Maryland Attorney for Failure to Diagnose a Stroke
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death among people in the United States. When the oxygen supply to the brain is completely cut off or drastically reduced, a stroke is likely to occur. Successful treatment of strokes is highly dependent on quickly and accurately diagnosing the symptoms. When diagnosis or treatment is delayed, a victim has an increased chance of suffering permanent and debilitating brain damage.
If you or a loved one suffers from a severe mental or physical disability because a physician failed to diagnose or misdiagnosed a stroke, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Rice, Murtha & Psoras is dedicated to representing individuals who are harmed through medical malpractice. Call (410) 694-7291 to schedule a free consultation.
Symptoms of a Stroke that Physicians Should Identify in Maryland Patients
Strokes are one of the most challenging conditions to diagnose. A problem with a blood vessel or artery deprives the brain of oxygen and other nutrients, causing brain damage and long-term physical disabilities. Some common symptoms of a stroke are listed below.
- A headache without a noticeable cause
- A loss of feeling or numbness on the side of the body or face
- Difficulties with balance or a sudden onset of dizziness
- Problems or difficulties seeing or focusing
- Problems with speaking or understanding communication
Many of these symptoms are also present in other medical conditions and often might not be indicative of anything serious. it is not uncommon for a patient to experience a headache without a discernible cause. Additionally, many older adults will experience problems with their eyesight or balance while not suffering from a stroke.
There are also various causes of strokes. One could be the result of a blood clot restricting the flow of oxygen and nutrients. Another reason a stroke could occur is excessive bleeding in the patient’s brain. the diagnosis and treatment will vary depending on the cause of the stroke.
Liability of Maryland Physicians Misdiagnosing or Failing to Diagnose a Stroke
Despite the difficulty in diagnosing the symptoms of a stroke, a treating physician in Maryland has a duty to accurately evaluate a patient who shows signs that they might be experiencing a stroke. When a medical professional fails to order appropriate tests, such as a CT scan or an MRI, the inaction could constitute medical malpractice. Furthermore, if a patient’s symptoms require additional monitoring or testing, failing to provide the necessary treatment could result in serious medical consequences for the patient.
Before suffering a full stroke, a patient might experience a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or a mini-stroke. These events often cause no long-lasting damage but are signals that a more significant issue exists. If a physician fails to diagnose a mini-stoke in their patient, they might not appreciate the risks the person is facing. Additionally, when confronted with any symptoms that relate to a stroke, a health professional should thoroughly question their patient regarding their history of mini-strokes. When a Maryland physician is aware that a patient has experienced a TIA, they should immediately begin preventive treatment to avoid a stroke. If you have a history of mini-strokes and your doctor failed to proscribe the correct treatment, you could be the victim of medical malpractice.
To test for a potential stroke, a physician will go through a series of tests eliminating other possible causes. This process is known as differential diagnoses and it looks at the symptoms and attempts to determine a cause. For example, if a patient is experiencing blurry vision, a doctor may look at head trauma or a concussion. Because it is time consuming and certain symptoms can look like other conditions, some doctors will not run the complete battery of tests necessary to pinpoint that a stroke occurred.
Damages Caused by a Maryland Medical Professional’s Failure to Diagnose a Stroke
Much of the permanent damage caused by strokes might be mitigated by proper treatment. There are cases where a person is brought to the hospital while experiencing a stroke and no treatment is going to prevent the damage. However, in others, a quick and accurate diagnosis could mitigate the long-term negative physical and mental impacts of a stroke. In some cases, immediate treatment could prevent death. Some treatments must be administered within a short time after the stroke occurred to be effective. Without an accurate diagnosis, this is impossible.
It is not possible to prevent every stroke. However, the difference between severe long-term physical and mental disabilities and less serious medical consequences often hinges on how quickly and accurately the physician did their job. Our Maryland medical malpractice attorney is not necessarily looking to see if your physician caused the stroke, but rather, that they failed to diagnose and treat the condition.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim for Failing to Diagnose a Stoke in Maryland
Bringing a medical malpractice claim against a physician for failing to diagnose a stroke is challenging and heavily dependent on the facts surrounding the case. Rice, Murtha & Psoras not only has the experience in dealing with complex lawsuits based on medical errors, we also have the resources and medical experts necessary to build a case on your behalf.
Call Our Maryland Attorney for Failure to Diagnose a Stroke for a Free Consultation
Failing to diagnose a stroke accurately could result in severe medical consequences that will last a lifetime. When a physician misdiagnoses a stroke or does not prescribe the necessary treatment, a patient could be facing years of physical and mental disabilities. Rice, Murtha & Psoras is dedicated to seeing that people who are harmed through preventable medical mistakes are compensated for their damages. Call (410) 694-7291, to schedule a free consultation and review your legal options.
