A stroke is a medical emergency. It requires prompt evaluation, accurate diagnosis, and timely treatment. A patient who arrives at an emergency room with signs of stroke or risk factors that call for urgent testing can experience life-changing consequences if medical professionals delay their care or make mistakes. When ER negligence occurs in these cases, a stroke may occur, worsen, or go untreated until the patient has already suffered permanent damage.
If you or a loved one is facing the consequences of a stroke from emergency room negligence, a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney from Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry, P.C. can review your case and determine whether preventable failures contributed to your harm. Contact our legal team right away to arrange a free initial consultation.
How Our Philadelphia Emergency Room Malpractice Lawyer Can Help You
In the aftermath of an emergency room stroke brought on or made worse by a healthcare provider’s failure, you need the support and advocacy only an experienced and knowledgeable ER malpractice lawyer can provide. At Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry, P.C., we’re here for life’s toughest trials. Our firm has recovered over $4 billion for individuals harmed due to the negligence of others, including in healthcare settings. In one case, we recovered $54 million for a client who suffered brain damage due to a stroke that multiple providers failed to diagnose and treat.
Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry, P.C. is here to handle every aspect of preparing and pursuing your case. When you turn to us for help, we will:
- Thoroughly investigate your case, including the medical decisions before, during, and after your stroke, to prepare a persuasive claim on your behalf
- Pursue the full compensation you deserve through the court system
- Bring our full experience and resources to your fight
As one client said of their experience with us:
“Tears came to our eyes with the tremendous opportunities and responsibilities that were borne out of yesterday’s activities. My wife’s, son’s, daughter’s, and my own life are very likely to change considerably. With proper planning and thought, this should be mostly for the good. We all would like to thank you, from our core, for all your tenacity, intelligence, logic, fortitude, ferociousness, conciseness, and doggedness that you unleashed downtown. I am still reeling and in a state of disbelief. Thanks so much.” – Ru
What Is a Stroke?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Insufficient oxygen-rich blood can cause brain cells to begin to die within minutes. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, the effects of a stroke may be temporary or permanent. It can affect a person’s movement, speech, memory, thinking, vision, coordination, and independence, with long-term disability, coma, or even death all being possible in severe cases.
Common Stroke Symptoms That Should Not Be Missed
Philadelphia emergency room staff have a responsibility to recognize possible stroke symptoms quickly because delays can affect diagnosis and treatment. Warning signs may include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg
- Slurred speech
- Confusion or trouble understanding
- Sudden vision problems
- Severe headache with no known cause
- Loss of balance or coordination
These symptoms should prompt timely evaluation, testing, and appropriate medical response.
How ER Negligence Can Lead to a Stroke
Emergency room negligence can allow a stroke to progress without timely treatment. The following failures can delay care and increase the risk of serious brain injury:
- Misdiagnosing symptoms as a migraine, vertigo, or another less serious condition
- Failing to order a CT scan, MRI, or other appropriate imaging
- Delaying a neurological evaluation
- Not activating the hospital’s stroke response team
- Discharging a patient despite symptoms that may suggest a stroke
Medical Standards of Care in Emergency Stroke Treatment
A Philadelphia patient in need of stroke care requires treatment right away because their options may depend on narrow time windows. Depending on the patient’s condition, the accepted standard of care may involve:
- Rapid triage and stroke screening
- Immediate CT scan, MRI, or other brain imaging
- Timely consultation with a neurologist or other appropriate provider
- Monitoring vital signs, symptoms, and neurological changes
- Administering appropriate medication quickly when medically indicated
When emergency room staff do not follow accepted stroke protocols, a patient may lose the chance for critical early treatment and suffer more severe harm.
Who May Be Liable for ER Negligence
Liability for emergency room negligence depends on precisely what happened, who was involved, and how they handled the patient’s care. More than one person or entity may have played a role in a delayed stroke diagnosis or treatment failure, including:
- Emergency room physicians who failed to recognize stroke concerns or order proper testing
- Nurses and triage staff who didn’t respond appropriately to reported symptoms
- The hospital or medical facility responsible for ER policies, staffing, and patient safety
- Radiologists who misread or delayed interpretation of CT scans, MRIs, or other imaging
- On-call specialists who weren’t contacted promptly or failed to respond when needed
- Healthcare system administrators whose staffing, training, or protocol failures contributed to unsafe care
A stroke malpractice claim may examine the actions of all healthcare providers involved in the patient’s emergency room treatment. An attorney’s review may include whether the hospital had proper stroke protocols in place and whether staff followed them. When multiple failures overlap, responsibility may extend beyond one provider.
When to Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If your family is dealing with a loved one’s stroke after emergency room negligence, reach out to a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer right away. Legal review can be particularly critical when healthcare providers failed to recognize or ignored symptoms, delayed testing, or sent you or a loved one home despite signs that called for further evaluation. Your lawyer can review the medical records, imaging timeline, discharge notes, and specialists’ involvement after a stroke-related injury to identify signs of medical malpractice.
Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry, P.C. has substantial experience managing complex cases arising from medical negligence, including emergency rooms’ failure to diagnose or prevent strokes. Contact us today to arrange a free consultation with a skilled Philadelphia emergency room negligence attorney. Pennsylvania medical malpractice claims have strict deadlines, so seek legal counsel immediately to protect your rights.
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry, P.C.
1634 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA, 19103
Phone: (215) 585-2814
Email: info@erlegal.com
