We’re not here to tell you what to feel or what to do. We’re here to help you get a clear picture of what happened, medically and legally, so your family can make informed decisions about what comes next. The first step is a free, confidential consultation. There’s no pressure and no obligation to move forward with anything.
Getting Answers Before Anything Else
When you call us, we do what we think is most important: we listen. You’ll tell us what happened:
- When symptoms appeared
- What providers said
- What decisions were made
- How things unfolded
We’re not looking to rush past this part. The details matter, and so does how your family experienced them.
From there, we gather your loved one’s records, such as medical charts, imaging, emergency department notes, and discharge paperwork, and coordinate a review by independent medical experts. These are specialists who examine the care your loved one received and compare it against accepted standards for stroke diagnosis and treatment.
The honest truth is that these reviews don’t always point to error. Sometimes they confirm that providers did everything they should have, even when the outcome was devastating. That clarity has real value. Families deserve to know either way.
If the review does identify a gap between what happened and what should have happened, we’ll explain what that means and what your options are. At every stage, you’re in control of whether and how to proceed.
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 Providers Miss Strokes
Stroke misdiagnosis isn’t rare, and in West Virginia, the conditions that make it more likely are widespread.
A large share of the population lives in rural counties where the nearest comprehensive stroke center may be an hour or more away. Many areas have no neurologist at all. When someone arrives at a rural emergency department with stroke symptoms, the resources available to evaluate and treat them are often limited, and that context shapes the entire clinical encounter.
Strokes are also genuinely difficult to diagnose, particularly in the early hours. Brainstem strokes, for example, often don’t produce the classic signs most people associate with stroke. They may present as dizziness, vomiting, or difficulty walking, which are symptoms that overlap with inner ear conditions, vertigo, or anxiety. Without imaging, a busy or under-resourced emergency team may dismiss them as something far less serious.
The patterns that show up in stroke misdiagnosis cases include:
- Symptoms attributed to vertigo, intoxication, migraine, or panic
- Failure to order CT or MRI imaging, or significant delays before imaging occurs
- Imaging errors
- Early discharge before a definitive diagnosis was established
- No consultation with a neurologist or stroke specialist
- Incomplete neurological examination at triage
- A delayed transfer to a capable facility
The medical review examines whether any of these departures from standard practice occurred, and whether a different course of action could have made a difference in what happened to your family member.
Transfer Times in West Virginia Surpass the National Benchmark
When a hospital lacks the capability to treat a severe stroke, particularly one requiring endovascular intervention, the standard protocol is to stabilize the patient and transfer them to a facility that can. How quickly that transfer is completed matters enormously.
Data from a study published in JAMA measuring median door-in-door-out (DIDO) times (the time from a patient’s arrival at one hospital to departure toward a higher-level facility) showed that West Virginia hospitals had among the longest transfer times in the country for both endovascular-eligible stroke patients and other acute ischemic stroke patients. Every minute of delay in stroke care can mean additional, permanent neurological injury. West Virginia’s times eclipse both the benchmark created by the Joint Commission and the Brain Attack Coalition (less than 120 minutes) and the benchmark created by the American Heart Association (at least 50% of cases in less than 90 minutes).
- 146-209 minutes for acute ischemic stroke eligible for endovascular therapy
- 194-215 minutes for other acute ischemic stroke
Talk To Our Legal Team Today
We’re here to answer your questions and help you understand your options.
Schedule a Free Consultation
What the Review May Show Us
The standard of care is not a perfect outcome. Medicine involves uncertainty, and bad outcomes can occur even with excellent care. The question the review answers is narrower: given what was known at the time, did the providers act the way a reasonably competent provider would have acted under the same circumstances?
When a stroke goes unrecognized or untreated, the consequences fall along a wide range. Some patients recover with partial deficits, such as difficulty speaking, limited mobility on one side, or cognitive changes. Others sustain catastrophic, permanent injury. In the most severe cases, a missed brainstem or large hemispheric stroke can result in locked-in syndrome, a condition in which the person is conscious and aware but unable to move or speak. Death is also possible.
The review tells your family what happened inside that clinical encounter, and whether the care your loved one received measured up to what they deserved.
If the Review Finds a Departure from Expected Care
Understanding what went wrong is one thing. Deciding what to do about it is another, and that decision belongs entirely to your family.
If the review identifies a meaningful departure from the standard of care, we can explain the legal path forward. A stroke misdiagnosis case can involve an individual physician, an emergency department, a hospital system, or more than one responsible party. We investigate all of it.
Families who pursue a case are rarely driven by anger or retribution. Most are trying to secure what their loved one will need going forward: long-term care, rehabilitation, home modifications, lost income, and stability for the people who depend on them. In cases involving death, families may be seeking accountability for a loss they’re still trying to process.
The Real Cost of Long-Term Stroke Care in West Virginia
Severe stroke outcomes can require years, sometimes decades, of ongoing care. That care is costly.
| Type of Care | Estimated Cost in West Virginia |
| Private duty nurse (hourly rate) | $125/hour |
| Private duty nurse (visit rate) | $165/visit |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (semi-private room) | $154,030/year |
| Long-term care facility, e.g., nursing home (private room) | $159,140/year |
Source: CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey
These numbers help explain why the financial stakes in these cases are so high and why getting this right matters so much.
Why You Want to Trust Your Search for Answers to Newsome Law
We take a limited number of cases because the work requires close attention and direct relationships. When you’re our client, you have access to your attorney throughout, not a paralegal or a rotating roster of staff.
We know what rigorous medical review looks like, how to work with qualified independent experts, and what it takes to build a case that holds up under scrutiny.
Our stroke misdiagnosis attorneys also know that the families we work with are often in one of the hardest periods of their lives. We don’t treat that lightly.
Get the Answers You Need
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you call. You don’t need to know whether something went wrong, or what you want to do about it, or whether you’re ready to take any action at all.
The consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. It’s a chance for your family to share what happened and for us to tell you honestly what a review might reveal. Whatever comes next, you’ll be in a better position to decide.
Call Newsome Law when you are ready.
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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