Getting From Confusion to Clarity
The first step is simple. You talk. We listen. Before anything else, we want to understand your loved one’s story.
From there, we request and review the complete medical record: imaging studies, physician notes, nursing documentation, discharge paperwork, and EMS reports if transport was involved. That record is then evaluated by independent medical professionals with relevant clinical experience, who assess the care against accepted medical standards.
An Honest Look, Not a Predetermined Conclusion
It’s worth saying plainly: not every difficult outcome is the result of a mistake. Strokes can be devastating even when every step of care was appropriate. Sometimes a medical review confirms that providers acted within the standard of care despite a tragic result, and for many families, that confirmation still matters. Knowing what happened, even when it wasn’t negligence, can bring a measure of peace that uncertainty never will.
Why Medical Providers Fail to Diagnose Strokes
Understanding how a stroke misdiagnosis happens is often the missing piece for families trying to make sense of a sudden, life-altering event. A few patterns show up repeatedly in these cases:
- Symptoms attributed to something else, such as vertigo, confusion, or slurred speech being chalked up to migraine, intoxication, low blood sugar, or anxiety
- Brainstem strokes, which frequently don’t present with the classic one-sided weakness or facial drooping most people associate with stroke, making them especially easy to overlook
- Imaging issues, such as imaging being delayed or skipped entirely, when a CT or MRI could have identified the event early enough to act
- Early discharge from an emergency department before symptoms were fully worked up
- No neurology consult requested, even when red flags were present
The benchmark a medical review measures against is the “standard of care”; essentially, this is what a reasonably careful provider would have done given the same symptoms, history, and information available at the time. When care falls short of that benchmark and a stroke goes unrecognized, the range of consequences can be severe: partial disability, long-term cognitive or physical impairment, catastrophic injury including locked-in syndrome, or death.
A Regional Reality Worth Naming
South Dakota’s geography shapes stroke care in ways that many families don’t think about until they’ve lived through it. There are only two comprehensive stroke centers in the state, and both are located in Sioux Falls. This means patients could be hours away from a hospital equipped to treat stroke at the highest level. It is one big reason why timely transfers are so important. South Dakota’s median transfer times are much higher than the nationwide guideline of less than 120 minutes:
- 146-209 minutes for acute ischemic stroke eligible for endovascular therapy
- 194-215 minutes for other acute ischemic stroke
Source: JAMA
When a review looks at how care unfolded—how long transport took, whether a rural facility escalated care appropriately, whether a transfer to a better-equipped hospital happened fast enough—geography is often part of the story, not separate from it. However, distance from a care center should not affect how quickly a transfer occurs. That is why we consider transfer times in our reviews.
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.
If the Review Points to a Departure From Standard Care
When a medical review identifies a gap between the care received and the care that should have been given, families are in a position to make an informed decision, not a rushed one.
Building the Case
A legal case grows directly out of the medical findings. It requires establishing what the standard of care called for, how the actual care fell short, and how that gap led to the harm your family experienced. Responsibility can rest with an individual physician, a nursing team, an emergency department, a hospital system, or more than one party at once; the review helps identify where accountability actually belongs, rather than guessing.
The goal of any resulting case isn’t punishment. It’s making sure your family has the resources that a serious stroke injury demands: ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, home modifications, lost income, and long-term stability for a loved one whose needs may now look very different from what they did before.
What You Can Preserve Now
Whether or not you decide to move forward, a few things are worth holding onto while they’re still available:
- Complete medical records and imaging discs
- Discharge paperwork and any written instructions given at release
- A written timeline of symptoms and events, while memory is still fresh
- Notes from conversations with treating providers
How Much Families Can Expect to Pay for Care in South Dakota
Families dealing with a severe or permanent stroke outcome are often blindsided by what ongoing care actually costs.
| Type of Care | Estimated Cost in South Dakota |
| Private duty nurse (hourly rate) | $92/hour |
| Private duty nurse (visit rate) | $100/hour |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (semi-private room) | $113,333/year |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (private room) | $122,275/year |
Source: Genworth
These figures are statewide medians and can vary by community. They’re meant to give a general sense of scale, not a precise prediction for any one family’s situation.
Talk To Our Legal Team Today
We’re here to answer your questions and help you understand your options.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Why You Can Trust the Newsome Law Team with Your Loved One’s Future
Every case we take on starts the same way: we listen first, without assumptions. From there, we coordinate the medical review with qualified, independent experts, not in-house reviewers with a predetermined answer to reach.
Throughout the process, you have direct access to your attorney. We intentionally keep our caseload limited so that no family feels like a file number, and you remain in control of every decision about how to proceed. Our team has handled complex stroke and catastrophic injury cases and understands both the medicine and the long-term impact these injuries have on a family.
And you owe nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Start With a Free Conversation
You don’t need to have decided anything yet. A free, confidential consultation with Newsome Law is simply a chance to get answers about what happened to your loved one — with no pressure and no obligation to take the next step. If you’ve been carrying unanswered questions about a stroke that was missed or mistreated, this is where you can start putting them to rest.
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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