When we enter any health care setting, we do so under the pretense that we will be taken care of and that we can trust the medical professional treating us. Unfortunately, many medical conditions goundiagnosed or are misdiagnosed. When this happens with a stroke, a serious disability or death may result.
Have you or a loved one suffered an injury due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose a stroke? Our Baltimore failure to diagnose stroke attorneys from Brown & Barron want to advocate for you. We are passionate about making sure that negligent medical professionals are held accountable by helping those who were injured as well as their families. That’s why we will work closely with you to maximize your compensation and get you the answers you deserve.
Get in touch with a stroke lawyer serving Baltimore, (410) 547-0202 for a free case evaluation.
What Is Considered Failure to Diagnose?
Failure to diagnose or misdiagnose a medical condition – such as a stroke – is the failure of a doctor or other type of physician to correctly diagnose a patient’s condition. They may even diagnose them with the WRONG condition.
Since a stroke can have life-altering consequences, medical professionals must be trained to recognize their symptoms so they can identify and treat them in a timely manner. When they fail in this regard, the patient may suffer memory problems, impaired motor skills, brain trauma, paralysis, mood, and behavioral changes, or even death.
What Is a Stroke?
There are two main categories of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Both are serious medical conditions.
An ischemic stroke occurs when an artery becomes blocked, preventing blood flow to the brain and resulting in the death of brain cells.
The signs and symptoms of an ischemic stroke will depend on which part of the brain is affected:
- Headache
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Vision loss
- Lack of coordination
- Numbness in the body
- Unsteady walking, such as staggering
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
On the other hand, a hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a bleed in the brain or between the brain and the skull.Its symptoms are similar to those of an ischemic stroke, including but not limited to the following:
- Sudden weakness
- Sudden, severe headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Trouble speaking
- Light sensitivity
- Loss of consciousness
- Paralysis or numbness in the body
When Is a Failure to Diagnose Considered Negligent?
There are situations where any reasonable effort to diagnose a patient with a stroke would fail to identify any obvious signs or symptoms. Some strokes are unavoidable or happen without any notice. However, financial compensation could be available in those cases where the signs of a stroke were noticeable, but medical professionals failed to catch them.
Your doctors have an obligation to watch for signs that you are experiencing a stroke. When these symptoms present themselves, it is typically necessary to order a series of tests. If a doctor fails to order a test that could identify a stroke-like an MRI or CT scan—they could be negligent in their care.
There are also conditions that can occur prior to a stroke. Known as transient ischemic attacks or mini-strokes, these events are often a sign of serious health issues. If doctors ignore the signs of a mini-stroke and fail to take action to prevent a full-blown stroke, they could face liability for any medical injuries that occur.
Advocating for Victims of Medical Negligence
At Brown & Barron, we are proud to have a team of trial lawyers dedicated to advocating for the victims ofmisdiagnosedand undiagnosed strokes. Backed by over 145 years of collective experience, we will work to prove your case using our advocacy skills, personalized legal services, and results-oriented representation. Call for your free consultation and to learnhow a Baltimore failure to diagnose stroke attorney can help.
Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a stroke lawyer serving Baltimore.
Take Advantage of a Free Consultation
Pursuing amedical malpractice lawsuitagainst a doctor, nurse, or hospital is never simple. These entities have resources to defend themselves and typically rely on the support of powerful insurance companies. Given the complexity of these cases, it is understandable if you have any questions about your legal options.
Our firm understands that the aftermath of a stroke can be difficult and confusing. That is why we offer patients whose stroke went undiagnosed the opportunity to discuss their case for free. A free consultation is an invaluable tool during your personal injury case. This consultation is your chance to ask all of the questions you have about your case as well as the process in general. You could learn more about what your case is worth and how our firm can pursue compensation on your behalf.
To get the most out of your free consultation, it could be in your best interest to prepare all of your important questions ahead of time. By writing down your questions, you can ensure that you do not leave anything important unanswered.
Malpractice Attorneys Could Be More Affordable Than You Realize
If you are concerned about the expense of hiring an attorney for your failure-to-diagnose case, it is important to note that our malpractice attorneys operate on a contingency-fee basis. By working on contingency, your attorney agrees to take on your case without any upfront fees.
The lack of upfront legal fees gives you the opportunity to seek justice for your injuries regardless of your current financial position. We believe you deserve to be heard, whether or not you can afford an attorney.
To collect our fee, our firm will keep a portion of anything we recover on your behalf. That means if we are unable to collect damages on your behalf, you will never owe us a fee. This means you can pursue your case without the fear of walking away with less than you had before you filed.
Contact Brown & Barron
Whether you have questions or you’re ready to get started, our legal team is ready to help. Complete our form below or call us at (410) 547-0202.