Baltimore Stroke & tPA Injury Attorney

To understand what tPA is and how it works, one must recognize that there are two types of strokes: hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic. Also known as “brain bleeds,” hemorrhagic strokes happen when a weakened blood vessel breaks and then bleeds into the surrounding area of the brain. 

Non-hemorrhagic strokes result from blood clots that stop, slow, or redirect blood flow. These strokes are also referred to as “ischemic strokes” and constitute most reported strokes.

Since tPA use is aimed at breaking up blood clots, doctors should only use it to treat ischemic strokes. It is always used as an emergency treatment (injected intravenously or directly to the blockage via a catheter) because it can do more harm than good if delivered outside a certain window of time. 

Expert opinion regarding this time frame varies, but the American Stroke Association says the standard is within 4.5 hours of stroke onset. 

Risks of tPA

In an AARP article concerning tPA, UCLA Comprehensive Stroke Center director Jeffrey Saver, M.D. explains, “Out of every 100 patients who are treated with [tPA], 32 will have a better outcome and three will have a worse outcome — that’s a 10:1 benefit-to-harm ratio.”

However, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in Canada reports that the chance of symptomatic hemorrhage (or bleeding) into the brain is about 3% for patients who receive tPA, as opposed to only 0.2% for patients who do not receive tPA. If any internal bleeding occurs after tPA is given, the symptoms of a stroke will likely worsen and may lead to the patient’s death.

Who Qualifies for a Claim?

First tested in the 1980s and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996, tPA is not a new form of treatment. Stroke doctors should be aware of tPA, its benefits, and its risks.

Therefore, doctors can be held accountable for a patient’s injury if it was due to a failure to administer tPA properly, such as:

• Administering outside the appropriate window of time
• Using tPA to treat an incorrect type of stroke
• Giving the patient this treatment without conducting tests (CT scans, blood glucose tests, platelet counts, and/or other tests) to ensure tPA treatment is the best course of action

Doctors may also be held liable if they fail to inform a patient that tPA is a viable option or do not warn of its risks, thereby stripping the patient of their right to make a well-informed decision.

Proving a Medical Professional’s Liability

If you believe you’re a victim of medical malpractice, you may qualify for a claim, but you’ll have to establish the doctor’s or their employer’s negligence. In doing so, you’ll prove the doctor’s liability for your injuries and other damages.

However, establishing a medical professional’s negligence can be difficult. You’ll have to show that:

• The doctor owed you a duty of care, or a responsibility to keep you from harm
• The doctor breached their duty of care, failing in their responsibility
• You suffered injuries
• The doctor’s failure in their responsibility was the proximate cause of your injuries

One of the attorneys from our firm can establish the doctor’s negligence for you, helping you prove their liability in your case.

The Damages a Medical Professional May Be Liable for

With a successful case against the doctor who caused your injuries, you can claim compensation for your injuries and related damages. Depending on your case, you may be able to claim:

• Recompense for your injuries, pain and suffering, and/or mental anguish
• Bills for any medical treatment or other medical services you require
• The costs of any accessibility devices you need
• The costs of any therapies your doctor prescribes, such as physical, speech, or occupational therapy
• The costs of any assisted living or other care you may require
• Lost earnings due to an inability to perform the same kind of work you used to do
• Other related damages

Wrongful Death Damages

You may have lost a family member due to a doctor’s malpractice. In this case, you can claim wrongful death damages, such as:

• Loss of family income
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of companionship
• Funeral and burial/cremation costs
• Grief
• Other related damages

Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a with a stroke and tpa injury lawyer serving Baltimore.