Suppose you went to a Michigan emergency room with symptoms of a stroke. They failed to diagnose you or took an inappropriately long time to do so, leading to further harm. When that happens, you may have a viable medical malpractice case. Stroke misdiagnosis and delayed treatment in Michigan emergency rooms are very serious issues. It can cause severe, even fatal, complications for patients who have come to the ER after a stroke.
A medical emergency is already a stressful situation, but getting a stroke misdiagnosis or delayed treatment in Michigan emergency rooms can compound the mental and emotional suffering you are experiencing. Not only that, but these issues could mean the difference between avoiding a stroke and being left with permanent health consequences.
If you or a family member has experienced this frustrating and horrible situation, you may want to hire an experienced Michigan medical malpractice lawyer. A Michigan emergency room error attorney from the firm of Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, can:
- Review your situation.
- Go over ER error laws with you.
- Explain what evidence you will need for the strongest possible claim.
- Empower you to decide for yourself what happens next.
Whether you want to file a claim immediately or pursue negotiations to quietly resolve your emergency room error case, our seasoned legal team is on the side of injured Michiganders, and so is Michigan law. If you have suffered because of a delayed or missed stroke diagnosis in a Michigan emergency room or urgent care unit, we can seek the support and resources you’re legally entitled to.
Hire a Diagnosis Errors Attorney for Guidance After an Emergency Room Error
After a stroke misdiagnosis, it is easy to want to focus on your recovery rather than attempt to navigate the complex and often overwhelming legal system. However, working with a Michigan diagnosis error attorney can make this process easier by explaining the laws and diagnosis error penalties that are involved in your case. They also provide relentless advocacy for you against the medical system, so you can find justice without the stress.
A skilled Grand Rapids medical negligence lawyer can review the details of your case, gathering and analyzing evidence to support your story. An attorney can even organize testimonies and statements from healthcare professionals like emergency room physicians and neurologists. By supporting your experience with witness testimonies and data, you can successfully prove your healthcare provider’s medical negligence.
If You Were Hurt or Became Sick After a Failed ER Diagnosis, Hire an Emergency Room Error Lawyer
Emergency rooms can be busy, stressful, and disorienting places. Emergency care facilities, especially in major metro areas like Detroit and Lansing, can be overcrowded, with employees who have a lot asked of them. An overworked, frazzled ER staff is no excuse for medical malpractice and misdiagnosis, however. The executives and corporate lawyers at health systems already know better than to make caregivers work long hours on undermanned crews.
An Overview of Stroke Diagnoses and Diagnostic Errors
Strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked or reduced, such as through bleeding or clotting. Brain damage can happen quickly, with 32,000 brain cells dying in a single second during a stroke. With such devastating damage in such a short amount of time, strokes are one of the most deadly medical issues, causing one death every 40 seconds in the United States.
Emergency rooms follow routine protocols to minimize the chance of failing to diagnose or prevent a stroke from happening. One key element of their protocol is providing swift attention to patients experiencing common stroke warning signs. Some sigs to watch out for include:
- Sudden weakness or numbness, especially on one side of the body
- Trouble speaking
- Confusion
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Loss of vision or blurred vision
- Severe headache
When a patient presents with these pre-stroke symptoms, emergency room staff should undergo further testing and analysis to determine if the symptoms are due to a stroke or another medical condition. Rushed visits or procedural errors may lead a medical professional to believe that a symptom is caused by a less serious condition. For example, you may receive pain medication for a headache, which means you didn’t get the treatment needed to prevent a stroke.
What Is a Stroke?
A stroke is a serious medical event that occurs when the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain is interrupted. A single stroke event can lead to long-term brain damage, permanent disability, or even death. With around 5,000 deaths every year caused by strokes in Michigan, they are not a medical event to simply wait out, so an emergency room trip is a common and appropriate response.
When you’re suffering symptoms of a stroke, the confusing and intimidating elements of an ER visit may be felt even more heavily. While being in the middle of a serious health event, like a stroke, it is entirely possible to leave the ER feeling worse than when you arrived. You might not be entirely sure why, or even what exactly happened during your visit. That’s because some of the symptoms of a stroke include:
- General confusion and disorientation
- Loss of coordination
- Slurred or incomprehensible speech
- Drooping facial features
- Arm weakness (typically in one arm only)
- Severe headache
- Numb face, arm, or other body parts on one side of the body
- Vision impairment (may be experienced in one eye or both)
What Damage Can Result From a Stroke?
Every moment counts when the human brain is starved for blood and oxygen, with a countdown to severe, irreversible brain damage essentially starting the moment the flow of blood is interrupted. A delayed or incorrect stroke diagnosis, or one that simply never occurs, can lead to lifestyle-altering disabilities. Victims can spend a lifetime undergoing physically and mentally challenging rehabilitative therapy, along with expensive medical treatments.
The potential consequences of suffering a stroke without appropriate medical intervention can include:
- Permanent destruction of brain cells
- Incontinence
- Trouble walking
- Difficulty communicating
The stakes are extremely high when someone is suffering a stroke. That’s why you deserve competent and compassionate care, not neglect and mistreatment, when you go to the ER. If you put your life in the care of an emergency room unit that failed you in your time of greatest need, you can work with an attorney to use Michigan medical malpractice laws to your advantage.
How Delayed Treatment Impacts Stroke Cases
It’s no surprise that ER staff are often dealing with crowded waiting rooms while balancing the needs of several injured and ill patients. Despite clear errors within the medical system, there is still a justified expectation that patients should be met with the right medical attention quickly. Delayed treatment is a severe problem, with the University of Michigan reporting that between 25 and 35% of all patients wait four or more hours for a bed in a hospital’s emergency room.
Every second matters, from the moment you first notice stroke symptoms. The longer you spend devoid of oxygen and blood flow, the worse the damage can become. Some of the potential effects of a stroke that can worsen with delayed treatment include:
- Physical disabilities, such as paralysis or difficulty walking
- Speech and swallowing difficulties
- Cognitive deterioration and memory loss
- Chronic fatigue
- depression
When your medical provider fails to follow proper protocol or provide you with the standards of care you are owed, you may have legal options. If you or a loved one is in this situation, hire a diagnosis errors attorney as soon as possible to begin building a claim against your medical provider. Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, has an in-depth understanding of stroke diagnosis error cases and 40+ years of experience helping victims of medical malpractice recover.
FAQs About Stroke Misdiagnosis and Delayed Treatment in Michigan
When Does a Stroke Misdiagnosis in an Emergency Room Constitute Medical Malpractice in Michigan?
A stroke misdiagnosis in an emergency room may constitute medical malpractice in Michigan if the misdiagnosis directly leads to patient harm and the resulting damages. For a medical malpractice claim to be successful, you must also prove these damages using legally admissible evidence, like medical records, photographs, and witness testimony.
What Are Common Reasons Why Strokes Are Misdiagnosed or Treatment Is Delayed in Michigan ERs?
Common reasons why strokes are misdiagnosed or treatment is delayed in Michigan ERs include:
- Overcrowded ER facilities
- Workers who lack the available time to personally see to each patient’s unique needs
For example, someone who is experiencing pre-stroke symptoms may report severe headache and blurry vision. An ER doctor may try to treat it with fluids and ibuprofen when the patient actually needs life-saving stroke intervention.
What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Michigan Medical Malpractice Claim Involving Stroke Misdiagnosis?
The damages that can be recovered in a Michigan medical malpractice claim involving stroke misdiagnosis depend on the unique factors of that case, such as the extent of injuries suffered and the quality of the available evidence. Medical bills are just one example of damages that are commonly recovered in a medical malpractice claim.
How Can a Lawyer Prove Negligence in a Stroke Misdiagnosis Case Against a Michigan Hospital or Emergency Physician?
A lawyer can prove negligence in a stroke misdiagnosis case against a Michigan hospital or emergency physician by collecting the strongest available evidence. Then, they can build a comprehensive legal strategy that tells their client’s story in the most compelling and legally sound way possible. The specific strategies and evidence used to accomplish this will always depend on the unique details of the case at hand.
What Is Considered Delayed Treatment in Diagnosis Error Cases?
Delayed treatment can be tricky to identify, as there isn’t a concrete timeframe after which an emergency room can face diagnosis error penalties. Delayed treatment must be considered to be unreasonable by most people. If you suffered because of delayed treatment for your stroke or pre-stroke symptoms, a Michigan diagnosis error attorney can prove that the treatment was delayed by using appointment records, staffing records, and professional witness testimonies.
Can Doctors Misdiagnose a Stroke?
Yes, stroke symptoms are often misdiagnosed as other conditions, such as migraines, vertigo, low blood sugar, or anxiety. A misdiagnosis is more common when you present atypical symptoms, or test results don’t point towards obvious signs of a stroke. You may be a victim of medical malpractice if you were misdiagnosed due to your provider not following proper protocols or misinterpreting testing.
Can You File a Claim Against an Emergency Room for Waiting Too Long?
Yes, if an emergency room’s delay in evaluating, diagnosing, or treating your stroke leads to a worsened stroke or failure to prevent a stroke, you can file a claim. The hospital itself can be held responsible for the errors of emergency room staff, as well as errors like improperly attending to waiting patients or being dangerously understaffed.
What Evidence Can You Use in a Diagnosis Error Case?
Evidence that proves your provider acted negligently and that their breach of duty led to your damages can be used in your claim. Commonly, this includes medical records, lab results, CT scans and other imaging, physician notes, and the testimony of medical professionals. Having a medical professional as a witness is essential for Michigan medical malpractice cases, both to meet legal requirements and provide professional analysis of your healthcare provider’s actions.
Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC: Michigan’s Trusted Medical Malpractice Firm
If you went to an emergency room for a stroke and ended up suffering from neglect instead, you have legal options. The medical malpractice team at Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, can represent you and seek justice from the caregivers who let you down. Contact our Ann Arbor offices today to set up a confidential consultation. If you or a loved one suffered from a delayed response or an inaccurate diagnosis in a Michigan emergency room, Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC can help you find justice and recover damages caused by the ER team’s failure. Our attorneys have over 40 years of legal experience working in Michigan’s medical malpractice system.
We work tirelessly to build a claim that makes sure your story is shared accurately, and that leads to the recovery you need. Contact us to get a private consultation.
