Legal Question in Medical Malpractice in New York

Can someone be held accountable?

Timeline and observations as told by daughter (D) regarding 78-year old mother (M):

5/5/02 - M complains of numbness in 4 fingers on right hand and ringing in ears.

5/6/02 - M spends about 8 hours in hospital emergency room. Examined and sent home with paper stating she has tinnitis and should make an appointment with a neurologist.

5/7/02 - M visits doctor at HIP Center. Given appointment for 6/17 with neurologist and a note from doctor to neurologist stating ''complains of numbness in 4 fingers on right hand and dropping objects.''

5/8/02 - D queried M throughout the day as to whether she felt dizzy or disoriented because gait appeared halted and unsteady and M seemed unfocused.

5/9/02 - M downstairs eating dinner. Not using right hand/arm at all, eating with left hand. At approximately 7:45 p.m., D noticed twisting of M's mouth and extremely slurred speech, at which point an ambulance is called and M is taken to hospital where it is determined M had a stroke. M admitted to hospital.

5/10/02 - Mon., 5/13/02 - M in hospital stroke unit.

5/14/02 - M admitted to rehabilitation institute.

Did someone seriously drop the ball regarding M?


Asked on 5/26/02, 12:38 am

2 Answers from Attorneys
David Slater David P. Slater, Esq.

Re: Can someone be held accountable?

That will depend upon when he actually had the stroke and if it could have been prevented. It appears to me he had the stroke on 5/5 thus nothing the hospital or doctors did caused it. The fact they may have misdiagnosed it after the fact is not the issue.

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Answered on 5/26/02, 11:32 am
Robert R. Groezinger GroezingerLaw P.C.

Re: Can someone be held accountable?

It is difficult to determine, without a review of the mdical records, whether the failure to diagnose what may have been a stroke on May 5, lead to anythig that could have ben prevented.

Without more (a record review), this is difficult to determine.

Any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at either [email protected] or at 212-764-5428.

Good Luck

RRG

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Answered on 5/26/02, 4:21 pm


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