How a Lawyer Helps You Understand What Happened
When you reach out, the process does not begin with paperwork or legal strategy. It begins with your family’s story. A lawyer from our firm will listen carefully to what happened—the timeline, the symptoms, and the decisions that were made—and then get to work gathering the information needed to evaluate your case.
That means collecting medical records and imaging, reviewing hospital charts, and coordinating with independent medical experts who can assess the care your loved one received. These professionals compare what actually happened against the accepted standard of care, i.e., what a reasonable provider, in similar circumstances, would have done.
Honest Answers, Whatever They Show
Not every review uncovers wrongdoing. Sometimes, even when providers did everything within their power, a stroke still goes undetected. Certain parts of the brain are harder to scan and analyze. Small or rural facilities may not have the specialists or equipment needed for a fast, accurate diagnosis. These outcomes are tragic, but they are not necessarily the result of negligence.
When a review confirms that providers acted appropriately, that clarity—difficult as it may be—has real value. It allows families to stop questioning and start focusing entirely on what comes next.
The consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to take further action.
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 Stroke Misdiagnosis Happens
Stroke misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose can occur in any number of ways:
- Symptoms are mistaken for other conditions. A severe headache may be treated as a migraine. Dizziness and nausea could be attributed to vertigo or anxiety. General weakness, confusion, or balance problems, which are lesser-known stroke symptoms, may not trigger the same urgency as the “classic” signs of facial drooping or one-sided weakness.
- Brainstem strokes, in particular, often do not present with classic warning signs, making them more difficult to identify without thorough evaluation.
- Imaging is delayed, misread, or not ordered at all.
- Patients are discharged too early, before a full picture has emerged.
- Providers fail to consult neurology when symptoms warrant it.
In other cases, stroke is recognized, but the transfer to a capable medical center takes too long. In the medical community, there is a saying: time is brain. In an effort to ensure prompt stroke treatment, the Joint Commission and Brain Attack Coalition created a guideline for transfer times. This guideline is less than 120 minutes door-in-door-out, i.e., less than two hours from the time a patient arrives at the hospital to the time they leave to transfer to a capable stroke center.
Massachusetts’s door-in-door-out time exceeds this guideline for both acute ischemic stroke eligible for endovascular therapy (126 to 131 minutes) and other acute ischemic stroke (168 to 193 minutes), per JAMA.
When any of these failures occur in a setting where more careful attention was both possible and expected, it may represent a departure from the standard of care.
The Range of Consequences
The longer it takes to begin treatment after a stroke, the more severe the resulting brain injury may be. Some patients experience partial disability. Others face more catastrophic outcomes, such as significant physical impairment, loss of speech, or profound cognitive changes.
In rare cases, families encounter a condition known as locked-in syndrome (LIS). A patient with LIS cannot move and may appear unconscious, but they are fully aware and able to hear everything happening around them. It can take weeks or months before anyone suspects they are conscious enough to test for it.
In either case, the disabling effects of stroke or LIS can be costly.
| Type of Care | Estimated Cost in Massachusetts |
| Private duty nurse (hourly rate) | $110/hour |
| Private duty nurse (visit rate) | $148/visit |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (semi-private room) | $14,400/month |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (private room) | $15,800/month |
Source: CareScout
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What Comes Next If the Review Shows Something
If the review reveals that your loved one’s providers fell short of the accepted standard of care, your family will have the information needed to make a clear, informed decision about how to proceed.
A legal case requires establishing what happened, identifying where the care went wrong, and determining who bears responsibility. That might be an individual provider, an emergency department, a hospital system, or more than one party.
The goal of a legal action is not punishment. It is to help your family secure the resources you may need, such as long-term care, rehabilitation, home modifications, lost income, and the stability to plan for the future.
Preserving Information Now
Whatever you decide, there are steps worth taking today to protect the information most relevant to your case:
- Request copies of all medical records and imaging discs.
- Keep all discharge paperwork and any written instructions provided by providers.
- Write down a timeline of events as you remember them, including conversations with medical staff.
- Save any notes or communications you received during your loved one’s care.
The Weight Caregivers Carry—and Why You Do Not Have to Carry It Alone
With your loved one now dependent on you, it can feel as though every critical decision rests entirely on your shoulders. That pressure is real, and it is understandable.
But you are not alone. The people and resources available to you include:
- Your family and friends, who can offer perspective and may notice things you have overlooked
- Your loved one, who in many cases is still able to communicate and can tell you what would be most helpful to them
- Your lawyer, who can explain exactly what a legal action would involve, the potential benefits and drawbacks, and how they would support you if you chose to move forward
Reaching out for guidance is not a sign of weakness. It gives you the strength to make the best possible decisions.
Modern support, such as physical therapy, communication devices, mobility aids, and medical equipment, can meaningfully improve quality of life even after severe neurological injury. There are also support groups, both for your loved one and for you.
And the most important resource your loved one has is you: not only for their physical needs, but for emotional reassurance, for fighting on their behalf, and for keeping them connected to the family and community they love.
Why Families Work With Newsome Law
Newsome Law focuses exclusively on serious injury cases. When you reach out, you will not be handed off to a paralegal or lost in a large caseload. You will have direct access to an attorney who will listen carefully, coordinate your medical review with qualified independent experts, and give you honest guidance—not pressure.
If you decide to pursue a claim, Newsome Law works on a contingency basis. This means no fees unless we recover compensation for you. If the review finds no evidence of malpractice, you will know that too, and you will not owe anything for finding out.
Your family stays in control at every step.
Let Us Help Whenever You Are Ready
Getting answers is what the consultation is for. It is free, it is confidential, and it places you under no obligation to take further action. If you are not ready to decide anything yet, that is completely fine; this is simply a conversation.
Newsome Law is here to help your family understand what happened. Call us whenever you are ready.
What Our Clients Say
Real stories from families we've helped through difficult times.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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