UNUSUAL CLAIM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 259, 1 November 1941, Page 8

UNUSUAL CLAIM

HEART ATTACK AFTER BLOW "This case is unusual, if not altogether unprecedented, in that the plaintiff, who has suffered from coronary thrombosis (heart attack), ascribes the onset of the attack to external injury," states Mr. Justice O'Regan in giving judgment in a claim by Ronald E. Blackman, motor engineer, aged 29 years (Mr. Dickson). and the Auckland Gas Company (Mr. West).

The plaintiff gave the history of a pain in the chest experienced while working on his back beneath a motor car. After medical treatment an embolism occurred requiring amputation of the left leg above the knee. Later plaintiff associated his condition with a blow on the left side of the chest, two days before the pain in the chest caused his going to hospital, where a coronary thrombosis was diagnosed. Dr. Fischmann expressed the view that the blow on the chest caused endocardial clotting. Dr. Guthrie considered the case one of coronary thrombosis caused by endocardial clotting and the escape of a clot into the femoral arteries with the resultant necessity to amputate the leg. After having reviewed the evidence by these and other medical men called, his Honor said the authorities quoted by Dr. Fischmann were impressive, and appeared to settle that in rare cases the heart may be damaged by external trauma. But the plaintiff had to prove his case convincingly that this was not an ordinary case of coronary thrombosis, and that this condition was due to external violence. The evidence fell far short of such proof and judgment would be for the defendant company, to whom leave was reserved to apply for costs.