A recent medical malpractice case settled for $20 million, after medical professionals at a local hospital failed to diagnose and treat symptoms of a brain aneurysm that resulted in a stroke.
If you have been of victim of stroke misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose a stroke in New Jersey, you need to find out about your right to pursue compensation if medical negligence was involved in your case. At Fronzuto Law Group, our seasoned medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to advocating for victims who suffer injuries as a result of medical negligence in New Jersey. We fight to obtain maximum compensation and have achieved millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for patients whose lives have been adversely impacted by incidences of hospital negligence, emergency room errors, and other forms of malpractice. To discuss your potential claim with a member of our legal team today, contact our offices in Passaic County at 973-435-4551 for a cost-free initial consultation.
Failure to Diagnose Stroke Case
Misdiagnosis of stroke is a common emergency room error that leads to severe injuries, if not wrongful death, in thousands of patients every year. Strokes are distinguished among two separate categories: ischemic, which is the most common type, and hemorrhagic, which is more rare. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain ruptures and causes bleeding, which spills into the tissue surrounding the artery.
The bursting of a cerebral aneurysm is the most common form of hemorrhagic stroke. Notably, cerebral aneurysms often manifest in many symptoms, including: severe headache, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, and stiff neck or neck pain. For instance, a recent malpractice case settled for $20 million after doctors failed to recognize signs of a stroke in the hospital emergency room.
50-year-old Chicago attorney Christopher Zinski first sought treatment at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in September 2012. He reported symptoms including a headache, neck pain, disorientation, and vomiting, which medical professionals diagnosed as a dehydration headache. Zinski was treated with intravenous fluids and sent home. Two days following his hospital visit, Zinski suffered a stroke caused by a brain aneurysm. He sustained severe brain damage and was hospitalized for the next five months. Zinski then spent the next two years in rehabilitation therapy, as he learned to perform the simplest functions, including speaking, swallowing, and walking, once again. He still struggles with short-term memory loss as a result of his injuries.
Had the medical professionals examining him considered that his symptoms may have been caused by something more serious that simple dehydration, they may have further investigated his condition, identified it, and performed an immediate intervention to prevent his stroke. Tragically, they did not. Christopher and his wife, Pattie Zinski, filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital and emergency room staffers, claiming they failed to diagnose the stroke. The suit alleged that medical professionals did not order a CT scan, which may have revealed the underlying brain aneurysm and likelihood of a stroke.
If Your Stroke was Misdiagnosed in NJ, You Have Legal Options
Although nothing can truly rectify the devastating results of medical negligence for victims throughout New Jersey, those who suffer harm may recover sizable damages awards to cover the costs of medical expenses, rehabilitative treatment, loss of income, and the other financial and emotional tolls that result from their injuries. For more information and a free legal consultation with a talented New Jersey stroke malpractice attorney at Fronzuto Law Group, contact us online or call 973-435-4551 today.
To learn more about strokes and brain aneurysms, access the following resource: Healthline, Is It a Stroke or an Aneurysm?