What Actually Happens When You Reach Out
Calling a lawyer after a medical event can feel like a bigger step than it is. In practice, it just starts a conversation. We listen to what happened, in your words, without rushing you toward conclusions. From there, we request the medical records and imaging connected to your loved one’s care and arrange for an independent medical review.
That review is the heart of the process. Independent physicians familiar with stroke care examine what was done and compare it against what a reasonably careful provider would have done in the same circumstances. Sometimes that comparison confirms the providers acted appropriately despite a devastating outcome. That answer has real value too; it lets a family stop wondering and start healing. Other times, the review surfaces a departure from what should have happened. Either way, you walk away with something you didn’t have before: a clear picture.
None of this costs you anything up front, and none of it commits you to filing a claim.
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.
How a Stroke Gets Missed in the First Place
Stroke misdiagnosis usually isn’t the result of carelessness in a single moment; it’s a chain of small decisions that, looked at together, fall short of the standard of care. A patient’s symptoms get attributed to something more common, such as:
- A migraine
- An inner-ear problem
- Intoxication
- A panic attack
Brainstem strokes are notorious for this, since they often skip the classic one-sided weakness and instead cause dizziness, double vision, or trouble speaking, which are all symptoms that look like a dozen less urgent conditions. Imaging gets delayed or is never ordered. A neurologist never gets called in. A patient gets discharged with instructions to “follow up if it gets worse,” and it does.
The standard of care is the benchmark a medical review measures against: not perfection, but what a reasonably competent provider would have done with the same information, in the same setting. Stroke treatment is unusually time-sensitive—clot-dissolving medication and certain procedures only work within narrow windows after symptoms start—so a delay that would be minor for most conditions can be the difference between recovery and permanent damage here.
When a stroke is missed, the range of what follows is wide; some patients recover with lasting but manageable deficits, others face permanent, catastrophic disability, including the rare and devastating outcome known as locked-in syndrome, and some don’t survive. When a review shows the care fell short of that benchmark, families are in a position to decide, with real information in hand, whether to pursue a claim. Our Maryland locked-in syndrome attorneys can help you explore your options.
A Delayed Transfer Can Be Catastrophic
Maryland has a handful of Comprehensive Stroke Centers and Thrombectomy-Capable Primary Stroke Centers. Unfortunately, most of those facilities are located in Baltimore. That means the nearest capable center may be well over an hour away for patients on the Eastern Shore or in Western Maryland. This can be costly, as a patient with a severe stroke often has to be stabilized at a smaller facility before being transferred onward.
That transfer step matters more than people realize. National research on stroke transfers, published in JAMA, found that the typical time between a patient arriving at one hospital and being sent on to another averaged roughly two to five hours in Maryland, well beyond the 90-minute benchmark that American Heart Association guidelines call for.
When a review involves a transfer, the time a patient spent waiting before that handoff is exactly the kind of detail an independent medical review looks at closely.
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Counting the Cost of a Failure to Diagnose
When a stroke is missed and the resulting injury is severe, the financial picture often changes overnight. Families suddenly need to understand what ongoing care actually costs, not in the abstract, but in real numbers for where they live.
| Type of Care | Estimated Cost in Maryland |
| Private duty nurse (hourly rate) | $85/hour |
| Private duty nurse (visit rate) | $150/visit |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (semi-private room) | $155,125/year |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (private room) | $173,375/year |
Source: Genworth
These figures are medians, and actual costs can vary by provider and region, but they give a starting point for understanding what’s at stake when an injury requires long-term support. The more severe the outcome, the more these numbers compound over a lifetime. This is one reason the legal process exists, not to assign blame for its own sake, but to make sure a family isn’t left covering costs like these alone when a provider’s error is what caused them.
Turning a Medical Finding Into a Legal Claim
If the independent review shows the care fell short, the next phase is up to you. You can take that information and use it to gain closure, or you can take action against the provider. If you choose legal action, we must establish what happened, identify who was responsible, and connect that conduct to the harm your loved one suffered.
Responsibility can land on:
- A single physician
- An emergency department
- The hospital system as a whole
- Some combination of all three
The review and subsequent investigation determine where the evidence actually points.
The goal of a claim like this isn’t punishment. It’s making sure your family has the resources to manage what’s ahead: ongoing nursing or rehabilitative care, home modifications, lost income, and the long-term stability that a serious stroke-related injury can take away.
What to Hold Onto Right Now
If you’re still early in this process, a few things are worth preserving before they get harder to track down:
- Complete medical records and imaging, including discs or digital files, not just summaries
- Discharge paperwork and any written instructions given at the time
- A simple timeline of events, written while details are still fresh
- Notes from conversations with providers, even informal ones
None of this requires legal training to put together, just a folder and a little time.
Why Trust Us with Your Loved One’s Case
We start every case the same way: by listening. Before any legal strategy takes shape, our stroke misdiagnosis lawyers want to understand what your family actually experienced, not just what the records say. From there, we coordinate the independent medical review ourselves, working with qualified physicians who have no stake in protecting the providers involved.
Throughout the process, you have direct access to the attorney handling your case, not a rotating cast of assistants, because we intentionally keep our caseload manageable enough to give every family real attention. You stay in control of the decisions that matter, including whether to move forward at all. Our firm has handled complex stroke and catastrophic injury cases for years, and we don’t charge a fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Start With a Conversation, Not a Decision
You don’t have to know what you want yet. The consultation exists for exactly this stage. It’s free, confidential, and comes with no obligation to take things further. We’re here to help your family understand what happened, and to help you figure out what, if anything, you want to do about it.
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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