Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. Many strokes, also called cerebral vascular accidents or CVAs, are preventable with proper medical advice, such as controlling hypertension or anticoagulating certain patients with atrial fibrillation (“A Fib”). When a CVA occurs, if care providers act quickly, treatments exist to reverse its effects, such as thrombolytic medication (sometimes called “clot busters”). Because the devastating effects can often be avoided with good medical care, the American Heart Association (AHA) designated May as “Stroke Month” to increase awareness about this condition.
According to the AHA, someone in America has a CVA every 40 seconds. It is the 4th leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. The AHA is encouraging citizen awareness by promoting the F.A.S.T. program, which stands for the key symptoms of CVA (Facial drooping, Arm weakness on one side, Slurred speech) and for Time is of the essence in seeking treatment.
We have handled a number of medical negligence cases arising out of physicians’ failure to take preventative measures to protect patients from this disease and their failure to promptly initiate treatment once it occurs. In Ohio, a medical malpractice case can be brought when a doctor, nurse or hospital fails to practice within accepted medical standards and harm results.
The failure to properly protect a patient who is at risk for CVA or the failure to timely treat a patient with CVA symptoms can be a costly mistake. The costs of caring for a patient who has suffered a stroke can easily get into the millions of dollars, depending upon the severity of the disability and the patient’s life expectancy. We use life care planners, rehab counselors and economists to estimate these costs of care and prove our damages to a jury.
