What Families in This Situation Are Usually Carrying
Most families who reach out to us are not sure what they know. They have discharge paperwork, fragments of conversation, and a sense that something did not go the way it should have. They may have been told that everything was handled appropriately, and they are not sure whether to believe it.
That uncertainty is normal. And it is enough to begin.
You do not need to have a complete picture of what happened before you call us. You do not need to have already drawn conclusions. You just need to be willing to share what you experienced, and we will take it from there.
You Don’t Have to Know What You’re Looking For
Many families come to us asking a simple question: did something go wrong? That is a question we can help answer. The process begins with a conversation and moves into a formal review conducted with independent medical experts. What we find, whatever it is, will be communicated to you clearly and honestly.
If the review confirms that your loved one’s providers acted appropriately, we will tell you that. That kind of clarity has real value, even when the outcome was devastating.
Getting Started: Free Consultation, No Pressure
The consultation is free and confidential. There is no obligation to move forward. Our goal at this stage is simply to help you understand your situation, not to push you toward a decision you are not ready to make.
Our Process
We guide you through every step with clear communication and compassionate support.
Free Consultation
Call us anytime to discuss your case. We listen carefully and answer all your questions with no obligation.
Medical Review
Our team conducts a thorough investigation with qualified medical experts to determine if malpractice occurred.
Legal Action
If we find evidence of negligence, we build a strong case and handle all legal aspects on your behalf.
Secure Recovery
We fight to secure the financial resources your family needs for long-term care and peace of mind.
What Happens When You Reach Out to Us
The process typically begins with a conversation. We want to hear what you observed—when the symptoms started, what you were told, and how events unfolded. Many families are working from memory or from a stack of discharge paperwork gathered during an incredibly stressful time. That is enough to start building a picture.
Gathering the Full Picture: Records, Imaging, and Documentation
From there, our legal team gathers the complete medical record. This includes:
- Emergency department notes
- Physician and nursing documentation
- Imaging studies, such as CT scans and MRIs
- Records related to follow-up care or transfers between facilities
If you do not have these records, do not worry. Obtaining them is part of what we do.
It also helps to preserve anything you already have: discharge paperwork, written instructions from providers, bills, and any notes you took during the course of care. If you have not already written down a timeline of events, now is a good time, while details are still fresh.
The Independent Medical Review
Once the records are complete, they are reviewed by our team and by independent medical experts, including physicians with experience in emergency medicine, neurology, and stroke care. Their role is to examine what happened and compare it against what is generally expected under similar circumstances.
The review is conducted carefully and deliberately. It takes time to do it right. But it is the foundation of everything that follows, both what we tell you and any steps you may choose to take afterward.
How Strokes Are Missed
Stroke misdiagnosis is more common than many people realize, in part because stroke symptoms do not always follow a predictable pattern. Classic warning signs like sudden weakness on one side of the body, facial drooping, and speech difficulty are well known. But not every stroke presents in that way.
Symptoms are sometimes attributed to less serious conditions, including:
- Migraines
- Vertigo or inner ear problems
- Fatigue or anxiety
- Dehydration
When the initial interpretation sends care in the wrong direction, critical time can be lost.
The Problem With Brainstem Strokes in Particular
Brainstem strokes are especially prone to misdiagnosis. Rather than presenting with the more recognizable signs, a brainstem stroke may cause dizziness, imbalance, nausea, or visual changes, which are all symptoms that can look like many other conditions. Without careful evaluation and appropriate imaging, these strokes can be overlooked in the emergency department.
Gaps in the Emergency Department Process
Even when providers suspect a neurological event, there are points in the care process where things can go wrong. A review may look at whether:
- Appropriate imaging was ordered in a timely way
- The patient was discharged from the emergency department before a complete neurological evaluation was done
- A neurology consultation was requested when symptoms were unclear or evolving
- Relevant findings in test results were properly identified and acted upon
What ‘Standard of Care’ Actually Means
At the center of any medical review is the concept of the standard of care. This is not a measure of perfection. It refers to what a reasonably careful provider would do under similar circumstances, e.g., the decisions, the tests, the consultations, and the timing.
The review compares the care your loved one received against that benchmark. It examines what was done, what was not done, and whether those decisions aligned with accepted medical practice at the time.
Talk To Our Legal Team Today
We’re here to answer your questions and help you understand your options.
Schedule a Free Consultation
What a Missed Stroke Can Mean for Your Loved One
When a stroke is not diagnosed and treated promptly, the consequences can vary widely depending on the type of stroke, the location of the injury, and how much time passed before treatment began. Some patients experience partial recovery with lasting impairments. Others face more severe neurological injury that affects their ability to move, communicate, or live independently.
Locked-In Syndrome as a Possible Result
In the most serious cases, a missed stroke can result in Locked-In Syndrome (LIS), a condition in which a person is fully conscious and aware but has lost the ability to move or speak. They may retain the ability to move their eyes, but otherwise are completely paralyzed. LIS is a profound and permanent condition, and the caregiving demands it places on families are significant.
Stroke Care Access in Arizona’s Rural Areas
Arizona presents care challenges. Approximately 11 percent of the state’s population lives in rural areas, where access to hospitals with advanced stroke capabilities, including specialized imaging and neurology services, can be limited.
Geographic distance, inter-facility transfer times, and the availability of specialists can all play a role in how quickly a stroke is diagnosed and treated. When reviewing a case, we take that broader context into account alongside the specific clinical decisions that were made.
The door-in-door-out time (how long it takes from when a patient enters an emergency department to when they leave the hospital to transfer to a stroke center) nationwide guideline is fewer than 120 minutes. Arizona’s median door-in-door-out time is 126 to 131 minutes for acute ischemic stroke eligible for endovascular therapy and 168 to 193 minutes for other acute ischemic stroke.
If the Review Finds Something, Here’s What Comes Next
If the medical review suggests that the care your loved one received did not meet expected standards, the next step is understanding what that means in practical terms.
Building a legal case starts with the findings of the review. It involves identifying where the breakdown occurred, establishing how that departure from expected care affected the outcome, and determining who was responsible for the decisions made during that period.
Who May Bear Responsibility
Responsibility is not always limited to one individual. Depending on the circumstances, it may involve:
- An emergency department provider
- A consulting physician or specialist
- A hospital system or care team
- Multiple parties whose decisions intersected during the course of care
The goal of a legal case is not to assign blame for its own sake. For most families, the focus is on securing the resources needed to move forward.
What Families Are Usually Trying to Secure
The practical consequences of a severe stroke can be significant and lasting. Families may be facing ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, in-home support, lost income, and modifications to living environments.
| Type of Care | Estimated Cost in Arizona in 2025 |
| Private duty nurse (hourly rate) | $162/hour |
| Private duty nurse (visit rate) | $200/visit |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (semi-private room) | ~$275/day / ~$8,365/month |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (private room) | ~$376/day / ~$11,437/month |
Source: Genworth
A legal case is a path to addressing those needs, not just in the immediate term, but over the long run.
Steps You Can Take Now to Preserve Information
Whether or not you decide to move forward with a legal review, there are things you can do now to protect important information:
- Request complete medical records and imaging studies from all facilities involved.
- Keep all discharge paperwork and written instructions.
- Write down a timeline of events while the details are still fresh.
- Save any notes, bills, or communications related to your loved one’s care.
These materials can provide valuable context and are often essential to the review process.
How We Work With Families
Families who reach out to us are often doing so at a difficult and uncertain time. The way we work reflects that.
We Start by Listening
Every situation is different, and understanding what your family went through is the foundation of everything that follows. We do not begin with assumptions. We begin with your account of what happened.
We Keep Our Caseload Limited for a Reason
We maintain a limited caseload so that each family receives the time and attention their situation deserves. You will have direct access to an attorney throughout the process—not just at the beginning and end, but every step of the way.
You Stay in Control of Every Decision
We coordinate the medical review with qualified, independent experts and bring you the findings clearly and honestly. What you decide to do with that information is always up to you. We are here to make sure you have what you need to make that decision—not to make it for you.
Our Experience With Complex Stroke and Catastrophic Injury Cases
Stroke misdiagnosis cases involve significant medical complexity and long-term consequences that require informed, careful handling. We focus on this kind of work specifically—cases where the medical issues are serious, and the stakes for families are high.
No Fees Unless We Recover Compensation
There are no upfront fees. We are only paid if we recover compensation for your family.
We Are Here Whenever You Are Ready to Talk
You may not be ready to take any action. That is completely understandable. The consultation is simply about getting answers, understanding what happened, and determining whether a formal review would be useful in your situation.
It is free, confidential, and comes with no obligation. Newsome Law is here to help families in Arizona find clarity when they need it most.
What Our Clients Say
Real stories from families we've helped through difficult times.
5.0
Newsome Law are fantastic! They have been working on my case for the past 3+ years and I have not once had a bad experience with anyone who works there. They have worked tirelessly to help me through my accident and the medical bills that loomed overhead. I am extremely pleased and grateful to have them, fighting on my side during this period in my life.
5.0
Selecting a Law Firm in a time of tragedy , is one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. There are so many Firms out there that will chase you down , make unrealistic commitments and set unrealistic expectations. This is the last thing that is needed in such a painful and difficult time
Newsome Law Is a step above all the rest. They are not some run-of-the-mill Firm. But rather an experienced Team of established excellence and success. As one of Newsome Law’s grateful clients, they always operated in the best interest of my family. Were always available to take my call , and were compassionate to the pain and needs of my family. Newsome Law is the right Firm for you to choose.
5.0
5 Stars???!!!! These guys deserve the universe!!!!!!! They came through with every promise and were professional, diligent, smart, friendly, and understanding of the situation I was going through every step of the way. Very happy with the customer service so if that’s a thing for you, that’s another reason to go here. Honestly you will be making a mistake if you don’t go here. Rich is top tier in the US for attorneys and he definitely fought hard to get the job done here. If you want your money… GO HERE!!!!!!!
5.0
Newsome Law represented me in a very positive manner. Always professional, courteous, supportive and attentive. They were always able to keep me apprised of the status of my case. The team on my case were always easy to work with and on top of all issues. I never had to wonder where we were at in the process. I would recommend them to anyone needing this type of help in the future.
5.0
Just an amazing experience with the Newsome Law firm. Our case was very sensitive and close to our hearts. We were treated with the utmost respect for our situation and everything was handled in a professional and timely manner. We cannot say enough good things about the entire team!
5.0
I am so pleased to have worked with this firm. The attention to detail, time spent one on one, not feeling like I was just a number and someone truly caring about what was going on with me and my case was more than I could have ever hoped for. I will use this firm again if I ever need one and will recommend to everyone who asks to reach out to Newsome Law if they find they ever need someone to represent them. More than pleased and happy with everyone and everything from the office. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
5.0
I am so pleased to have worked with this firm. They went above and beyond for my sons case. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone. Always communicated with us, always answered all our questions and fought for my sons case to get the best. Newsome Law thank so much again for all you did. God Bless!
5.0
Partnered with this law firm under unfortunate circumstances and ended up being a great success. They understood the mission and intent, and collectively, conducted all of the behind the scenes work, resulting in a successful end result. If you want one of the best, here’s your opportunity and highly recommended.
5.0
When you’re in a hospital bed all jacked up from an accident and you google best personal injury attorneys, this is who you will find, and they are. Never had been in a lawsuit before and had never needed an attorney. They took such amazing care of me, and handled everything so professionally. A great team of paralegals and attorneys. Thank you so much guys.
Need to Speak with Someone New
Our lines are open 24/7. Call us anytime for immediate assistance.
Call Now: (407) 648 5977
