Dayton Stroke Misdiagnosis Lawyer

After the onset of a stroke, every second matters. When doctors fail to recognize the warning signs or mistake a stroke for another condition, critical treatment can be delayed, and patients can suffer permanent harm. A Dayton stroke misdiagnosis lawyer can investigate what went wrong and pursue compensation when medical negligence contributes to your injuries. An attorney can pursue compensation while you focus on recovering.

Trust Spangenberg Shibley & Liber

A stroke misdiagnosis can delay critical treatment and leave patients facing permanent disabilities and substantial financial losses. Spangenberg Shibley & Liber has represented clients in high-stakes medical malpractice matters for decades, securing more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.

Our attorneys understand the complexities of stroke misdiagnosis cases and can take the time to document the harm you suffered and determine who is at fault. Spangenberg Shibley & Liber provides personalized attention throughout the legal process. Our award-winning trial lawyers are not intimidated by the tactics employed by hospitals and their insurers to downplay the harm you endured. 

Common Causes of Stroke Misdiagnosis in Dayton

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone has a stroke in the United States every 40 seconds. This medical emergency can reduce mobility in seniors 65 and older, which is significant in Dayton, where 14% of the population is 65 and over. 

When someone arrives at Miami Valley Hospital, Kettering Health Dayton, or another local hospital with signs of a stroke, doctors are tasked with diagnosing the cause of the symptoms and administering prompt treatments. 

Stroke symptoms can include:

• Sudden numbness
• Weakness on one side of the body
• Confusion
• Difficulty speaking
• Vision problems 
• Dizziness 
• Loss of balance 
• Severe headache

Stroke symptoms can overlap with other medical conditions and medical emergencies, which can lead to an inaccurate diagnosis if the doctor is not carefully running tests and analyzing lab results. 

A patient experiencing dizziness and balance problems, for example, could initially be diagnosed with vertigo. Facial weakness may be mistaken for Bell’s palsy, while confusion or altered consciousness could be attributed to intoxication, low blood sugar, or another neurological condition.

Accurately diagnosing a stroke requires careful attention to detail and an understanding of potentially overlapping symptoms. When a doctor fails to conduct the right tests or to take timely action to address a stroke, patients can suffer preventable harm. Delays in properly diagnosing a stroke can postpone time-sensitive treatments and increase the risk of permanent neurological damage or even death. 

When Does a Stroke Misdiagnosis Qualify as Medical Malpractice?

A successful medical malpractice claim can provide you with compensation for the harm you suffered due to a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. To establish liability, you can work with an attorney to gather evidence that shows the doctor who handled your case failed to provide the accepted standard of care.

In short, the claim can examine whether the doctor’s treatment and actions were in line with what another reasonably skilled healthcare provider would have done under similar circumstances. To establish negligence, your attorney can closely examine the interactions between you and the doctor, noting what types of tests they ran and how they interpreted the results.

A successful claim should also document the harm you suffered. This is typically done by gathering medical records and other documentation showing the additional treatment you required, the progression of your condition, and any lasting complications and financial setbacks caused by the delayed or incorrect diagnosis. If the doctor failed to provide an accepted standard of care, you may have legal grounds to pursue compensation. 

Compensation You May Recover After a Stroke Misdiagnosis

Whether you are recovering in Five Oaks, Wright View, Linden Heights, or elsewhere in Dayton, you may be facing unexpected financial hardships and other challenges. A successful injury claim can address the tangible and intangible harm you suffered. 

Economic damages can compensate you for medical bills, lost wages, and other financial burdens, while non-economic damages can reflect the emotional harm and physical pain you endured. A small percentage of court cases make it to trial, but ones that do could result in punitive damages being awarded by a judge or jury. 

Why You Should Hire a Stroke Misdiagnosis Lawyer

Attempting to hold a negligent doctor accountable for a stroke diagnosis could lead to serious challenges and setbacks if you fail to hire a stroke misdiagnosis lawyer who understands the state’s stroke misdiagnosis laws. Hospitals have attorneys and insurance carriers who may dispute liability or downplay the harm you endured. 

Legal support can play a key role in guiding your stroke misdiagnosis case toward a favorable outcome that leads to fair compensation. A Dayton stroke misdiagnosis attorney can gather evidence to support your claim by showing that the doctor did not provide an acceptable standard of care. They can gather medical records that document the harm you suffered. 

When you work with Spangenberg Shibley & Liber, you gain steadfast support from a law firm with an impressive history of high-value case results. Our medical malpractice results include an $8.5 million settlement involving a delayed evaluation of a spinal hematoma that resulted in quadriplegia. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.

We bring that same level of preparation to surgical error claims, carefully examining medical records and other evidence to determine what went wrong and who may be responsible. When substantial harm results from medical negligence, our trial lawyers are prepared to pursue the compensation our clients deserve.

FAQs

Q: How Much Compensation Can You Recover for a Misdiagnosis?

A: The amount of compensation that you can recover for a misdiagnosis depends largely on the harm caused by the diagnostic error. A patient who suffers permanent brain damage or disability following a missed stroke may have substantial medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and future care needs. The final settlement can also address pain and suffering and other non-economic losses.

Q: Can You Pursue Compensation From a Hospital for Misdiagnosing a Stroke?

A: Potentially. A hospital may be responsible for a stroke misdiagnosis when employee negligence harms a patient. Liability may depend on who made the diagnostic error, their relationship with the hospital, and the circumstances surrounding the patient’s treatment. Emergency room records, imaging results, laboratory tests, and staffing information can help an attorney determine which individuals or healthcare entities to name as defendants. 

Q: Can You Recover Compensation for a Stroke Misdiagnosis?

A: Yes, when medical negligence contributes to a delayed or incorrect stroke diagnosis that causes additional harm, you may be eligible to recover compensation. Stroke treatment can be highly time-sensitive, and delays may affect the treatment options available to a patient. A successful claim must connect the healthcare provider’s failure to the resulting injuries rather than simply establish that the original diagnosis was incorrect.

Q: What Is Commonly Misdiagnosed as a Stroke?

A: Several medical conditions can produce symptoms resembling a stroke. Migraines, seizures, low blood sugar, Bell’s palsy, vertigo, infections, and certain neurological disorders can sometimes present similar symptoms. Doctors are trained to differentiate between these conditions and an actual stroke. A neurological examination, blood test, CT scan, or other diagnostic tool can distinguish a stroke from another medical condition.

Q: How Do You Prove a Stroke Misdiagnosis Was Medical Malpractice?

A: Establishing medical malpractice requires more than showing that a doctor initially reached the wrong diagnosis. Medical records can be reviewed to determine what symptoms were reported, which diagnostic tests were ordered, and whether the patient received appropriate treatment. Medical testimony may then establish whether the patient received an acceptable standard of care, which could influence the plaintiff’s eligibility for compensation. 

Misdiagnosed With a Stroke? Contact Spangenberg Shibley & Liber Today

A missed or delayed stroke diagnosis can rob patients of valuable treatment time and leave them facing permanent disabilities, mounting medical expenses, and an uncertain future. Spangenberg Shibley & Liber represents people harmed by medical negligence throughout Ohio and Florida. Our attorneys take on complex, high-value claims and have the resources to thoroughly investigate what happened and pursue full compensation for the resulting harm.

Our record includes more than $1 billion secured for clients through settlements and court verdicts. We bring that experience to stroke misdiagnosis cases by examining medical records, diagnostic testing, and other evidence to determine whether a healthcare provider failed to deliver an acceptable standard of care. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits. 

When hospitals and insurers refuse to offer fair compensation, our trial-ready attorneys are prepared to take the matter to court. Contact Spangenberg Shibley & Liber today.