One Of New York’s Most Respected Personal Injury Firms

Should a medical provider be able to prevent strokes?

On Behalf of | Aug 19, 2022 | Medical Malpractice

When you see your doctor about symptoms that have been bothering you, it’s important for them to take you seriously. You might be complaining about headaches or pain in your jaw, dizziness or blurry vision. Those symptoms might come and go, but that doesn’t mean that your doctor should write them off as anxiety or as a one-off event.

Any time you have symptoms that could be linked to neurological concerns, it is reasonable to suspect a stroke and other neurological conditions. If your provider runs blood tests and performs a balanced examination, they should be able to rule out at least some of the conditions and narrow down the tests they order to identify the root cause of your issues.

Should a doctor be able to identify a stroke in-office?

Unless you’re in an active stroke, it may not be possible for someone to assume that one would occur, but if you have underlying illnesses or complaints about symptoms that keep flaring up, then your doctor should be considering a stroke as a possibility. Symptoms of strokes may include:

  • Confusion
  • Headaches with vomiting
  • A metallic taste in the mouth
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Dystonia
  • Paralysis
  • Impaired coordination
  • Trouble moving half of the body, which is sometimes most prominent in the face

Strokes can be caused by a few different issues, and some may come and go. For example, if you have transient ischemic attacks, an embolism or other condition could lead to symptoms of a stroke temporarily. Then, they may resolve on their own. That doesn’t mean you’re not having strokes—you still need to be treated for the underlying condition leading to the TIA.

What happens if your doctor doesn’t consider strokes as a possibility and you suffer from one?

If you suffer from a stroke despite telling your doctor about your symptoms and having those symptoms ignored or dismissed, you may be able to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit. Strokes are extremely common and have several forms, so there is no reason why any medical professional should fail to recognize the symptoms or order appropriate testing to rule a stroke out.

Archives