What is a stroke?
A stroke is defined as the sudden death of brain cells due to a lack of oxygen. It normally occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted because of a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel leading to the brain. Whenever the flow of oxygen to the brain is interrupted, it can result in cell death and abnormal brain function.
How common are strokes?
According to the National Stroke Association, approximately 780,000 strokes will occur this year in the United States; however, about 500,000 of those strokes could have been prevented.
Strokes are the leading cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States.
What are the warning signs of strokes?
- Numbness, weakness, or paralysis in the face, arms or legs, which is generally felt on one side of the body.
- Difficulty speaking and/or understanding.
- Drooling.
- Confusion.
- Dizziness, loss of balance, loss of coordination.
- Problems with vision, such as dimness, blurriness, or double vision.
- Severe headaches.
How are strokes diagnosed?
Tests used to properly diagnose a stroke include the following:
- CT or CAT Scans
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Blood tests
It is vital that a stroke is diagnosed and treated immediately because the consequences of a delay in diagnosis or an undiagnosed stroke can be severe.
How can a stroke go undiagnosed or be misdiagnosed?
Some common medical mistakes that result in a missed stroke diagnosis include the following:
- Improper reading of tests.
- Failure to consult neurological specialists in a timely manner.
- Failure to take a thorough and proper medical history.
- Delay in performing testing for stroke
- Delay in initiating treatment for a stroke, sometimes because of emergency room procedures that cause long waits for evaluation and treatment.
What should I do if I or a loved one suffered injury because of an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed stroke?
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury because of a misdiagnosis, you should begin by insuring that you find a doctor who can properly treat you from that point on. Nothing is more important than your own personal health. Once the health condition at issue is being treated, you should consider whether your injury was the result of negligence.
For example even if a stroke is not immediately diagnosed, the delay may not have caused any additional injury. With strokes, there is often limited time to administer tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) to minimize the effects of a stroke. If you arrived at the hospital outside this time-period (traditionally measured in minutes, but recently expanded to 3-4 hours), then the damage may already have been done. On the other hand, a delay during this time-period could mean the difference between full recovery and permanent injury.
Contact the experienced medical malpractice lawyers at Lopez McHugh for a free consultation to understand what legal rights you may have, how a lawsuit may provide compensation for your medical care, and to prevent injury to others.
The medical malpractice attorneys at Lopez McHugh have the knowledge and resources to fight for your recovery and protect your financial interests. We have a proven track record of success in handling complex medical malpractice lawsuits and will fight to secure any compensation you may be entitled to, including the following:
- Rehabilitation.
- Long-term disability.
- Past and future loss of wages.
- Past and future medical bills.
- Long-term expenses.
- Home healthcare.
- Loss of companionship and/or loss of enjoyment of life.
- Pain and suffering.
- Burial expenses.
You should contact the medical malpractice lawyers at Lopez McHugh without delay because every state has deadlines for when compensation may be pursued. We will thoroughly investigate your case and advise you of the merits and challenges involved. If we agree to accept your case we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means that we get paid for our services only if there is a recovery by way of settlement or verdict.
