Skip to main content
Free Consultation No Fee Unless We Win! Call Now (203) 418-7264

Connecticut Stroke Misdiagnosis Lawyer

Every minute matters during a stroke. When emergency rooms, specialists, or primary care doctors fail to recognize stroke symptoms, the consequences can be catastrophic: permanent disability, brain damage, or death.  As a top stroke misdiagnosis lawyer in Connecticut, Dan Brill holds negligent hospitals, ER physicians, and clinics accountable for life-altering mistakes.


What Is Stroke Misdiagnosis?

When a stroke is misdiagnosed, precious time is lost. Most ischemic strokes are treatable with clot-busting drugs (tPA) if diagnosed within the first 3 to 4.5 hours. Yet too often, symptoms are brushed off as benign—especially in younger patients, women, or those with atypical presentations.

A skilled stroke misdiagnosis attorney in Connecticut understands that misdiagnosis isn’t just a medical issue—it’s a legal one that requires a qualified misdiagnosis lawyer in Connecticut. Doctors must meet a standard of care, which includes timely recognition of symptoms, ordering imaging tests, and initiating treatment or transfer to a stroke center.

Stroke Misdiagnosis Patterns We See Frequently:

  • ER dismissed symptoms as vertigo, migraines, anxiety, or intoxication
  • Failure to order a CT scan or MRI
  • Misreading of imaging studies
  • Failure to escalate care or refer to a neurologist
  • Delay in administering tPA or arranging thrombectomy

These failures can result in lifelong paralysis, cognitive impairment, or wrongful death—harms that demand legal accountability.

Medical Background: What Doctors Should Know (But Sometimes Miss)

Understanding the medical basics of stroke is key to spotting when something went wrong. Strokes fall into two major categories:

  • Ischemic Stroke: Caused by a blood clot blocking blood flow to the brain (the most common type).
  • Hemorrhagic Stroke: Caused by a ruptured blood vessel leading to bleeding in the brain.

Typical diagnostic steps should include a full neurological exam, CT scan or MRI, and sometimes CT angiography (CTA) to assess blood vessels.

Commonly Missed Symptoms of Stroke:

  • Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
  • Slurred speech or trouble understanding speech
  • Sudden confusion or trouble thinking
  • Vision problems in one or both eyes
  • Sudden dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of coordination
  • Severe headache with no known cause

Key Failures in Diagnosis:

  • Failure to recognize a transient ischemic attack (TIA)
  • Not ordering urgent imaging
  • Misinterpreting radiology reports
  • Assuming symptoms are due to intoxication, migraines, or anxiety

The standard of care means that a competent physician should have recognized the stroke symptoms, ordered proper testing, and provided treatment or referral without unreasonable delay. When that doesn’t happen, and harm results, it’s grounds for a malpractice case.

 

Common Stroke Misdiagnosis Scenarios

Brill Law Group has investigated and litigated stroke malpractice cases across Bridgeport, Fairfield, Norwalk, Stamford, and beyond. Common themes include:

  • Emergency Room Dismissal: A patient arrives with slurred speech and weakness. The ER presumes a migraine and sends them home. Hours later, they’re found unresponsive.
  • Primary Care Delays: A patient reports transient symptoms to their doctor. Instead of being sent for imaging, they’re told to rest. Days later, a massive stroke occurs.
  • Misread Imaging: A radiologist fails to identify signs of an evolving stroke on a head CT. The window for treatment closes before the error is caught.

These aren’t rare stories—they’re common fact patterns behind stroke misdiagnosis lawsuits in Connecticut. Each one represents a missed opportunity for intervention.

How a Stroke Misdiagnosis Attorney in Connecticut Builds a Case

To win a stroke misdiagnosis lawsuit, your legal team must prove three things:

  1. There was a breach of the medical standard of care (e.g., failure to order timely imaging).
  2. That breach caused a delay in treatment (and worsened the outcome).
  3. Damages resulted—often severe and permanent.

A top stroke misdiagnosis attorney in Connecticut will immediately begin gathering:

  • Emergency room records and triage notes
  • Imaging scans and radiology reports
  • Neurology consults
  • Witness statements from family members
  • Expert opinions on whether earlier intervention would have prevented harm

The goal is to create a clear timeline showing when red flags appeared, what actions were (or weren’t) taken, and how the delay changed the outcome.

Stroke Misdiagnosis in Connecticut: Real-World Scenarios

Misdiagnosed strokes often follow disturbingly familiar fact patterns—errors that could have been avoided with timely attention and proper care. Some of the most devastating cases involve:

  • A patient was told they had vertigo—later discovered to have suffered a major stroke
  • A young adult discharged with a “migraine” who became paralyzed overnight
  • Obvious stroke symptoms ignored in the ER
  • Primary care doctor dismissed slurred speech as stress-related
  • Hospital delayed tPA beyond the critical window

Each of these reflects a missed opportunity for intervention—and a life forever altered. Brill Law Group works to uncover what went wrong, and why, in every stroke malpractice case we take.

Stroke Misdiagnosis Settlements

Stroke misdiagnosis cases often lead to significant verdicts or settlements. That’s because the resulting injuries are severe: partial or full paralysis, loss of independence, cognitive decline, or death. The economic and emotional toll is massive.

Compensation may include:

  • Past and future medical costs (including home care or rehab)
  • Lost income and earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of consortium (companionship)
  • Wrongful death damages (if the patient died due to delayed treatment)

 

Why Hire a Stroke Misdiagnosis Lawyer in Connecticut?

As a leading medical malpractice lawyer in Connecticut, Dan Brill brings:

  • Proven litigation results in misdiagnosis and ER malpractice
  • Deep medical knowledge and expert networks
  • Experience with tPA delay, neuroimaging failures, and wrongful death claims
  • Empathetic, responsive representation tailored to your family’s needs

From your first consultation to the courtroom, you’ll have a relentless advocate by your side.

Hospital Risk Factors in Stroke Misdiagnosis Lawsuits

Some hospitals are more prone to stroke misdiagnosis due to system failures. Red flags include:

  • Understaffed ERs
  • No 24/7 neurologist coverage
  • Delays in head CT or MRI imaging
  • Lack of stroke protocol adherence

Brill Law Group investigates whether the facility itself—not just an individual doctor—created a dangerous environment for stroke patients.

Statute of Limitations for Stroke Misdiagnosis in Connecticut

If you’re considering filing a medical malpractice claim in Connecticut, it’s important to understand the statute of limitations. This legal timeframe dictates how long you have to initiate a lawsuit after the alleged malpractice occurred. For most medical malpractice cases in Connecticut, including stroke misdiagnosis, the statute of limitations is:

  • Two years from the date of injury or the date when the injury was reasonably discovered.

However, Connecticut law includes important exceptions that can affect this deadline:

Discovery Rule

If the effects of the malpractice weren’t immediately apparent, the statute may be extended to start from the date the injury was discovered—or should have reasonably been discovered. But Connecticut enforces a strict statute of repose:

  • Three-year absolute cap: Even if you discover the injury later, you cannot file a lawsuit more than three years from the date of the negligent act. This is a harsh rule—after three years, your claim may be barred no matter how hidden the malpractice was.

Continuing Treatment Doctrine

If the negligent provider continued treating you after the incident, the statute of limitations may be delayed until treatment ends. This is known as the “Continuous Treatment” or “Continuing Course of Conduct” doctrine. It applies when there’s an ongoing patient-provider relationship for the same condition.

Fraudulent Concealment

If a healthcare provider actively concealed their negligence, the statute of limitations is paused (“tolled”) until the concealment is discovered. This exception recognizes that some victims may be unaware of both the injury and the provider’s role due to intentional misconduct.

Don’t Wait to Act

These timelines are critical. Stroke misdiagnosis lawsuits involve extensive records and expert analysis, so it’s vital to consult a qualified medical malpractice lawyer as early as possible to preserve your rights and evidence.

Don’t wait. Stroke misdiagnosis cases are document-heavy and expert-driven. Early legal action ensures that records are preserved and deadlines aren’t missed.

You Asked Us, We Answered

What’s the time window to treat a stroke with tPA?

Typically 3 to 4.5 hours. After that, treatment options narrow and risks increase.

Can I sue if the hospital missed my stroke?

Yes. If doctors failed to recognize symptoms, delayed imaging, or denied timely treatment, you may have a strong claim.

What if the doctor said it was a migraine or vertigo?

These are common misdiagnoses. If no imaging was done or symptoms escalated, a lawsuit may be appropriate.

Do I have a case if my loved one died after being discharged with stroke symptoms?

Possibly. Wrongful death lawsuits are common in stroke cases where ER or PCP misjudged the symptoms.

How long do I have to sue for stroke misdiagnosis in Connecticut?

Usually two years from discovery—but never more than three from the actual malpractice.

Skip to content