Maryland Brain Injury Misdiagnosis Attorneys

Rely on us to seek justice and compensation after a medical error causes harm

When  a patient suffers an injury as the result of a medical misdiagnosis,  you face not only the prospect of a long and difficult recovery from the injury, but also the daunting task of navigating a health care bureaucracy which often insulates and protects its medical professionals from liability. Insurance companies step in and aggressively coerce injured patients into accepting preposterous explanations and minimal settlements. As a result, many injured patients and their families, facing astronomical hospital bills, are left uncertain about their rights and their future.

Swift diagnosis and treatment of a brain injury can be one of the most important factors affecting your ability to recover. The Maryland brain injury misdiagnosis attorneys at Karp, Wigodsky, Norwind, Kudel & Gold, P.A. have more than 150 years of combined experience aggressively pursuing careless medical personnel who fail to adequately diagnose and treat brain injuries. We have a proven track record of successfully standing up to insurance companies and their lawyers seeking to minimize the costs of these crucial errors. We help victims of brain injury misdiagnosis in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. with passion and commitment to securing maximum compensation for your injuries.

How are brain injuries typically misdiagnosed?

Certain traumatic brain injuries are obvious. So-called open head injuries are exactly that—an injury in which the head was subject to an extreme impact which fractures or even penetrates the skull. Yet even when the skull is unharmed, the brain can still sustain an injury due to its soft, gelatin-like consistency. When the skull is impacted by an object or surface, or the head is thrust violently in one direction then the opposite, the brain itself moves inside the skull, possibly causing tearing, bleeding, swelling and bruising,

Although medical personnel are trained to recognize the symptoms of a brain injury, a misdiagnosis can occur when:

• Emergency room workers are unaware of the circumstances of a patient’s injury-causing accident, or fail to adequately inquire into the nature of the accident. The nature of a collision causing a sports-related injury, for example, may not be apparent to doctor or nurse that did not witness the collusion, increasing the possibility of a brain injury being overlooked.
• Some patients do not experience any outward symptoms of a brain injury in the immediate aftermath of an accident, and do not report any symptoms to medical personnel. The injured person may also be dazed, unable to remember the impact, or remember being unconscious.
• Small children may not possess adequate skills to effectively communicate symptoms. In addition, parents seeking help for their child may be unaware that an accident has occurred.
• Emergency room exams, such as a CT scan, are often insufficient to detect a brain injury during its early stages, before more significant trauma occurs.
• Patients may be inadequately monitored for any changes in condition which would indicate the progression of a brain injury.
• Finally, not all brain injuries are caused by accidents. Misdiagnosis of a stroke or brain hemorrhage can also have devastating results.

If you are admitted to an emergency room and have sustained any impact to the head, it is important that you communicate this to on-duty personnel, and insist upon a full examination for a traumatic brain injury.

What happens when a brain injury is misdiagnosed?

When a brain injury is not immediately diagnosed and treated, the patient may become subject to a sudden, profound downturn in condition. For example, if bleeding  occurs within the brain and it is not stopped quickly, pressure within the skull can increase, stretching or compressing brain tissue, resulting in secondary brain injury, nerve damage, permanent brain injury and even death.

Anyone  receiving an impact to the head should remain vigilant for any symptoms of a brain injury, regardless of whether you have been given a clean bill of health. Symptoms to look out for include:

• Persistent headaches
• Memory loss
• Nausea or vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Blurry vision
• Mood swings

Regardless of any previous diagnosis,  if you experience any of these symptoms in the hours and days following any impact, you are urged to immediately go to  the emergency room for an examination.

Speak with a knowledgeable Maryland brain injury misdiagnosis attorney today

If you believe that a brain injury misdiagnosis has harmed you or a member of your family, an experienced Maryland brain injury attorney at the law firm of Karp, Wigodsky, Norwind, Kudel & Gold, P.A., is ready to talk with you today. We have five convenient offices located  throughout the metropolitan Maryland/Washington D.C. area. There is no fee unless you win, and if you cannot visit us, we  will  come to you. Contact us today at (800) 229-7026 or online for a free initial consultation. We have attorneys and staff members who speak Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, and Korean.