital emergency room complaining of severe chest pain. She was seen by an on-call cardiologist, Dr. David Jurkovich. Macko's estate sued Jurkovich, alleging he failed to diagnose spontaneous dissection of the coronary artery, a known postpartum condition.

The defense contended a catheterization had not revealed an indication of an arterial dissection. The estate countered that a sonogram should have been performed, but the defense contended the test itself could have proven fatal. The jury sided with Jurkovich.

Case: Estate of Macko v. Jurkovich

Case No.: CACE16007056

Plaintiffs attorneys: Michael Cecere, Cecere Santana, Plantation; and Stacie L. Cohen and Jeffrey M. Fenster, Fenster & Cohen, Plantation

Defense attorneys: Jonathan Midwall and Daniella P. Piñeros, Cole, Scott & Kissane, Miami