Brain hemorrhages (bleeds) can cause permanent brain damage or death. That makes it critical for physicians and medical providers to do their job and diagnose and treat these conditions from the earliest moments possible. If you were harmed by a missed diagnosis, you have potential grounds for legal action.
The Las Cruces misdiagnosis attorneys at Coates & Johnson, PLLC can help you understand your rights and get financial and legal accountability from the at-fault providers. Call us today to schedule a free case review to learn more about how we can assist you.
Why Choose Coates & Johnson, PLLC to Handle Your Brain Hemorrhage Case?
Missed brain bleeds can alter a person’s health and cognitive abilities. You deserve a firm that can ensure that your medical providers’ lives and work don’t just “go on” without accounting for the harm they caused you.
Clients turn to Coates & Johnson, PLLC to get justice in medical malpractice cases because:
- We focus solely on medical malpractice litigation and have handled thousands of cases on behalf of injured patients
- One of our partners is a physician and a lawyer; we know medicine and law.
- We work with leading neurological and emergency medicine experts to help prove your case and damages.
- We are local to Las Cruces and care about what you’ve gone through
- We provide contingency fee options and only charge attorney fees if we win your case.
Call us today or contact us online to speak with an experienced Las Cruces medical malpractice lawyer who can help you.
What is a Brain Hemorrhage?
Brain hemorrhages involve bleeding in or around the brain. Excessive bleeding can place pressure on the brain and disrupt normal blood flow and oxygen delivery. In turn, these complications can lead to permanent neurological damage or death if not treated promptly
Causes of brain hemorrhages may include:
- Traumatic injuries
- High blood pressure
- Aneurysms
- Blood vessel abnormalities
- Medication complications
Brain bleeds are often missed or diagnosed late. They rank among the top 10 conditions that suffer from diagnostic errors. However, it is imperative that medical providers recognize a brain bleed in order to provide timely intervention and prevent more serious neurological damage.
Why An Attorney Is a Necessity for Any Malpractice Claim
Brain hemorrhage malpractice cases involve sophisticated legal and medical questions, including:
- Whether symptoms justified imaging
- Whether CT scans were interpreted properly
- Whether providers missed signs of neurological decline
- Whether treatment delays worsened your health outcomes
Legal and medical professionals are the ones who can help answer these questions, with attorneys being the ones who coordinate the evidence and present it to a court. An attorney may handle all the legal aspects of your case, including:
- Reviewing emergency department records, neurological findings, and treatment timelines
- Examining CT scans, MRIs, and other diagnostic imaging to determine whether warning signs were missed
- Working with experts across disciplines to evaluate the standard of care
- Assessing the long-term effects of the brain injury,
- Handling communications and negotiations with hospitals and insurance carriers
- Filing suit and preparing the case for trial if the defendants refuse to offer fair compensation
If you are considering taking legal action, contact our firm to learn more about how an attorney can help you.
Brain Hemorrhage Symptoms That Should Have Prompted Further Testing
Brain hemorrhages often present with symptoms that require immediate medical evaluation. Emergency room providers are generally expected to recognize warning signs that warrant additional testing, including symptoms like
- Sudden, severe headaches
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion or disorientation
- Slurred speech
- Weakness on one side of the body
- Vision changes
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Dizziness
- Seizures
- Nausea and vomiting
- Facial drooping
- Difficulty walking
When patients present with these symptoms, especially alongside head trauma and other risk factors, additional diagnostic testing is a must.
Establishing Liability for a Missed Brain Hemorrhage Under New Mexico Law
Brain hemorrhages are medical emergencies that can afford no treatment delays. Patients who experience missed diagnosis suffer brain damage, neurological deficits, disability, or even death.
Such patients may have rights under New Mexico medical malpractice law; patients generally must prove:
- The provider failed to appropriately evaluate symptoms such as severe headache, confusion, dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness, speech difficulties, vision changes, or neurological deficits.
- A reasonably competent healthcare provider would have ordered appropriate diagnostic testing, such as a CT scan or other neurological evaluation.
- The delayed or missed diagnosis allowed the hemorrhage to worsen.
- The patient suffered financial/emotional losses.
Brain hemorrhage cases generally require expert testimony to determine how a missed diagnosis aggravated the issue and worsened the patient’s health outcomes. They also require patients to file their cases within three years of the malpractice date to have a timely claim for damages.
Contact an Experienced Brain Hemorrhage Lawyer for Help
Missed brain hemorrhage cases often involve the most catastrophic of consequences for patients and their families. If healthcare providers failed to diagnose or properly respond to signs of brain bleeding in your case, it may be time to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit.
The Las Cruces medical malpractice attorneys at Coates & Johnson, PLLC can review your case and help determine whether you have a right to compensation. Call now for a free consultation.