When a brain aneurysm ruptures, every minute counts. This medical emergency demands immediate recognition and treatment to prevent devastating consequences including permanent brain damage or death. Yet research shows that up to 25% of patients with ruptured brain aneurysms are initially misdiagnosed or experience dangerous delays in diagnosis. When emergency physicians, radiologists, or other medical providers fail to recognize the warning signs of a ruptured aneurysm, patients face catastrophic outcomes that could have been prevented with proper care.
Key Takeaways: Ruptured Aneurysm Misdiagnosis
- Misdiagnosis is alarmingly common: According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, up to 25% of ruptured aneurysm patients are misdiagnosed, with 75% of these errors resulting from failure to perform imaging scans.
- Fatal consequences: Approximately 50% of ruptured aneurysms are fatal, with 40% causing death within 24 hours of rupture.
- Misdiagnosis worsens outcomes: A study of 482 subarachnoid hemorrhage patients found that 12% were initially misdiagnosed, leading to worse quality of life and increased mortality.
- Legal recourse exists: When medical providers fail to diagnose a ruptured aneurysm, resulting in injury or death, families may pursue medical malpractice and wrongful death claims in New York.
What Is a Ruptured Brain Aneurysm?
A brain aneurysm occurs when a weakened area in a blood vessel wall in the brain balloons outward, creating a bulge that fills with blood. According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, approximately 6.8 million Americans—roughly 1 in 50 people—have an unruptured brain aneurysm. Most develop after age 40, with the highest prevalence between ages 35 and 60.
When an aneurysm ruptures, it causes bleeding into the space surrounding the brain, a condition known as subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This bleeding creates a medical crisis. The escaping blood increases intracranial pressure, reduces oxygen flow to brain tissue, and can trigger a cascade of life-threatening complications including rebleeding, stroke, seizures, and permanent neurological damage.
Approximately 30,000 brain aneurysms rupture each year in the United States. A brain aneurysm ruptures every 18 minutes. The mortality rate is staggering: about 50% of rupture victims die, with 15% not surviving long enough to reach a hospital. Among survivors, approximately 66% suffer permanent neurological deficits that affect their quality of life.
How Common Is Ruptured Aneurysm Misdiagnosis?
The misdiagnosis of ruptured brain aneurysms represents a persistent and deadly problem in emergency medicine. Multiple research studies have documented disturbing rates of diagnostic failure.
Overall Misdiagnosis Rates
The Brain Aneurysm Foundation reports that up to 25% of patients with ruptured brain aneurysms are initially misdiagnosed or experience delays in diagnosis.
Perhaps most troubling: 75% of these misdiagnoses result from failure to perform CT imaging—not from misinterpreting scans, but from never ordering them in the first place.
Research-Documented Rates
A landmark study published in JAMA examined 482 patients admitted to a New York tertiary care hospital between 1996 and 2001. The findings were sobering:
- 56 patients (12%) were initially misdiagnosed
- Among patients with normal mental status at presentation, the misdiagnosis rate jumped to 19%
- 73% of diagnostic errors stemmed from failure to obtain CT imaging
The statistics become even more concerning when examining “good grade” patients—those who initially appear relatively stable. These patients are at the highest risk of misdiagnosis because their symptoms may seem less severe, leading physicians to attribute their complaints to benign conditions like migraines or tension headaches.
Critical Finding: Among emergency department patients presenting with headaches, between 1% and 4% actually have a ruptured aneurysm. Yet many of these cases go undetected during the initial evaluation, with catastrophic consequences.
Why Are Ruptured Aneurysms Misdiagnosed?
Understanding why these diagnostic failures occur is essential to establishing medical malpractice liability. Ruptured aneurysms are misdiagnosed through multiple failure points in the diagnostic process.
Failure to Order Necessary Imaging
The most common cause of missed diagnosis is the failure to perform CT scanning. When a patient presents with sudden, severe headache—the hallmark symptom of subarachnoid hemorrhage—the standard of care requires obtaining a non-contrast CT scan of the head. This imaging can detect bleeding in the vast majority of recent ruptures.
Yet physicians sometimes dismiss patient complaints as less serious conditions without obtaining this critical diagnostic test. They may attribute symptoms to migraines, tension headaches, or stress without ruling out life-threatening causes.
Misinterpretation of Imaging Results
Even when CT scans are performed, radiologists or emergency physicians may misinterpret the results. Small hemorrhages can be subtle, particularly in the early hours after rupture. Radiologists who fail to carefully examine the subarachnoid spaces or who lack sufficient training in detecting SAH may issue false-negative reports.
When CT scanning is negative but clinical suspicion remains high, the standard of care typically requires lumbar puncture to examine cerebrospinal fluid for blood products. Failure to perform this follow-up test can allow cases to slip through undetected.
Dismissal of Patient-Reported Symptoms
Many misdiagnosis cases involve physicians who minimize or discount the patient’s description of their symptoms. Patients with ruptured aneurysms often describe their headache as “the worst headache of my life” or use terms like “thunderclap headache” to convey the sudden, severe nature of the pain.
When medical providers fail to take these descriptions seriously, fail to obtain a detailed history, or rush through the evaluation, they miss critical diagnostic clues.
Mistaking Symptoms for Other Conditions
Subarachnoid hemorrhage can present with symptoms that overlap with more common, benign conditions. Misdiagnoses frequently include:
| Common Misdiagnoses | Why the Confusion Occurs |
|---|---|
| Migraine headache | Both conditions involve severe head pain, nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity |
| Tension headache | Patients may describe pressure-like symptoms, leading to premature closure of the diagnosis |
| Cervical strain or neck injury | SAH often causes neck stiffness and pain that can be mistaken for musculoskeletal problems |
| Viral syndrome or flu | Nausea, vomiting, and general malaise can suggest infection rather than hemorrhage |
| Hypertensive emergency | Both conditions can present with elevated blood pressure and severe headache |
A research study found that migraine or tension headache accounted for 36% of incorrect diagnoses in subarachnoid hemorrhage cases—the single most common misdiagnosis category.
Cognitive Biases and Premature Diagnostic Closure
Emergency physicians work in high-pressure environments where they must make rapid decisions with incomplete information. However, cognitive biases can lead to diagnostic errors. Premature closure—settling on a diagnosis without adequately considering alternatives—is particularly dangerous when evaluating severe headaches.
Physicians may anchor on common conditions like migraines, failing to maintain adequate suspicion for rare but catastrophic causes. Younger patients or those without traditional risk factors may be particularly vulnerable to these biases.
What Are the Warning Signs and Symptoms of a Ruptured Aneurysm?
Recognizing the warning signs of a ruptured aneurysm is critical for both patients and medical providers. Prompt identification enables life-saving treatment, while missed or delayed diagnosis can prove fatal.
Thunderclap Headache: The Hallmark Symptom
The classic presentation of a ruptured brain aneurysm is a thunderclap headache—a sudden, severe headache that reaches maximum intensity within seconds to minutes. According to Cleveland Clinic, patients often describe this as “the worst headache of my life.”
Thunderclap headaches always reach peak intensity within 1 minute, typically within 30 seconds, and last for a minimum of 5 minutes. This distinctive pattern should immediately raise suspicion for subarachnoid hemorrhage and trigger urgent diagnostic evaluation.
Sentinel Headaches: Warning Signs Before Rupture
Between 30% and 50% of patients experience a “sentinel headache” in the 6 to 20 days before a full rupture occurs. These sentinel bleeds represent small leaks from the aneurysm—warning events that provide a critical window for intervention. Sentinel headaches are typically worse than common headaches but not as severe as thunderclap headaches. Medical providers who recognize and properly investigate these warning signs can prevent catastrophic full ruptures.
Additional Symptoms of Ruptured Aneurysm
Beyond the characteristic headache, ruptured brain aneurysms produce a constellation of symptoms that should alert medical providers to the diagnosis:
Neurological Symptoms
- Sudden loss of consciousness or altered mental status
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Seizures
- Vision problems, including blurred or double vision
- Speech difficulties
- Weakness or numbness, particularly on one side of the body
- Difficulty with balance and coordination
Physical Symptoms
- Stiff neck or neck pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- Drooping eyelid or dilated pupil
- Sudden severe pain behind or above the eye
- Loss of consciousness
- Cardiac arrest in severe cases
The presence of multiple symptoms from this list, particularly when combined with sudden severe headache, should prompt immediate neuroimaging and specialist consultation. Delay in recognizing this symptom pattern may constitute a breach of the standard of care.
What Diagnostic Tests Should Be Performed?
The standard of care for evaluating suspected subarachnoid hemorrhage involves a systematic diagnostic approach. When medical providers deviate from these established protocols without justification, they may be liable for resulting injuries.
Non-Contrast Head CT Scan
The first-line diagnostic test for suspected ruptured aneurysm is a non-contrast CT scan of the head. This imaging is highly sensitive for detecting acute blood in the subarachnoid space, particularly within the first 6 to 12 hours after rupture. Sensitivity approaches 95% to 100% when performed within the first several hours and interpreted by experienced radiologists.
Emergency physicians should have a low threshold for ordering CT scans in patients presenting with sudden severe headache, particularly when described as “the worst headache of my life” or when accompanied by other neurological symptoms.
Lumbar Puncture
When clinical suspicion for SAH remains high despite a negative CT scan, lumbar puncture is indicated to examine cerebrospinal fluid. This procedure can detect blood products that may not be visible on imaging, particularly in cases of small hemorrhages or when imaging is delayed.
Cerebrospinal fluid analysis looks for red blood cells and xanthochromia (yellow discoloration from blood breakdown products). The presence of these findings confirms subarachnoid hemorrhage even when CT scanning is negative.
CT Angiography or Cerebral Angiography
Once subarachnoid hemorrhage is confirmed, additional imaging is necessary to identify the source of bleeding. CT angiography (CTA) or traditional cerebral angiography can visualize aneurysms and determine their size, location, and morphology. This information is critical for neurosurgeons planning definitive treatment.
Delays in performing these advanced imaging studies, or failure to consult neurosurgery once SAH is diagnosed, may also constitute deviations from the standard of care.
What Happens When a Ruptured Aneurysm Is Misdiagnosed?
The consequences of misdiagnosing a ruptured brain aneurysm are catastrophic. Even brief delays in treatment can result in severe, irreversible harm or death.
Rebleeding: The Most Dangerous Complication
Patients with misdiagnosed or untreated ruptured aneurysms face a high risk of rebleeding. The JAMA study found that among misdiagnosed patients, 21% experienced rebleeding before the correct diagnosis was made. Rebleeding episodes are often fatal or result in devastating neurological damage far worse than the initial rupture.
The risk of rebleeding is highest in the first 24 hours after initial rupture, with approximately 4% of patients experiencing early rebleeding. This risk underscores the critical importance of rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Increased Mortality and Disability
Misdiagnosis directly worsens patient outcomes. The New York study revealed that among patients who initially presented in good neurological condition, misdiagnosis was associated with worse quality of life at 3 months and increased risk of death or severe disability by 12 months. Neurological complications occurred in 39% of misdiagnosed patients compared to significantly lower rates among those correctly diagnosed at first contact.
Progression of Brain Injury
When ruptured aneurysms go unrecognized, the bleeding continues to damage brain tissue. Increased intracranial pressure reduces blood flow to critical brain regions, causing ischemic injury. Patients may develop hydrocephalus (fluid accumulation in the brain), vasospasm (narrowing of blood vessels that reduces blood flow), seizures, or stroke.
Each hour of delay allows these complications to progress, reducing the likelihood of meaningful recovery even if the patient survives.
Time Is Brain: Research demonstrates that even a few hours of diagnostic delay can result in significantly worse outcomes. Medical providers who fail to act urgently when presented with warning signs may be held liable for the incremental harm caused by their delay.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Ruptured Aneurysm Misdiagnosis?
Medical malpractice liability for misdiagnosed ruptured aneurysms can extend to multiple healthcare providers and institutions. Determining who breached the standard of care requires careful analysis of each provider’s role in the diagnostic failure.
| Healthcare Provider | Potential Liability Issues |
|---|---|
| Emergency Physicians | Failure to order appropriate imaging, premature discharge, inadequate history-taking, misinterpretation of symptoms |
| Radiologists | Misreading CT scans, failing to identify subtle hemorrhage, delayed reporting of critical findings, failure to recommend further testing |
| Primary Care Physicians | Failure to recognize sentinel headache warning signs, inadequate evaluation of severe headache complaints, failure to refer for emergency evaluation |
| Urgent Care Providers | Dismissing symptoms as benign conditions, failure to transfer to emergency department for advanced imaging |
| Neurosurgeons | Delayed consultation response, failure to expedite definitive treatment once diagnosis is made |
| Hospitals and Healthcare Systems | Inadequate protocols, staffing shortages, failure to ensure timely imaging availability, lack of specialist coverage |
Under New York law, multiple parties may share liability when systemic failures and individual negligence both contribute to patient harm. Comprehensive investigation often reveals breakdowns at multiple points in the chain of care.
What Must Be Proven in a Ruptured Aneurysm Misdiagnosis Case?
To successfully pursue a medical malpractice claim for ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis in New York, the injured patient or their family must establish four essential elements.
1. Doctor-Patient Relationship and Duty of Care
The plaintiff must show that a doctor-patient relationship existed, creating a legal duty for the medical provider to exercise reasonable care. This is typically straightforward in emergency department or clinic visits where the provider evaluated and treated the patient.
2. Breach of the Standard of Care
This is often the most complex element to prove. The plaintiff must demonstrate that the medical provider’s conduct fell below the accepted standard of care for physicians in the same specialty under similar circumstances.
Expert testimony from qualified physicians is essential. Medical experts review the records and explain how a reasonably competent emergency physician, radiologist, or other provider should have acted. They identify specific deviations, such as:
- Failing to obtain CT imaging when a patient reports thunderclap headache
- Discharging a patient with warning symptoms without ruling out SAH
- Misreading a CT scan that shows subtle signs of hemorrhage
- Failing to perform lumbar puncture when CT is negative but suspicion remains high
- Attributing symptoms to benign conditions without adequate differential diagnosis
3. Causation: The Breach Caused Injury
The plaintiff must prove that the provider’s negligence directly caused harm. This requires showing that prompt, proper diagnosis and treatment would have prevented or reduced the injury.
In ruptured aneurysm cases, causation analysis often focuses on:
- Whether rebleeding occurred during the delay period that would have been prevented by timely treatment
- Whether complications like vasospasm, hydrocephalus, or ischemic injury progressed during the diagnostic delay
- Whether the patient’s neurological condition deteriorated between the missed diagnosis and eventual treatment
- Whether earlier treatment would have allowed for better surgical outcomes
4. Damages: Actual Harm Occurred
Finally, the plaintiff must document the injuries and losses resulting from the negligence. In ruptured aneurysm cases, damages can be extensive and may include:
Economic Damages
- Past and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Home modifications and assistive devices
- Long-term care expenses
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium (impact on family relationships)
- Disfigurement or permanent disability
Wrongful Death Damages
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of companionship and guidance
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Estate losses
- Pre-death pain and suffering
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Ruptured Aneurysm Malpractice Cases in New York?
Time limits for filing medical malpractice lawsuits are strict and unforgiving in New York. Missing these deadlines typically results in permanent loss of the right to pursue compensation, regardless of the severity of the negligence or injury.
Standard Time Limits
Under New York Civil Practice Law and Rules Section 214-a, medical malpractice actions must generally be commenced within 2.5 years from the date of the alleged malpractice, or from the end of continuous treatment by the defendant for the same condition, whichever is later.
For ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis cases, this typically means 2.5 years from the date of the emergency department visit or medical encounter where the diagnosis was missed.
Wrongful Death Time Limits
When misdiagnosis leads to death, the personal representative of the estate must file a wrongful death action within 2 years from the date of death under New York Estates, Powers and Trusts Law Section 5-4.1.
This creates urgency for families grieving a lost loved one. Early consultation with experienced medical malpractice attorneys ensures critical deadlines are not missed while evidence is preserved and expert witnesses are retained.
Special Circumstances and Exceptions
Certain situations may extend or modify these time limits, including cases involving foreign objects left in the body, fraudulent concealment of malpractice, or patients with disabilities. However, these exceptions are narrow and fact-specific.
Act Quickly: Ruptured aneurysm cases often involve patients who spend extended periods hospitalized and in rehabilitation. The statute of limitations continues to run during this time. Families should consult attorneys as soon as malpractice is suspected, not after recovery is complete.
What Compensation Can Families Recover?
Compensation in ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis cases addresses both the economic impact of the injury and the profound human losses suffered by victims and their families. New York law allows recovery of various categories of damages.
Medical Expenses
Given the severity of brain injuries from untreated ruptured aneurysms, medical costs are often catastrophic. Recoverable expenses include emergency treatment, neurosurgery, intensive care hospitalization, rehabilitation, ongoing therapy, medications, and all future medical care required for the duration of the patient’s life.
Medical experts and life care planners create detailed projections of lifetime medical needs, often totaling millions of dollars for patients with permanent neurological deficits.
Lost Income and Earning Capacity
Survivors of ruptured aneurysms frequently suffer cognitive impairments, motor deficits, seizure disorders, or other disabilities that prevent them from returning to their previous employment. Economic experts calculate both past lost wages and future diminished earning capacity based on the patient’s age, occupation, education, and career trajectory.
Pain and Suffering
The physical pain, emotional trauma, and diminished quality of life resulting from preventable brain injury warrant substantial compensation. New York courts recognize the profound impact of permanent disabilities, cognitive impairments, and the loss of independence and life enjoyment.
Wrongful Death Damages
When ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis proves fatal, surviving family members may recover compensation for their losses. New York’s wrongful death statute allows recovery for the fair and just compensation for the pecuniary injuries suffered by distributees, including loss of financial support, loss of services, loss of nurture and guidance for children, and funeral expenses.
Additionally, the estate may pursue damages for the decedent’s pre-death pain and suffering during the period between the negligent misdiagnosis and death.
How Can You Protect Your Legal Rights?
If you or a loved one suffered harm from a misdiagnosed ruptured brain aneurysm, taking prompt action protects your legal rights and preserves critical evidence.
Obtain and Preserve Medical Records
Request complete copies of all medical records from every provider and facility involved in care. This includes emergency department records, imaging studies and radiology reports, laboratory results, admission and discharge summaries, physician notes, and nursing documentation. These records form the foundation of any malpractice investigation.
Document the Impact
Maintain detailed records of the injury’s impact on daily life, including medical expenses and bills, work absences and lost income, therapy and rehabilitation sessions, medications and medical equipment, and how limitations affect daily activities and quality of life. Photographs and journals can provide powerful evidence of ongoing struggles.
Consult Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis cases require attorneys with specific experience in medical malpractice and neurological injuries. These cases demand substantial resources to retain qualified medical experts, reconstruct the timeline of care, and demonstrate how proper diagnosis would have changed outcomes.
Early consultation allows attorneys to investigate while evidence is fresh and witnesses’ memories are clear. Attorneys can ensure the statute of limitations is met and begin building the strongest possible case.
Avoid Giving Recorded Statements
Insurance companies for hospitals and physicians may contact you seeking recorded statements or settlement discussions. Consult with an attorney before providing any statements or signing any documents. Insurance adjusters seek to minimize payouts, and premature statements can harm your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ruptured Aneurysm Misdiagnosis
How common is it for emergency room doctors to miss a ruptured brain aneurysm?
Research indicates that 12% to 25% of ruptured brain aneurysms are initially misdiagnosed in emergency settings. A landmark study published in JAMA found that 12% of subarachnoid hemorrhage patients were misdiagnosed at a major New York hospital, with the rate rising to 19% among patients who appeared neurologically stable at presentation. The primary cause in 73% of cases was failure to obtain CT imaging. Among all patients presenting to emergency departments with headaches, between 1% and 4% actually have ruptured aneurysms, yet many of these cases go undetected during initial evaluation.
What conditions are ruptured aneurysms most commonly mistaken for?
Ruptured brain aneurysms are most frequently misdiagnosed as migraine headaches or tension headaches, accounting for 36% of misdiagnoses according to research. Other common incorrect diagnoses include viral syndromes or flu, cervical strain or neck injury, hypertensive emergencies, and sinus infections. These conditions share overlapping symptoms with subarachnoid hemorrhage—such as severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and neck stiffness—which can lead physicians to prematurely settle on a benign diagnosis without ruling out life-threatening causes through appropriate imaging.
What is a sentinel headache and why is it important?
A sentinel headache is a warning headache that occurs when a brain aneurysm experiences a small leak before a major rupture. Research shows that 30% to 50% of patients who suffer full aneurysm ruptures experience sentinel headaches in the 6 to 20 days prior. These headaches are typically worse than ordinary headaches but less severe than the thunderclap headache that accompanies full rupture. Sentinel headaches represent a critical opportunity for medical intervention. When physicians properly recognize and investigate sentinel headaches, they can diagnose unruptured or minimally ruptured aneurysms and perform definitive treatment before catastrophic bleeding occurs. Dismissing or misdiagnosing sentinel headaches can constitute medical negligence when full rupture subsequently causes death or severe injury.
Can you sue if a doctor missed a brain aneurysm on a CT scan?
Yes, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit if a radiologist or emergency physician misread a CT scan and failed to identify a brain aneurysm or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Radiologists have a duty to carefully review imaging studies and identify abnormalities that would be apparent to a reasonably competent radiologist under similar circumstances. If expert review of the CT scan reveals that hemorrhage was visible but was not identified in the radiology report, this may constitute a breach of the standard of care. Similarly, if the emergency physician reviewed the images and failed to recognize obvious signs of bleeding, they may be liable. You must prove that the misread scan caused harm—typically by showing that proper identification would have led to treatment that prevented rebleeding, complications, or death.
What happens if a ruptured aneurysm is not treated immediately?
Untreated ruptured brain aneurysms lead to catastrophic outcomes. Approximately 40% of ruptured aneurysms cause death within 24 hours, and overall mortality approaches 50%. The most dangerous complication is rebleeding, which occurs in approximately 21% of misdiagnosed patients before the correct diagnosis is made. Rebleeding episodes are often fatal or cause devastating neurological damage worse than the initial rupture. Other complications of delayed treatment include increased intracranial pressure that damages brain tissue, vasospasm that reduces blood flow to critical brain regions, hydrocephalus from blocked cerebrospinal fluid flow, seizures, stroke, and progressive neurological deterioration. Research demonstrates that even hours of diagnostic delay worsen patient outcomes, reducing the likelihood of meaningful recovery and increasing mortality and disability rates.
How long do you have to file a lawsuit for aneurysm misdiagnosis in New York?
In New York, you generally have 2.5 years from the date of the medical malpractice to file a lawsuit under CPLR Section 214-a. For ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis cases, this typically means 2.5 years from the emergency department visit or medical encounter where the diagnosis was missed. If the misdiagnosis resulted in death, the personal representative must file a wrongful death action within 2 years from the date of death under EPTL Section 5-4.1. These deadlines are strictly enforced, and missing them typically results in permanent loss of your right to compensation. Because ruptured aneurysm cases often involve patients who spend extended periods in hospitals and rehabilitation, the statute of limitations continues running during recovery. It is critical to consult with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as you suspect negligence, not after medical treatment is complete.
What kind of compensation can families receive for wrongful death from aneurysm misdiagnosis?
When ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis leads to death, New York law allows surviving family members to recover several categories of damages. Through a wrongful death claim, distributees can receive fair and just compensation for pecuniary injuries including loss of financial support the deceased would have provided, loss of services and assistance, loss of nurture, guidance, and companionship, and funeral and burial expenses. The estate can also pursue a survival action for damages the deceased suffered before death, including pre-death pain and suffering from the time of misdiagnosis until death, and medical expenses incurred. The total value of these claims depends on many factors including the deceased’s age, earning capacity, life expectancy, the closeness of family relationships, and the severity of suffering before death. Cases involving younger victims with decades of earning potential or those who suffered extended periods before death often result in substantial recoveries.
Do I need a lawyer with specific experience in brain aneurysm cases?
Yes, ruptured aneurysm misdiagnosis cases require attorneys with demonstrated experience in complex medical malpractice litigation involving neurological injuries. These cases demand substantial resources and specialized knowledge. Your attorney must retain qualified medical experts including neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and emergency medicine specialists who can credibly explain how the standard of care was violated. The attorney must understand the medical literature on subarachnoid hemorrhage diagnosis and be able to reconstruct the timeline of care to demonstrate how earlier diagnosis would have changed outcomes. Economic experts and life care planners are necessary to project lifetime medical needs and lost earning capacity. Successful prosecution requires attorneys familiar with courtroom presentation of complex medical evidence and comfortable cross-examining defense medical experts. General personal injury attorneys without specific medical malpractice experience often lack the resources, knowledge, and expert relationships necessary to maximize recovery in these sophisticated cases.
Get Help with Your Ruptured Aneurysm Misdiagnosis Case
If you or a loved one suffered catastrophic injury or death due to a misdiagnosed ruptured brain aneurysm, our experienced New York medical malpractice attorneys can help. We understand the devastating impact of these preventable tragedies and fight to hold negligent providers accountable. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your case and protect your legal rights.
