Stroke: Medical Malpractice
Doctors must make an effort to properly identify and treat common stroke risk factors in their patients. The earlier these risk factors are addressed, the better the odds a patient will not have a fatal stroke.
Fatal Strokes
Having a stroke can severely impact the quality of a person’s life. In some instances, it can even result in their death.
Unfortunately, sometimes doctors overlook signs indicating a person’s chances of having a stroke are relatively high. This may occur if a doctor is negligent.
If you lost a loved one as a result of a stroke, you may be eligible for compensation for various losses related to your loved one’s passing. You might be able to recover compensation if it can be shown that your loved one’s doctor negligently failed to recognize certain risk factors that they should have noticed earlier. To learn more about your legal options, schedule a free legal consultation with a medical malpractice expert at Mourn.
Common Risk Factors for Strokes
There are a number of risk factors that may contribute to the likelihood of a patient having a stroke. The following are among the more noteworthy:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Smoking
- Not getting enough exercise
- Obesity
- Excessive consumption of alcohol
- Using certain drugs, such as cocaine
- Age
- Genetics
- Gender (men are more likely to have strokes, but women are more likely to die from them)
Some of these factors patients can exercise some control over. For example, a person could quit smoking or stop drinking in excess to minimize their chances of having a fatal stroke. However, factors such as age, genetics, and gender are not controllable.
It is important to see your doctor regularly. This is typically one of the best ways to reduce the odds that you may suffer from a stroke. Just remember that physicians are not perfect and they do not always notice or take action when their patients are at risk of certain health conditions.
Fatal Stroke Statistics
Strokes claim the lives of individuals throughout the United States and the world at an alarming rate. Every four minutes, someone in the United States dies of a stroke.
More women die from strokes than men. According to the CDC, the chances of a woman having a stroke in her lifetime are one in five.
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Consequences of a Stroke Fatality
Losing a loved one to a potentially preventable stroke is devastating for surviving family members. Along with the emotional pain that results from the unexpected passing of a loved one, their close family members might also face a range of long-term challenges.
If the deceased individual had been their family’s main financial provider, the sudden loss of their income may force relatives to adapt to an entirely new set of financial circumstances. Losing a member of the family might also mean losing someone who may have played numerous important roles that are impossible to apply a monetary value to. For instance, a child may lose a lifetime of parental guidance and support.
If medical malpractice was to blame for the death of your loved one, you may qualify to recover compensation for these losses by filing a lawsuit.
Financial Compensation for Families
You may have grounds to seek compensation after a loved one’s unexpected death from a stroke if you can demonstrate that their physician failed to take reasonable measures to prevent a stroke from happening.
It is not always the case that someone who dies from a stroke is the victim of negligence. Doctors cannot prevent all deaths. To demonstrate that you have reason to pursue compensation, you need to provide evidence showing that a qualified physician would have possibly been able to prevent your loved one’s death had they been monitoring them properly.
It is often necessary to conduct an investigation in these circumstances. A qualified medical malpractice lawyer can do so on your behalf and help collect evidence that shows medical professionals were negligent in some capacity.
If you have a valid case, they can file a lawsuit on your behalf. A lawsuit may result in compensation for the following:
- Past medical expenses related to your loved one’s stroke
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of income your loved one would have likely earned over the duration of their career
- Loss of parental guidance and support
- Loss of consortium (companionship)
A lawyer can also negotiate on your behalf with the insurance companies, improving your chances of arriving at a fair settlement.
Our Legal Advocates Are Here to Help
If you believe a doctor failed to take reasonable measures to prevent your loved one’s stroke, you may qualify for compensation. One of our legal experts at Mourn can review your case at no cost to you. If you qualify to pursue legal action, we can match you with one of the trusted wrongful death attorneys in our nationwide network. You will not be charged any upfront legal fees unless they recover compensation for you first.
Schedule your free legal consultation today to learn more.
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