When a person begins to have a stroke, the most important thing to do is to get immediate medical attention. A correct diagnosis and immediate treatment can help lessen a stroke’s long-term effects. Urgent medical care can even prevent an untimely death.
But occasionally, in the haste of treating a patient, a doctor or medical staff member may incorrectly diagnose a stroke, choose not to perform a crucial blood test, or simply show negligence in providing reasonable care. In these cases, a misdiagnosis can lead to further injuries, more severe disability from the stroke, or death.
If someone you know has suffered a stroke that was misdiagnosed by a doctor or medical staff, a Los Angeles failure to diagnose a stroke lawyer with Pintas and Mullins Law Firm can help. Our team will take your call, listen to the details of your case, and discuss your prospects for bringing a negligence suit against a doctor or medical staff. Call us today at 800-794-0444.
The Impact of Strokes on Our Nation’s Health
Stroke continues to rank in the top five leading causes of deaths in the United States. Nearly 150,000 people are killed every year by a stroke, according to the American Heart Association. Hundreds of thousands more suffer severe disability from a stroke.
Someone in the United States has a stroke about every 40 seconds. A stroke occurs when a blood clot or a blood rupture blocks a vessel that is bringing blood and oxygen to the brain. When this happens, the blood and oxygen do not get to the brain cells and nerve cells begin to shut down. This can cause a person to die rather quickly. Strokes caused by a clot are known as ischemic strokes, which are the most prevalent type of strokes—making up about 85% of all strokes in the United States.
A stroke can have lasting effects. Part of the person’s body may be permanently affected. Stroke can impact language and speaking, vision, or cause permanent paralysis.
Preventing a stroke, therefore, becomes of utmost importance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that adults strive to live a healthy lifestyle and avoid the elements of poor diet and minimal exercise that can bring on stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Of course, not everyone can get or stay in top health—that is why we depend on doctors to accurately diagnose a stroke.
If you or a loved one suffered a stroke in California, but it was misdiagnosed and eventually caused further cerebral and/or physical injuries, act quickly to seek legal counsel from a Los Angeles failure to diagnose a stroke lawyer. Learning about your legal options for a possible case of negligence or medical malpractice can be the first step toward reclaiming part or all of the damages you suffered during this traumatic time.
Warning Signs of Stroke
The common warning signs of stroke include:
- Weakness or numbness on one side of a person’s face, arm, or leg
- Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding others
- Immediate severe headache with no known cause
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness or a loss of balance or coordination
The Mayo Clinic confirms that seeking immediate medical attention is of utmost importance if you notice any signs of a stroke. It is up to the doctor or medical staff to provide a duty of reasonable care. If they do not treat the stroke correctly, it can lead to more serious injuries or death.
For a free legal consultation with a Failure to Diagnose a Stroke Lawyer Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Treating Strokes
In many cases, strokes can be treated correctly with the use of a drug that breaks up and dissolves the blood clot. This drug, which is called alteplase (IV r-tPA), is FDA-approved and is used to treat ischemic stroke. By breaking up the blood clot, this drug can lessen the impact of the stroke.
According to the American Stroke Association, a doctor must label your stroke as an ischemic stroke and treat you within 3-4 hours after symptoms arise for the drug to have an effect. If this does not happen due to emergency room delays, an incorrect diagnosis, or any other issue, the patient could suffer a greater disability.
Time is critical with an ischemic stroke, and an accurate and fast diagnosis is needed. If the blood clot is left untreated or is delayed for more than four hours, the person can suffer an anoxic brain injury. This condition can be traumatic, leading to irreversible mental, physical, emotional, or behavioral disabilities.
Another method of treatment for stroke is a mechanical thrombectomy, which a doctor should also consider in a stroke diagnosis. This operation involves using a catheter with a stent retriever to get to the blocked artery in the brain. When the blocked artery is found, the stent opens and traps the blood clot. The medical team then removes the stent from the person’s body.
The use of diagnostic tools and medical imaging technology has led to an increase in early detection for strokes. However, a doctor still can misdiagnose a stroke incorrectly or too late. In these cases, a medical malpractice lawsuit may be filed against the medical team.
Los Angeles Failure to Diagnose a Stroke Lawyer Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Medical Malpractice for Stroke
A plaintiff can bring a medical malpractice case against a doctor or medical staff for failure to accurately diagnose a stroke. The plaintiff must show that the stroke would have been prevented if proper care had been provided. A Los Angeles failure to diagnose a stroke lawyer can also help identify signs of negligence, such as:
- Failure to test or recognize a blocked blood clot
- Failure to use alteplase to dissolve the blood clot
- Misdiagnosis of stroke and/or failure to properly treat the patient
- Mistreatment or misdirection in surgery, which can cause a stroke in a patient
If you or your loved one suffered through any of these scenarios, a Los Angeles failure to diagnose a stroke lawyer with Pintas and Mullins Law Firm can help you bring forth a case for medical malpractice. We work on a contingency basis, which means you pay no upfront costs or out-of-pocket fees—we only collect a fee if we win your case. For a free case review, call us today at 800-794-0444.
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