FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT STENT LAW

What exactly is a stent?
A stent is a small and thin mesh-like tubal structure that is used to open the narrowed vessel. Click to view a picture of a coronary stent. Click for a glossary of stent related terms. Stent revenue is known to be one of the highest revenue generators for hospitals. In fact, stent procedures can cost upwards of $10,000 - $15,000.

I think my coronary stent was unnecessary, What should I do?
If you think your coronary stent was unnecessary you should take action immediately. The Stent Lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein & Bedigian are here to help you investigate your case. You can start by contacting us.

What are the risks associated with unneccessary stenting?

How will you find out if my coronary stent was unnecessary?
The Stent Lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein & Bedigian have access to a number of highly-qualified, well-respected board-certified interventional cardiologists. After we obtain your medical records and your angiograms we will send the records to an interventional cardiologist. The doctor will review the records and the angiograms and determine whether the blockages in your arteries were significant enough to warrant the placement of a stent. The doctor will then call us to give us his opinion of your case.

How long does it take to find out if my coronary stent was unnecessary?
Once we have signed medical authorizations from you for the release of your medical records, we will make a request to the hospital and/or doctor for your medical records and angiograms. The hospital and/or doctor then has 30 days to produce the medical records. After we receive the medical records and angiograms we will send those materials to an expert interventional cardiologist for review. This process sometimes takes an additional 30 to 60 days, as all of the expert interventional cardiologists we use are actively practicing. We aspire, however, to have an opinion with 100 days of you contacting the Stent Lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein & Bedigian.

What happens if the reviewing expert determines my stent was unnecessary?
If we learn from one of our interventional cardiologists that you had a stent(s) placed unnecessarily, we will most likely file a lawsuit on your behalf. Remember – we advance all of the costs for the expert review and other expenses, and you do not pay a penny unless there is a recovery by way of settlement or judgment.

If suit is filed, how long does it take to resolve the case?
This can be hard to predict given the variable nature of the court system and litigation. Nevertheless, we tell our clients that it typically takes one and half to two years. Sometimes it takes less, and sometimes it unfortunately takes more.

What if I already have my medical records?
If you already have your own medical records, that is o.k. However, we will still need to obtain your angiogram films for a complete review.

I want to learn more about the medical terminology used in my medical records. Is there a resource for that?
There a number of resources on the internet for learning more about coronary stent placement and the heart. The Stent Lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein & Bedigian have prepared a glossary of terms to help you learn more about your stent(s).