New Jersey Stroke Misdiagnosis Attorneys

Were You Hurt by a Stroke Misdiagnosis?

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, often by a blood clot. Urgent medical attention is needed to treat the life-threatening condition.

Although strokes are common, they are also commonly misdiagnosed by emergency room doctors and other medical professionals. A misdiagnosis will slow down medical care and could ultimately result in the patient’s death or permanent disability.

Simonson Goodman Platzer PC in New Jersey is here to fight for your rights if you or a loved one suffered serious stroke complications due to a misdiagnosis. We know that emergency room settings are hectic, but it is no excuse to deliver negligent medical care. With a success rate of 98% for our medical malpractice cases, you know that you can trust us with your case, too.

Call (800) 817-5029 to speak with a New Jersey stroke misdiagnosis lawyer.

How Do Stroke Misdiagnoses Happen?

A study reported by Neurology Today estimated that nearly 10% of stroke patients in emergency rooms are misdiagnosed. This percentage amounts to nearly 80,000 people a year. How do so many stroke misdiagnoses happen if getting the diagnosis right and in as little amount of time as possible is so important?

Stroke misdiagnoses can be caused by:

• Medical provider inexperience
• Ignoring a patient’s medical history
• Misreading test results
• Failing to order proper diagnostic tests
• Discharging a patient too early
• Misinterpreting symptoms

It is believed that symptom misinterpretation is one of the leading causes of stroke misdiagnoses in New Jersey. Sometimes, a stroke can begin with slow, subtle symptoms like a sudden migraine. A medical provider could assume the symptoms were caused by a migraine and send the patient home with a painkiller prescription, for example. Also, young patients are much more likely to receive a stroke misdiagnosis, likely due to medical provider assumptions that only elderly people can suffer from blood clots.

When is Stroke Misdiagnosis Malpractice?

Not every case of stroke misdiagnosis will be considered medical malpractice from a legal standpoint. Instead, the medical provider who failed to diagnose the stroke accurately or in a timely manner must have done something negligent. In some contexts, medical negligence is described as a decision that another reasonable medical provider would not have done in the same situation.

Our New Jersey stroke misdiagnosis attorneys know how to carefully investigate complex cases involving medical negligence and malpractice. We can work with third-party medical experts to get more information about your treatment or lack thereof. With their insight, we might be able to uncover evidence that the medical provider could have done more to diagnose the stroke and protect your health.

Who is Liable for Stroke Misdiagnosis?

Liability for a misdiagnosed stroke will depend on what went wrong and why. In some cases, the liable party might be an individual medical practitioner that acted alone and with negligence. In others, there could be multiple liable parties, including the medical institution that allowed the negligent doctor or nurse to practice there. It can come down to the smallest details, so you should always get the help of a practiced lawyer who is used to the challenges of establishing liability in a medical malpractice setting.

Talk to a Stroke Misdiagnosis Lawyer Today

Taking legal action soon after suffering from a stroke misdiagnosis is important. Depending on the circumstances of the case and who acted negligently, you could have only a brief window to start a claim. Don’t hesitate to begin, especially when it is easy to get compassionate and experienced legal counsel in your area. Just dial (800) 817-5029 to speak with a New Jersey stroke misdiagnosis attorney from Simonson Goodman Platzer PC now.

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New Jersey Stroke Misdiagnosis FAQ

• What is a transient ischemic attack?
  A transient ischemic attack (TIA) can produce stroke-like symptoms for about 10 to 20 minutes before passing. However, TIAs are often followed by strokes within the next few hours or days. If a patient suffers a TIA, then their medical provider should immediately begin checking for signs that a stroke could occur next.
• What happens if a stroke is misdiagnosed?
  If a stroke is misdiagnosed and left untreated, then the consequences can be devastating or fatal. Brain injuries, memory problems, behavioral changes, and death are among the most common consequences of an undiagnosed and untreated stroke.
• What is FAST?
  When someone might be having a stroke, it is important to remember FAST or Face, Arms, Speech, and Time. Check if the person’s face is drooping on one side, if they can only lift one arm, and if they can speak articulately. If they fail any of these tests, there is little time to get urgent medical attention. Call 911 immediately.