Mike Florie and Joe Miller obtained a defense verdict for a cardiologist in a case alleging negligent failure to diagnose coronary artery disease, resulting in death of a forty-three year old anesthesiologist.  The plaintiff alleged that the defendant, cardiologist, failed to properly diagnose coronary heart disease in her forty-three year old husband, an anesthesiologist, who experienced a syncopal (fainting) episode while driving, which resulted in a moving vehicle accident and admission to the hospital.  The anesthesiologist  experienced broken ribs and a lumbar fracture from the car wreck.  The cardiologist was consulted to evaluate for a heart problem as the cause of the syncopal event.  The  anesthesiologist  underwent echocardiogram and heart telemetry monitoring in the hospital, and then a nuclear stress test on an out-patient basis, eleven days after discharge from the hospital.  The cardiologist interpreted all the testing as normal, and therefore did not recommend heart catheterization (arteriogram).  The anesthesiologist died five weeks later, and an autopsy revealed severe three vessel coronary artery disease.  The plaintiff alleged that the cardiologist failed to diagnose congestive heart failure while the anesthesiologist was in the hospital, and then misinterpreted the stress test results.  The plaintiff alleged that the standard of care required heart catheterization at both junctures, which would have resulted in diagnosis of the heart disease and referral for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.  The plaintiff alleged that the anesthesiologist would have had a ninety-seven percent chance of survival if such surgery had been accomplished.  The cardiologist denied these allegations and maintained that the standard of care did not require heart catheterization.  The plaintiff asked for 10 million dollars in closing argument.  The jury deliberated for a short period of time before returning a defense verdict in favor of the cardiologist.