A cerebrovascular accident, also known as a stroke, is a medical condition that severely compromises the blood supply to a person’s brain. Diagnosing a stroke can be an extremely time sensitive process and failure to identify the symptoms may place a person at risk for catastrophic injuries. If you or a loved one experienced a stroke and the medical professional failed to diagnose or misdiagnosed your symptoms, consider speaking with a diligent Hudson Valley stroke misdiagnosis lawyer. A hardworking stroke medical malpractice attorney could examine the factors surrounding your case and work to hold a negligent physician or medical provider accountable. Call today and schedule an appointment to begin assessing the legal strategies that may be effective for your case.

What Types of Medical Diagnostic Errors Are Generally Found in Stroke Misdiagnoses?

There are many different factors that may contribute to a stroke misdiagnosis. One of the most common misdiagnoses for a stroke is a physician labeling an individual’s symptoms as a musculoskeletal problem. This error in diagnosing the true cause of a person’s symptoms may leave them highly susceptible to incurring significant permanent injuries and even death. A person who has suffered a stroke and experienced a severe delay in treatment due to a misdiagnosis should consult with a knowledgeable Hudson Valley stroke misdiagnosis lawyer. An attorney who understands the gravity of stroke misdiagnosis cases could help demonstrate how a medical professional’s incompetence contributed to a person’s injuries following the initial stroke.

Failing to Take the Appropriate Course of Action

Outside of misdiagnosing a stroke and incorrectly diagnosing a person’s condition, a negligent physician may also fail to take an appropriate course of action while attempting to address the symptoms. For example, a doctor who fails to recognize a person’s stroke symptoms may not order a CAT scan of the individual’s brain. This inaction could substantially and negatively impact a person’s diagnosis as a CAT scan is one of the most effective tools in identifying a stroke. Additionally, if a doctor administers a CAT scan but in the wrong timeframe, it could harm a person’s diagnosis. Typically, CAT scans need to be administered multiple times during the diagnosis process.

In short, failure to issue appropriate testing may be a critical lost opportunity to diagnose the condition. For example, some strokes may be caused by a blockage of the carotid artery in the neck. The hospital could do an ultrasound to find the blockage and then perform a carotid endarterectomy to clear out the blockage in the carotid arteries and help ensure that the blood flow to the brain is functioning properly. In another instance, an individual may have an infection of the lining of their heart. That is commonly referred to as bacterial endocarditis. A person who is experiencing such a medical event generally should be given intravenous antibiotics to try to resolve the infection on the underlining of the heart. Such an infection often places an individual at risk for blood clots that travel or form in a person’s brain and block blood flow. This blockage may result in a devastating stroke.

Who May be Liable in a Stroke Misdiagnosis in Hudson Valley?

When initially considering whether to file a lawsuit after a stroke misdiagnosis, a person may wonder which parties could be held liable. In many cases, these parties may include the attending physician, nurses, and any other hospital staff members who failed to use appropriate measures while administering treatment. Before filing a lawsuit, a person should seek the legal counsel of a reliable Hudson Valley stroke misdiagnosis lawyer. They could assist in accurately identifying liable parties and help hold them responsible for their negligence.

Timeline of Filing a Lawsuit

From the date of a misdiagnosis, the injured person generally has two and a half years to bring a lawsuit. They could potentially receive damages for both the physical injury and the effects of the stroke. When pursuing a stroke misdiagnosis lawsuit, a dedicated Hudson Valley stroke misdiagnosis lawyer could work to demonstrate that there was an ignored or unaddressed interruption to the blood flow in the injured individual’s brain. This may process may include identifying the part of the brain where the blood flow was interrupted. Furthermore, a lawyer could potentially enlist the assessment of an expert witness who is extremely familiar with stroke misdiagnosis cases to help explain the medical errors that took place.

Consult with a Stroke Misdiagnosis Attorney in Hudson Valley

Medical malpractice in any form can have catastrophic effects. Stroke misdiagnosis, however, frequently results in significant injury and may even become fatal. Someone who has suffered a stroke misdiagnosis should contact a steadfast Hudson Valley stroke misdiagnosis lawyer. They could inspect the conditions that may have led to the stroke misdiagnosis and fight to hold the negligent individuals accountable. Reach out and set up a time to begin discussing potential legal solutions.

Hudson Valley Stroke Medical Malpractice Lawyer