When Preventable Suffering Is Not Prevented

Heart attack and stroke remain leading causes of death and serious disability. With fast and appropriate care, however, many strokes and heart attacks can be prevented.

When medical professionals fail to follow accepted standards of care in the treatment of heart attack and stroke, patients can suffer permanent disability or death.

If you were harmed or if a family member died because of misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis or delayed treatment of a stroke or heart attack, you may have a right to receive financial compensation for damages. Sacramento malpractice attorney Noël M. Ferris has successfully represented medical malpractice clients who needlessly suffered a stroke or heart attack.

A Missed Opportunity

Some strokes can be averted if the patient is treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot-busting drug, within three hours of the onset of symptoms. One of Ms. Ferris' clients arrived at an emergency room 40 minutes after the first signs of stroke appeared.

A scan determined she was a perfect candidate for treatment with tPA. The doctor ordered the drug, but the hospital pharmacist said they were all out. A dose was eventually found, but by then it was too late. Ms. Ferris' client had suffered permanent harm.

A Wrong Diagnosis

A young woman went to the emergency room with clear signs of a stroke. She was a recovering alcoholic who had been alcohol-free for three years. The doctors assumed her symptoms, including slurred speech, were due to alcohol. They failed to do a proper assessment and never considered giving her tPA, which could have made all symptoms of her stroke disappear.

Failure to Follow Accepted Standards of Care

In some instances, tPA can also stop some types of heart attack. To be effective, the heart attack must be properly diagnosed and the drug must be administered promptly. In one of Ms. Ferris' cases, the doctor failed to perform the diagnostic tests. He said, "I don't think you are having a heart attack," and sent the patient home. The patient later died of a massive heart attack that could have been prevented.

Call 916-520-3370 to Schedule a Free Consultation

To discuss your stroke, heart attack or heart disease case with a lawyer who gets results in complex medical malpractice claims, please contact the Law Office of Noël M. Ferris in Sacramento, California. Call 916-520-3370 or toll free at 888-351-3970 to arrange a free initial consultation.