Representing Clients Nationwide
Most people have some basic knowledge regarding the warning signs of a stroke, with the understanding that getting emergency medical care is absolutely critical to survival. But what happens if an emergency room doctor overlooks the evidence of stroke? As the leading causes of death and disability in the country, a stroke can be controlled and treated if identified early. But every year, there are countless cases of failure to diagnose a stroke where patients suffer needlessly because medical professionals did not do their jobs. Families suffer the devastating effects of an undiagnosed stroke by watching their loved one succumb to permanent disability, or even fatal injury.
Thankfully, there are legal professionals helping the families of injured patients stand up for their rights after a physician failed to diagnose a stroke. The legal team at Chávez Law Group assists clients all over the United States by holding negligent doctors responsible for severe injuries or wrongful death.
Diagnosing a Stroke
Strokes may be caused by blood clots restricting blood flow to the brain, or ruptured blood vessels in the brain. Any medical professional will tell you that getting treatment right away is crucial for surviving a stroke. Without proper attention, stroke victims may succumb to a variety of terrible consequences including speech impairment, memory problems, seizures, loss of motor skills, and others.
Most cases of failure to diagnose a stroke occur because a physician either ignored the symptoms, failed to order tests that would provide the necessary information for a correct diagnosis, or attributed the patient’s symptoms to another condition (referred to as (misdiagnosis). Failing to ascertain information about a patient’s risk factors may also contribute to the oversight, risk factors such as history or family history of stroke or heart attack, diabetes, high cholesterol, medications, and atrial fibrillation.
A physician may also fail to identify a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a “mini-stroke” that often indicates a stroke is likely to occur.
Examples of symptoms that should prompt a physician consider stroke include:
- Speech/language difficulty
- Severe, sudden headache
- Weakness on one side of the body
- Numbness of the face, arm, or leg
- A feeling of heaviness in the face, arm, or leg
- Paralysis
- Confusion
- Difficulty understanding speech
- Blurriness, loss of vision, or double vision
- Loss of balance
- Fainting
Your Rights After a Severe Stroke
If a member of your family suffered serious or permanent damage due to an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed stroke, Chávez Law Group can help you exercise your right to receive significant compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. We’ll work hard to get your family the funds you needs for a successful recovery. No matter where you live, our nationwide attorneys can help you. Please contact us today to set up a free case evaluation.