Is Delayed Diagnosis of Stroke Medical Malpractice?

The Centers for Disease Control reports that nearly one out of every 20 deaths in the United States is caused by stroke. During a stroke, the brain is deprived of oxygen-rich blood it needs to function properly. If you or your loved one’s stroke was not diagnosed quickly enough, or there was a misdiagnosis, this could be the result of medical malpractice.

Stroke can cause permanent brain damage, long-term physical disability, and even death. For these reasons, when a patient presents to the emergency room with stroke symptoms, a speedy diagnosis is imperative.

According to a recent report (link to CNA report), patients with stroke symptoms have three hours to get the condition managed. When a patient gets to the hospital, ER doctors must work quickly to diagnose the type of stroke and prepare a treatment protocol.

In the ER
While in the ER, you can expect the following:

1. ER staff will place you on a heart monitor, blood pressure monitor, and draw blood.
2. You will be taken for scans of your head.
3. The ER doctor will take a medical history and perform a physical examination.
4. Medication may be administered if you have a certain type of of blockage.

After Discharge
Once you are discharged from the emergency room,

1. Take any and all precautions told to you by the treating physician and/or discharge nurse.
2. Make any follow-up appointments and keep them.
3. Go back to the emergency room or call 911 if you experience the symptoms again or if something doesn’t feel right.

Stroke is a very serious and complicated medical condition. If you were treated by the emergency room, and you believe permanent injury occurred including physical impairment, or brain damage due to physician, nurse or hospital negligence, this may be the result of medical malpractice. Call our office immediately as there is a strict statute of limitations on filing these types of cases.