Medical Malpractice Attorneys - Buffalo, New York (NY)
Rochester, New York (NY) Lawyers Helping Stroke and Heart Attack Victims
Strokes and heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States. With the number of cardiovascular diseases consuming our country, medical providers have an obligation to watch for and monitor warning signs. High blood pressure, smoking, poor nutrition, obesity, high cholesterol, and diabetes are all warning signs and there are many drugs and treatments now available to prevent or slow the disease's progression.
When a medical provider fails to consider all possibilities, provides services below professional standards of care, or makes an error in procedure or treatment, negligence may have occurred.
What is a Stroke? - A stroke occurs when there is an interruption of the blood flow to the brain. The lack of oxygen due to this interruption causes brain tissue to die, which causes that part of the brain to be unable to function. Strokes can be caused by either a blood clot plugging a blood vessel in the brain, or by bleeding in the brain. A stroke can result in partial paralysis, memory loss and/or dementia
Symptoms of a Stroke - The symptoms of a stroke can vary depending on the extent of damage to the brain and which part of the brain is affected, but in general the symptoms include:
- severe headache
- numbness in the face or extremities
- slurring or loss of speech
- fainting
- rapid heart beat or hypertension
- loss of balance
- paralysis on one side
- seizures
- nausea
In addition, a patient may experience a warning sign called a transient ischemic attack (or TIA) before an actual stroke. A TIA, or mini-strokes is caused by blood supply to the brain being cut off for a short time, without causing any permanent damage. It is the health care professional’s job to recognize the symptoms of a TIA and develop a treatment plan to try to prevent a full-scale stroke.
Aneurysms – An aneurysm is the bulging of a blood vessel in the brain. Although they may burst without warning, malpractice may occur if a doctor does not heed the warning sign of a blinding headache in an at-risk patient, or does not perform corrective surgery properly.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, call our medical malpractice attorneys now at 1-800-621-2020 or contact us