Subtle Signs of a Stroke Often Missed in Colorado Emergency Rooms
When it comes to treating a stroke, every second counts. Yet, across Colorado emergency rooms, patients exhibiting subtle stroke signs are too often misdiagnosed, sent home, or left waiting as their symptoms worsen. These missed opportunities can lead to permanent disability or death and, in some cases, legal action.
The legal team at Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. has seen firsthand the devastating effects of emergency room negligence when physicians overlook early indicators of a stroke. If you or a loved one suffered harm due to a delayed stroke diagnosis in Colorado, you may have grounds for a stroke malpractice lawsuit.
Strokes Are a Leading Cause of Preventable Disability
Stroke is one of the top causes of long-term disability and death in the United States. In Colorado, thousands of residents are hospitalized for stroke each year. Quick diagnosis and treatment, especially within the first 3 to 4.5 hours, can prevent severe damage or even reverse the effects.
Tragically, missed stroke symptoms in Colorado hospitals and urgent care settings are not uncommon. The problem often stems from failure to recognize or act upon the less obvious stroke signs, especially in younger patients, women, or those with atypical presentations.
Subtle Signs of a Stroke
Most people recognize the classic signs of a stroke: sudden numbness on one side of the body, slurred speech, confusion, and loss of coordination. But not all strokes present this way.
Some patients experience transient ischemic attack symptoms (also called warning strokes) or subtle neurological changes that can be mistaken for less serious conditions. There are less obvious stroke signs that are frequently missed in emergency rooms:
- Sudden trouble understanding language or following a conversation
- Mild facial droop that comes and goes
- Changes in vision, such as blurry or double vision
- Vertigo or a spinning sensation, particularly when lying down
- Sudden fatigue or weakness without loss of consciousness
- Confusion or behavioral changes mistaken for intoxication or anxiety
- Loss of coordination on one side without complete paralysis
- Temporary loss of sensation or tingling in the limbs
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Memory loss or spatial disorientation
These symptoms may only last a few minutes or could seem too minor to cause alarm. But any one of them, particularly in combination, can be a red flag that a stroke is either in progress or imminent.
How Emergency Rooms Misdiagnose Strokes
ER stroke misdiagnosis happens for several reasons. The most common include:
- Failure to take a full patient history: This is especially true when symptoms are subtle or fluctuate.
- Biases: Assuming younger patients or those without obvious risk factors do not have a stroke.
- Overreliance on imaging: Early CT scans may not show a stroke in progress, especially ischemic strokes.
- Misclassification of symptoms: This can include migraines, intoxication, vertigo, anxiety, or seizures.
- Time pressure and understaffing: This is particularly true in rural or overcrowded emergency rooms.
The Danger of Delayed Stroke Diagnosis in Colorado
The consequences of a delayed stroke diagnosis in Colorado can be catastrophic. The brain can suffer irreversible damage without prompt treatment, such as tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) or mechanical thrombectomy. Patients may lose their ability to speak, walk, or care for themselves. In some cases, they may not survive.
Every minute of delay can result in the loss of 1.9 million neurons. That’s why even a few hours of misdiagnosis in an ER setting can become the central issue in a stroke malpractice lawsuit.
What Is a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a warning stroke, involves a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. Symptoms may resolve within minutes or hours, but a TIA is a medical emergency, and it often serves as a warning that a full stroke is imminent.
Because TIA symptoms vanish quickly, patients are often discharged without further workup. This failure to act on a TIA can be grounds for a medical malpractice claim if it leads to a more serious stroke that could have been prevented.
Emergency Room Negligence and Liability
Under Colorado law, patients are entitled to expect a certain standard of care from medical providers. When an emergency physician fails to meet that standard by ignoring symptoms, misreading tests, or not ordering necessary imaging, they may be liable for misdiagnosis-related harm.
Common elements in a stroke malpractice lawsuit include:
- Failure to diagnose. The ER failed to recognize or consider a stroke as part of the differential diagnosis.
- Failure to treat. The patient was not given tPA or referred for clot removal within the critical window.
- Failure to refer. The ER did not escalate care or consult with a neurologist or stroke team.
- Failure to admit or observe. The patient was discharged despite symptoms requiring monitoring.
If you or your family has suffered due to ER stroke misdiagnosis, you may be able to hold the providers accountable through a medical malpractice lawsuit in Denver or another Colorado jurisdiction.
Proving Misdiagnosis Liability
Your legal team must show the following to succeed in a malpractice claim:
- A breach of the standard of care occurred (e.g., a reasonable ER doctor would have suspected a stroke).
- That breach is a cause of the injury.
- Those injuries led to measurable damages, whether physical, financial, emotional, or a combination.
At Leventhal Puga Braley P.C., we meticulously gather medical records, consult neurologists and emergency care experts, and reconstruct timelines to prove negligence. Our lawyers have secured record-breaking verdicts in stroke and other catastrophic injury cases and prepare every case with the expectation of going to trial.
What to Do If You Suspect ER Negligence in a Stroke Case
If you or a loved one suffered a stroke that was not diagnosed or treated promptly, take the following steps:
- Request full medical records immediately from the hospital.
- Note the timeline of symptoms, visits, and communication with providers.
- Avoid signing waivers or settling with the hospital or insurance company before consulting legal counsel.
- Contact a medical malpractice attorney with specific experience in stroke cases.
Do not delay. Colorado’s statute of limitations for medical malpractice is generally two years from the date of the injury or discovery of the negligence. Some exceptions apply, but acting quickly helps your legal team preserve critical evidence.
Talk to a Colorado Stroke Misdiagnosis Malpractice Attorney Today
At Leventhal Puga Braley P.C., we are among the most respected medical malpractice firms in the nation, and we have secured some of the largest jury verdicts in Colorado history. Our Denver emergency room error attorneys understand the complex medical and legal landscape surrounding missed stroke symptoms in Colorado and are prepared to fight for justice on your behalf.
If you suspect emergency room negligence or delayed stroke diagnosis played a role in your injury or loss, reach out at (303) 759-9945 for a no-charge initial consultation. Our Denver stroke misdiagnosis lawyers can evaluate your case with compassion and the full weight of our legal and medical experience.