Strokes - Delayed Treatment

Ohio Medical Malpractice Attorney

What if a Loved One's Stroke Could Have Been Avoided?

Signs and symptoms of an imminent stroke should be taken seriously. The problem needs to be addressed now, before it is too late. Likewise, stroke risk factors should be taken seriously and brought to the forefront of a patient's care.

In many medical malpractice cases, a lawsuit is brought because the doctor did something that caused injury or death. However, a medical malpractice claim can also be brought when a doctor failed to do something he or she should have done and that negligence led to a medical complication or death. If a loved one has been affected by an unexplained stroke, we may be able to help you find answers that the doctors won't give you. Contact the Law Offices of Gary Osborne & Associates to discuss your situation with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer.

Could the Stroke Have Been Prevented?

Signs of a stroke often include numbness or weakness, particularly on one side of the body, and sudden onset of vision or speech problems, These types of symptoms require prompt assessment and treatment. If detected soon enough, the underlying problem may be treatable —preventing the stroke from ever occurring.

When a client comes to us with a case involving concerns about a loved one's stroke, we employ medical experts to analyze the events surrounding the patient's medical care and the events surrounding the stroke. Some of the considerations in stroke cases include:

• Brain aneurysm: A brain aneurysm (blockage in the artery causing it to balloon and burst) can be treated if detected. However, failure to diagnose a brain aneurysm can lead to a stroke and sudden death.
• Carotid artery:  Diagnosis of carotid artery disease is important. Risk factors for carotid artery disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, a family history of the disease, smoking, and other medical issues. Surgical intervention to remove built-up plaque can reduce the risk of stroke. However, when a doctor fails to diagnose blockage or narrowing of a carotid artery, the necessary intervention cannot be performed.
• Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs): Transient ischemic attacks are often referred to as little strokes. These events are temporary and usually pass within a matter of minutes to hours. They must not be ignored. Symptoms such as numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the face or body, difficulty speaking, confusion, disorientation, loss of balance or severe headache, should not be ignored by the patient or the physician, as they are often warning signs of an impending stroke. However, negligent emergency room staff may send patients home without adequately monitoring the patient or testing for underlying problems. The patient subsequently goes home and suffers from a stroke that may have been prevented.
• Delay in Stroke Treatment: Patients arriving in an emergency room withhin trhee hours of developing stroke symptoms may qualify for clot-busting drugs such as tPA. Emergency room delays in diagnosing stroke can result in it being too late to administer certain medications in the hospital, which can potentially prevent or minimize stoke damage.

When a medical error, misdiagnosis, or delayed diagnosis of a problem leads to a person suffering a catastrophic stroke, the medical professionals should be held accountable for their negligence. If a loved one has suffered a sudden or unexplained stroke, please discuss the situation with an experienced Ohio medical malpractice attorney. You may have a valid claim for financial recovery. Contact the Toledo Law Offices of Gary Osborne & Associates today to discuss your case.