When you or a loved one suffers a stroke, prompt medical intervention can mean the difference between a positive and a tragic outcome. If you feel your doctor is either misdiagnosing a stroke or is not treating it aggressively enough, you need to take immediate action. Swift treatment during and right after a stroke helps reduce the risk of debilitating permanent disabilities and improves patients’ odds of a near-complete recovery.
In 2009, researchers at Johns Hopkins University did a study on stroke patient data among more than 1,000 hospitals nationwide. What they found was alarming. More than 10 percent of people diagnosed with a stroke had visited an emergency room up to a month prior to their stroke with symptoms like dizziness and headaches. Many of them were told they were suffering migraines, ear infections, or nothing specific at all. Signs of a stroke were most often missed in women, minorities, and people under the age of 45.
There are a few things you can do to ensure a stroke is treated properly. Tell the doctor that you believe your loved one is suffering a stroke. Mention the specific symptoms that lead you to believe this is a stroke. Also, tell the doctor if your loved one has a family history of stroke, clotting disorders, or high blood pressure. If you do not feel the attending physician is truly listening to your concerns or acting on them, request to speak with a hospital supervisor or administrator. If you feel you have no other option, move your family member to a different hospital.
How to Proceed After a Stroke Misdiagnosis
If you believe your loved one is a victim of stoke misdiagnosis in South Jersey, you need to contact a Cherry Hill medical malpractice lawyer. A misdiagnosed stroke can leave a person with severe disabilities from which they may never recover. You or your loved one is responsible for the medical care caused when a doctor misdiagnosed a stroke. If medical malpractice results in loss of income or mounting medical expenses, a lawsuit may recover the compensation your loved one deserves.
Similarly, if a doctor familiar with your family member’s health history failed to address or treat risk factors for a stroke, they may be liable as well.
Cherry Hill Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Folkman Law Offices, P.C. Fight for Patients’ Rights
An experienced Cherry Hill medical malpractice lawyer conducts all of the necessary research to determine if doctors missed the vital clues to a medical crisis causing a loved one’s avoidable injuries or disabilities. Folkman Law Offices associates are skilled in handling complicated medical malpractice lawsuits and fighting for victims of misdiagnosis in South Jersey. Call our Cherry Hill, New Jersey office at 856-354-9444 for a free telephone evaluation. You can also contact us online. With offices in Cherry Hill, Philadelphia, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Folkman Law Offices, P.C. proudly serve clients throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
