At Newsome Law, we can help Indiana families in this position. Our work focuses on making sure your loved one has access to the level of care they deserve, and that your family is not left to carry that financial burden alone. If you have questions about what happened or what you may be entitled to, we invite you to call us for a free, no-obligation conversation.
How Locked-In Syndrome Affects Indiana Families Long-Term
Locked-in syndrome is a condition in which a person retains full consciousness and cognitive awareness but loses virtually all voluntary movement. It most commonly results from a brainstem stroke. The most important thing to note is that the person inside is still there, still thinking, still feeling. But the ability to move, to speak, and in most cases to breathe without assistance has been lost.
For families, the first encounter with this diagnosis is often disorienting. Your loved one may be able to communicate only through eye movements or blinking, or may not yet have a reliable way to communicate at all. The clinical picture can look, to the untrained eye, like a coma or vegetative state. That distinction matters enormously, and we will return to it.
Caring for someone with locked-in syndrome is not a short-term undertaking. It is a lifelong commitment that involves a wide range of specialized medical support.
None of this is inexpensive. And in Indiana, even though the overall cost of living is generally below the national average, long-term care costs run close to national median levels, meaning families face tens of thousands of dollars in annual expenses for the long haul.
| Type of Care | Estimated Cost in Indiana |
| Private duty nurse | $70/hour |
| Visit rate | $175/visit |
| Nursing home — semi-private room | $107,310/year |
| Nursing home — private room | $123,918/year |
Source: CareScout/Genworth 2025 Cost of Care Survey
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.
Why Choose Newsome Law After a Locked-In Syndrome Diagnosis
Recovering compensation following a locked-in syndrome diagnosis allows you to begin building the financial foundation your loved one will need for a lifetime of care. It also ensures that you don’t need to bankrupt yourself to get your loved one the care they need.
When our locked-in syndrome lawyers take on a case like this, we work to understand the full scope of what your loved one will require: the nurses, the equipment, the therapies, the residential needs, the modifications to daily life. A settlement or verdict we obtain on your behalf could cover:
- Ongoing and future medical expenses, including nursing and specialist care
- Assistive technology and communication devices
- Home modification or specialized residential care costs
- Lost income and future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality of life
- The profound emotional toll on family caregivers
A verdict or award would also help create a care plan that does not require constant financial crisis management, allow your family to focus on being present with your loved one instead of scrambling for resources, and ensure a future that has some structure and stability.
We work closely with families throughout this process. That means you work with the attorney assigned to your case, not just case managers or paralegals. It means working with medical experts who can evaluate your loved one’s condition and care needs honestly. And it means staying in close contact with you, so nothing gets lost.
Talk To Our Legal Team Today
We’re here to answer your questions and help you understand your options.
Schedule a Free Consultation
What Happens If a Medical Provider’s Negligence Led to My Loved One’s Locked-In Syndrome?
Not every case of locked-in syndrome involves medical error. Strokes can and do occur even when care is appropriate and timely. We recognize that, and we will tell you honestly if we believe negligence was not a factor in what happened to your loved one.
But in some cases, the outcome was shaped by what did or did not happen in the hours surrounding the event. Some of the scenarios we investigate include:
- Delayed diagnosis or failure to diagnose: Stroke symptoms were present but not recognized or acted upon promptly, closing the window for clot-busting or clot-retrieval treatment.
- Failure to transfer: A patient was held at a facility that could not provide advanced stroke intervention when a transfer was warranted.
- Premature discharge: A patient was sent home or to a lower level of care before the situation was fully evaluated.
- Missed or dismissed warning signs: Earlier symptoms, such as a TIA, were not appropriately worked up or followed.
- Misdiagnosis: Stroke was attributed to another cause, delaying the correct response.
Transfer Windows Matter
In stroke care, time is the single most critical variable. When a patient suffers a brainstem stroke, they need to reach a comprehensive stroke center capable of performing endovascular thrombectomy. Many Indiana patients, particularly those in rural areas, are first brought to a hospital that cannot perform this procedure and must be transferred.
The measure used to evaluate how quickly that transfer happens is called door-in-door-out time, or DIDO: the time between when a patient arrives at the first hospital and when they leave for the one that can treat them. National guidelines call for DIDO times of 90-120 minutes or less.
Per JAMA, Indiana’s median DIDO times are:
- 132 to 144 minutes for acute ischemic stroke eligible for endovascular therapy
- 194 to 215 minutes for other acute ischemic stroke
Misdiagnosed Locked-In Syndrome Affects the Care Your Loved One Receives
Because patients cannot move and often cannot speak, the condition is frequently mistaken for a coma or a persistent vegetative state. The critical difference—that the person with LIS remains conscious and aware—can be missed entirely.
Proper evaluation for locked-in syndrome involves specific clinical assessments, often including the use of command-following eye movement tests and neuroimaging. When those steps are delayed or skipped, a patient may remain undetected as conscious and aware for days, weeks, or longer.
If you are unsure what happened or if something about the sequence of events does not sit right with you, a legal and medical review can help your family understand the picture more clearly. That review is free, and it carries no obligation.
We Start By Learning Your Experience
Before we can offer an assessment, we need to understand the full story:
- The timeline of events
- What care was provided and when
- What symptoms were present
- What was communicated to your family at each step
We then work to obtain and review the complete medical record, including the following:
- Emergency department notes
- Imaging
- Physician orders
- Nursing documentation
- Transfer records
- Any communication between providers
From there, we work with independent medical experts who can evaluate whether the standard of care was met and, if not, how any deviation contributed to the outcome. These experts are central to any case involving complex neurological injury. Their assessments shape how we understand what happened and how we present it.
We will be honest with you throughout. If we determine that the care provided was appropriate, we will tell you so. If we find that negligence did contribute to what happened, we will explain what that means, what we believe we can demonstrate, and what the realistic path forward looks like.
Our firm has handled complex cases involving catastrophic neurological injury, and we understand the medical and legal terrain these cases require.
Ready to Talk? We Are Here to Listen.
Your family did not expect to be in this situation. Neither did your loved one. Our job is to help you understand your options, with honesty and clarity and without pressure.
A free, confidential consultation is available to you at any time. There is no obligation, no sales pitch, and no judgment. If we can help, we will tell you how. If we cannot, we will tell you that too.
Contact Newsome Law today to see how our attorney can help you find answers.
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.
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