A brain hemorrhage refers to bleeding within or surrounding cerebral tissue that can cause catastrophic, irreversible brain damage or fatal complications within hours if not promptly diagnosed and treated.
There are many types of hemorrhages, including:
- Epidural hematoma refers to bleeding between the skull and the outer brain membrane, usually from trauma.
- Subdural hematoma is bleeding beneath the skull’s inner lining.
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage means bleeding around the brain’s surface, often from a ruptured aneurysm.
- Intracerebral hemorrhage is bleeding directly into brain tissue, often linked to hypertension or blood thinners.
- Intraventricular hemorrhage equals bleeding into the brain’s fluid-filled ventricles.
When a patient arrives at an emergency room with symptoms of brain bleeding, standard medical care requires immediate head imaging, usually a CT scan. Examples include sudden severe headaches, confusion, vomiting, numbness, or loss of consciousness. When doctors fail to diagnose a brain bleed, their negligence can cause severe, lasting harm.
How Brain Hemorrhages Are Missed
Most diagnostic errors trace back to misinterpreting images or failing to order CT scans in a timely manner.
Common causes of delayed diagnosis include:
- Attributing severe headaches to benign migraines or tension headaches without performing diagnostic imaging
- Discharging head trauma patients taking anticoagulant medications without obtaining a baseline CT scan
- Misinterpreting radiologic findings
- Failing to perform repeat imaging on patients exhibiting progressive neurological decline following an initial normal scan
- Discharging high-risk patients without ongoing monitoring
These failures often happen due to time pressure that causes providers to default to the most likely diagnosis rather than ruling out the most dangerous one.
Consequences of a Delayed Diagnosis
Every hour an intracranial bleed remains untreated elevates the risk of permanent tissue damage.
Delays in diagnosis can cause severe complications, including:
- Hematoma expansion causing life-threatening intracranial pressure
- Permanent cognitive deficits, memory loss, and executive dysfunction
- Motor impairments, hemiplegia, or severe loss of coordination
- Aphasia and persistent speech or language disorders
- Post-traumatic seizure disorders
- Persistent vegetative state or coma
- Fatal complications and wrongful death
Prompt surgical intervention can prevent many of these devastating outcomes, which is why diagnostic delays are classic substandard care.
Proving Medical Negligence in a Missed Brain Hemorrhage Case
Establishing a successful malpractice claim requires proving that a treating healthcare provider breached the accepted standard of care and that this deviation directly caused preventable injuries.
In brain hemorrhage lawsuits, this typically involves showing that a competent practitioner facing similar clinical findings would have ordered diagnostic imaging earlier, accurately analyzed imaging, or admitted the patient for neurointensive monitoring.
Securing expert testimony from board-certified neurologists/physicians may be required to show your provider offered substandard care.
If you or a family member suffered serious harm because a doctor missed or delayed diagnosing a brain hemorrhage, you should contact an experienced attorney to determine whether you have a Philadelphia medical malpractice claim. Your lawyer can review your medical evidence and consult with specialists to determine whether you were harmed by medical negligence.
Reach out to Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. to discuss your legal options for holding the responsible medical providers accountable.