Florida Failure to Diagnose and Rapidly Treat Stroke Lawyers
A stroke is a medical emergency in which certain parts of the brain stop receiving blood flow. If a doctor does not detect, diagnose, and treat a stroke early, permanent brain damage can occur. A stroke can be fatal without prompt treatment. Failure to diagnose a stroke is a type of medical malpractice that will often result in permanent patient injuries or wrongful death. Talk to the attorneys at Freedland Harwin Valori, PL if you believe you or a loved one is the victim of the failure to diagnose and treat a stroke in Florida. We’re happy to answer your questions during a free, zero-obligation consultation.
What Should Stroke Diagnosis Look Like?
The medical industry sets strict standards for how physicians must handle patient intake, evaluations, testing, and diagnosis. Not adhering to these standards could be an act of malpractice if it results in failure to diagnose a stroke. Knowing how a doctor should diagnose a stroke can help patients determine whether or not they were the victims of medical malpractice. The following is a general outline of how a physician might determine whether a patient has had or might have a stroke:
- Symptom check. The American Stroke Association uses the acronym FAST to help with detecting symptoms of stroke: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911. A doctor or nurse should know the telltale signs of a stroke and be able to recognize red flags during a hospital visit.
- Medical history review. Current symptoms don’t tell a patient’s whole story. A medical provider should also refer to the patient’s medical and family histories. Certain factors can increase the risk of stroke, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, family history of stroke, or smoking.
- Tests and exams. A doctor should conduct a physical examination and order tests to check for signs or precursors of stroke. Common tests used to look for stroke are blood tests, CT scans, MRI, ultrasound, echocardiogram, and cerebral angiogram. Tests of the blood, brain, and arteries can help detect signs of a stroke.
Failure to detect stroke warning signs or to order the appropriate tests can result in the delay of critically needed treatments. If another doctor would have noticed symptoms and ordered tests, the defendant is likely guilty of medical malpractice. The same is true if a radiologist or physician negligently misinterprets the results of a stroke test. Negligence, incompetence, carelessness, or misconduct in a medical setting that results in failure to diagnose and treat stroke gives victims grounds to pursue compensation through a lawsuit in Florida.
Learn Your Rights as an Injured Patient
Strokes are extremely time-sensitive. Lack of blood which supplies oxygen to the brain can cause permanent damage to the brain. The longer the brain goes without these essential nutrients, the worse the damage to the cells. A doctor must work up a patient who presents with symptoms of stroke immediately to administer drugs and treatments that can prevent brain damage. Failure to diagnose or delayed diagnosis of stroke can ruin the patient’s chances of a full recovery and even lead to wrongful death.
If you are a victim of a stroke or the family member of someone who died from a stroke in Florida, contact our firm to discuss whether or not you have a failure to diagnose or treat stroke claim against a physician and/or hospital. Our team has gone up against some of the biggest names in Florida and can handle your case with confidence. Call (954) 467-6400 for more information.
