Whether it stems from a blocked artery, a blood clot moving into the brain, a brain bleed, or any other cause, a stroke requires immediate medical attention. Fortunately, most medical professionals know how to identify strokes at early stages based on the presentation of certain symptoms in their patients. With prompt professional care, it is often possible to minimize long-term damage caused by a stroke.
However, not every doctor meets the same “standard of care” with all their patients, leading patients to suffer severe and entirely avoidable harm. If you or a loved one’s stroke was not properly diagnosed and addressed by doctors despite clear signs of a medical emergency, consider speaking with a Bridgeport stroke misdiagnosis lawyer about your options. The dedicated malpractice attorneys from Berkowitz and Hanna, LLC can help you pursue the compensation you need and deserve.
While every person responds differently to medical events, symptoms commonly associated with strokes include:
These symptoms can also manifest from a variety of other medical conditions as well, many of which are fairly innocuous or less dangerous than a stroke. However, because doctors have so much specialized education, training, and hands-on experience, they are generally expected to meet a “standard of care” with each of their patients. This requires them to use their knowledge effectively to diagnose a stroke as well as any other equally qualified physician could have done with the same information under the same circumstances.
A failure to meet this standard typically constitutes legally actionable malpractice. A Bridgeport stroke misdiagnosis attorney can look into the specifics of a case and work to determine whether a provider’s behavior is considered negligent.
Civil courts in Connecticut require more evidence for a medical malpractice claim than a traditional negligence claim based on something like a car crash. State law generally requires prospective malpractice plaintiffs to get support for their claim from at least one qualified medical expert before they are allowed to file suit.
More specifically, plaintiffs have to go through a “reasonable inquiry” process as detailed in Connecticut General Statutes §52-190a. This involves submitting a signed certificate from the medical expert(s) they consulted with alongside or soon after filing their initial complaint. This is another component of the Bridgeport malpractice litigation process that a seasoned stroke misdiagnosis lawyer can provide assistance with.
While not every stroke is preventable, you should be able to trust that your doctors will know what a stroke looks like and give you an accurate diagnosis reasonably quickly after your first presentation of symptoms. If that trust has been violated, and you suffered serious physical harm as a result, you may have grounds to file suit for malpractice. However, getting a favorable case result on your own can be nearly impossible.
Berkowitz and Hanna, LLC is one of the top three medical malpractice firms in the state of Connecticut. Our legal team has recovered over $400 million through court verdicts and private settlements for people much like you. Call today to learn what a Bridgeport stroke misdiagnosis lawyer can do to improve your chances of case success.
Berkowitz Hanna
1087 Broad St
Bridgeport CT
06604
