Strokes are incredibly dangerous and should be diagnosed as quickly as possible so that patients have better odds of recovery. Unfortunately, numerous conditions are often mistaken for strokes, and misdiagnoses are not uncommon.
The signs and symptoms of a stroke are not unique, and many other conditions share similar symptoms. These overlaps in medical symptoms sometimes cause doctors to mistake strokes for other medical conditions. For example, the signs of a stroke can be similar to those of seizures, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and more. If your stroke is undiagnosed because it was mistaken for another condition, you might experience long-term effects from the stroke. Some patients are disabled after experiencing a stroke and may never fully recover. In such cases, patients may pursue medical malpractice lawsuits to recover compensation for damages. Damages for undiagnosed strokes may include current and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost income from losing your job.
If you or a loved one experienced a stroke because a doctor misdiagnosed the wrong condition, our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers can help you. For a free case review, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.
Conditions Sometimes Mistaken for a Stroke in Maryland ERs
Strokes may present numerous early warning signs that your doctor should be able to identify. These symptoms include but are not limited to sudden numbness or weakness in the face or extremities, sudden confusion, trouble seeing through one or both eyes, and difficulty walking or dizziness upon standing. Unfortunately, these symptoms are not unique to strokes, and many other conditions present with similar symptoms.
For example, seizures may have similar symptoms to strokes and may present in numerous ways. Some symptoms are significant, while others can be milder. Things like trouble walking, seeing, or standing are common in both seizure and stroke patients.
Migraines may also present with symptoms similar to strokes. Migraines also vary in severity, and serious migraines may cause patients to feel dizzy, lose vision, or have difficulty standing. While migraines can be painful and debilitating, a stroke may leave you with permanent brain damage if left undiagnosed.
People with certain preexisting conditions are especially susceptible to having a stroke misdiagnosed if their preexisting conditions present with stroke-like symptoms. For example, patients with multiple sclerosis may experience trouble walking or a loss of coordination. These symptoms are also sometimes warning signs of an impending stroke. It is possible that a doctor would assume your symptoms are related to your preexisting multiple sclerosis and fail to identify your stroke until it is too late.
The problem many stroke patients face is getting their stroke accurately diagnosed as soon as possible. When doctors fail to spot the warning signs of an impending stroke, the patient loses precious time to combat the stroke, and their prognoses may be bleak. Our Harford County medical malpractice lawyers can help you get compensation if your stroke resulted from a doctor’s negligent failure to diagnose you correctly.
What Happens if My Stroke is Misdiagnosed in a Maryland ER?
If your stroke is misdiagnosed as a different medical condition, you might suffer severe adverse health effects. Strokes are serious, and they may leave patients with brain damage, the loss of bodily functions, and the need for intensive future medical care. A misdiagnosis may be a significant mistake by a doctor that the patient ultimately suffers. If the misdiagnosis stems from the doctor’s failure to meet relevant standards of care, our Maryland medical malpractice attorneys can help you recover damages.
A stroke may leave a person with limited functionality or the complete loss of certain bodily functions. For example, you might have trouble standing, walking, or talking after a stroke. In some cases, patients may recover through physical therapy and other treatments. In other cases, the damage is permanent, and patients must re-learn how to live with a disability.
You might also totally lose certain functions. After a stroke, some people completely lose their ability to walk or speak. In severe cases, stroke patients rely on private nurses or nursing homes for all their care. This is emotionally devastating for patients and a significant financial burden on them and their families. Our Maryland medical malpractice attorneys can help you sue for compensation so you and your family can pay for your care and begin to adjust to life after a stroke.
Legal Options After My Stroke Was Mistaken for Another Condition in a Maryland ER
After your doctor fails to diagnose your stroke or mistakes your stroke for a different condition, you might suffer severe injuries and irreparable harm. Our Aberdeen personal injury lawyers can help you explore legal options for compensation in such a case.
You might be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit if your doctor’s actions constituted a failure to meet relevant standards of medical care. Not all mistakes made by doctors are malpractice, and diagnoses can be difficult. However, if your doctor failed to correctly diagnose your stroke when a reasonable doctor of their skill level should have been able to identify your stroke under the circumstances, a medical malpractice lawsuit may be possible.
Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is different from other personal injury lawsuits as there are severe additional hurdles to jump. For example, after we file your case, we have 90 days to file a certificate of a qualified expert agreeing that your situation constitutes malpractice. The expert should be another doctor or medical professional, preferably in the same field as the defendant doctor. Much of your case will hinge on what medical experts say about your condition, and it may be wise to be evaluated by multiple doctors.
Potential Damages for a Misdiagnosed Stroke in a Maryland ER
The damages for an undiagnosed stroke can be severe. Patients often experience medical complications they would not have had the doctor caught the early signs of their stroke. You might have numerous medical expenses from your stroke in addition to potential future expenses for long-term care. Even with insurance, medical costs are incredibly high, and our Maryland medical malpractice lawyers can help you calculate your damages.
The complications of an undiagnosed stroke can take a physically and emotionally painful toll on patients. Losing bodily functions or the ability to communicate can take a devastating toll and leave psychological scars that last a lifetime. Your emotional trauma deserves compensation just like any other injury.
Call Our Maryland Medical Malpractice Attorneys for Help
If you experienced a stroke because your doctor misdiagnosed you with the wrong condition, our Annapolis personal injury attorneys can help you get compensation for your injuries. For a free case assessment, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.