Cerebral Aneurysm Misdiagnosis Lawyers in Philadelphia

About one-fourth of patients with ruptured brain aneurysms are misdiagnosed or experience delayed diagnosis. If you suffered a brain injury after a cerebral aneurysm misdiagnosis, contact the experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig.

Overview of Brain Aneurysms

A cerebral aneurysm, also known as an intracranial aneurysm or brain aneurysm, is an abnormal bulging or ballooning of an artery in the brain that can put pressure on surrounding nerves and brain tissue. Aneurysms form as a result of a weakening or thinning of the wall of a blood vessel, making them prone to rupture, which results in bleeding into or around the brain.

The consequences of an aneurysm rupture are often fatal; unfortunately, many patients do not survive the initial event or the critical period immediately following. For those who do survive, there is a high risk of developing moderate to severe neurological disabilities, profoundly impacting their ability to return to their prior way of life.

Early Diagnosis Is Critical to Preventing Death and Neurological Injury

Diagnosing brain aneurysms early is critical to avoid patient fatalities and devastating neurological outcomes. Yet, up to one-fourth of patients with ruptured brain aneurysms are either misdiagnosed or experience a delay in diagnosis when they initially seek medical attention. In three out of four cases, misdiagnosis results when doctors fail to do brain imaging.

What Are the Symptoms of a Cerebral Aneurysm?

When a cerebral aneurysm is large enough to press on surrounding nerves and brain tissue, the patient will often experience one or more neurological symptoms, including:

Unilateral (one-sided) headache
Blurred or double vision
Ptosis (a drooping eyelid)
Pain above or behind one eye
A dilated pupil
Numbness of one side of the face
Sensitivity to light

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Why Do Doctors Fail to Diagnose Cerebral Aneurysms?

Physicians commonly misdiagnose cerebral aneurysms as a migraine or tension headache, delaying life-saving care. When evaluating a patient with a severe headache, physicians must consider the known aneurysm risk factors that necessitate emergency testing. The most important factors include uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) and smoking. Other factors include heavy alcohol use, a family history of aneurysms, and underlying conditions like certain connective tissue disorders.

Furthermore, women are generally at a higher risk than men, and certain demographic groups, such as African Americans, have a significantly higher incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (ruptured aneurysm). Because doctors are aware of these critical risk factors, the failure to order appropriate emergency imaging is a common form of medical negligence.

What Tests Are Used to Diagnose a Cerebral Aneurysm?

Diagnostic tests used to determine whether a cerebral aneurysm exists and, if so, whether it has already ruptured, are:

Computed Tomography (CT) scans
CT angiography
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
Cerebral Angiography
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis

Most of these diagnostic tests are readily available in major hospitals. Patients with red-flag symptoms must be tested immediately and, if necessary, transferred to a facility with neurosurgical capabilities. Given the high fatality rate, the failure to order necessary testing—or any delay in doing so—constitutes a breach of the standard of care and may support a medical malpractice claim.

How Are Cerebral Aneurysms Treated?

Treatment methods for both ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms include:

Microvascular clipping: This procedure requires open brain surgery. A doctor places a tiny metal clip across the base of the aneurysm to stop its blood supply.
Platinum coil embolization: In this procedure, the aneurysm is filled with tiny coils of platinum wire, which destroy the aneurysm by causing the blood within it to clot.
Flow diversion devices: This option involves placing a small stent in the artery to reduce blood flow into the aneurysm.

Medications and rehabilitative physical, speech, and occupational therapy also may be necessary.

Millions Recovered, Futures Secured

Since our firm’s founding in 1987, the medical malpractice attorneys at Feldman Shepherd have recovered millions of dollars in cases where healthcare providers have missed or delayed diagnosis of cerebral aneurysms.

Attorneys Mark W. Tanner and Peter M. Newman recovered a $12.5 million settlement for a woman who suffered an intracranial hemorrhage when an aneurysm ruptured in her brain a year after she was seen by the defendant doctors with symptoms of an aneurysm. Radiologic studies ordered by the defendants had confirmed the existence of the aneurysm, but the defendants had failed to notify the patient that an aneurysm had been identified and failed to refer her to a neurosurgeon, depriving her of the treatment that would have prevented the subsequent rupture.

The victim, who led an active lifestyle prior to the aneurysm, is now totally dependent on others for all self-care and activities of daily living. The settlement ensures that the victim’s medical and related care needs will be taken care of for the rest of her life.

Other Significant Results by the Feldman Shepherd Team

$30 million confidential recovery in the delay of diagnosis of a stroke case.
Confidential settlement for a stroke patient who was rendered a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic when his stroke diagnosis was missed and delayed for hours at a Primary Stroke Center.
Confidential settlement for a client who was hospitalized for treatment of atrial fibrillation, for which his doctor prescribed Coumadin. The client was discharged without instructions or information about required International Normalized Ratio (INR) blood tests and suffered an intracranial hemorrhage, which his primary care physician failed to diagnose when the client presented with headache, light sensitivity, and nausea.
$8 million verdict in Philadelphia for a 37-year-old woman in a case involving improper management of the anticoagulants Lovenox and Coumadin. The patient developed an epidural bleed that went undiagnosed by her doctors, resulting in permanent loss of use of one hand and arm.
$3.75 million settlement on the fourth day of trial for the family of a 15-year-old boy who died due to the failure of physicians to diagnose a venous sinus thrombosis (a blood clot located in the veins at the rear of the head). The young man repeatedly presented with symptoms, including photophobia (light sensitivity), which should have alerted the defendants to perform an immediate CT scan.
$3.5 million settlement for a client who suffered a stroke due to undiagnosed severe carotid artery stenosis. The client sought care from a physician due to a family history of heart disease, and despite the doctor noting a neck bruit (an abnormal sound) and elevated cholesterol, the physician failed to order a simple, non-invasive duplex ultrasound. Approximately two years later, the partial blockage progressed to a complete blockage, causing the client to suffer a stroke that resulted in permanent brain damage, leaving him unable to work with significant motor and cognitive impairments.
$2.2 million settlement for a stroke victim who had been taking a blood thinner and relied upon a defective home test kit to measure and monitor his anticoagulation status so that he could adjust his medication dosage accordingly. As a result of erroneous readings provided by the kit, the client was unaware that his International Normalized Ratio (INR) score—a measure of how much time it takes for a patient’s blood to clot—was dangerously low, causing him to suffer a cerebrovascular stroke resulting in neurological injuries.

Why Retain the Cerebral Aneurysm Misdiagnosis Team at Feldman Shepherd?

With a team that includes a physician/attorney, two nurses/attorneys, and seasoned trial lawyers with extensive medical and legal knowledge, we are uniquely qualified for the demands of cerebral aneurysm malpractice cases, which often involve multiple parties, intricate medical issues, and significant challenges in proving fault and causation.

Our cerebral aneurysm malpractice attorneys consult with highly regarded and nationally prominent experts in various medical practice areas, including physician specialists, life care planners, and economists, to build the strongest case possible. We use the latest courtroom technologies, including 3D models of injuries, medical animations and illustrations, and artificial intelligence and other software technologies that can highlight key information from medical documents on large screens in the courtroom—to make the complexities of your case understandable for lay jurors.

We often use professionally produced “day in the life” videos to humanize your experience and drive home the impact of your injuries. As part of our trial preparation, we typically work with mock juries to fine-tune our arguments and gain key insights as to what is most likely to resonate in the courtroom.

Let Feldman Shepherd Review Your Cerebral Aneurysm Case

If you believe you or a loved one is a victim of medical malpractice arising from the missed or delayed diagnosis of a cerebral aneurysm, contact our medico-legal team today.

We can help secure all compensation to which you are entitled, including compensation for pain and suffering, financial losses, emotional distress, medical expenses, and around-the-clock care where necessary. We prepare you for what to expect at every step of your malpractice case, and each member of our team will have a detailed and intimate understanding of the issues you face.

Our firm advances all litigation expenses, so you never pay anything out of pocket. And if we are unable to secure compensation for you, you owe us nothing. While every medical malpractice case turns on its own specific facts, our goal is unwavering: to pursue the highest recovery available to you, as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions Brain Aneurysm Legal

How quickly can a cerebral aneurysm progress from a warning sign to a medical emergency?

In some patients, a cerebral aneurysm can remain stable for years; in others, deterioration happens rapidly. What makes misdiagnosis so dangerous is that a “sentinel leak”—a slight, early bleed—can occur days or weeks before a major rupture. These events often create brief but recognizable red-flag symptoms that should prompt immediate imaging.

What types of medical providers can be held responsible for aneurysm misdiagnosis?

Liability is not limited to emergency physicians. Primary care doctors, urgent care clinicians, radiologists, neurosurgeons, and advanced practice providers may be held accountable if they fail to recognize symptoms, order appropriate imaging, correctly interpret studies, or communicate critical results in a timely manner.

Does a delayed diagnosis matter if the aneurysm eventually ruptures during hospitalization?

It may. Even hours of delay can lead to greater bleeding, increased intracranial pressure, reduced oxygen delivery to the brain, and more severe long-term disability. Courts often consider whether an earlier diagnosis would have enabled life-saving intervention such as clipping, coiling, or blood pressure stabilization.

What evidence is helpful when evaluating whether my aneurysm was misdiagnosed?

Medical records from the emergency visit, clinic notes, triage reports, radiology studies, medication lists, hospital timelines, and witness statements often form the foundation of a malpractice case. Documentation showing repeated complaints that were minimized or ignored can also be crucial.

Can families pursue a claim if a loved one passed away from a ruptured aneurysm?

Yes. When misdiagnosis or delayed treatment leads to a fatal outcome, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death and survival action. These claims can include compensation for loss of companionship, lost earnings, funeral expenses, and the suffering the patient endured prior to death.

Is there a time limit to file a cerebral aneurysm malpractice lawsuit?

Medical malpractice cases are governed by strict statutes of limitations that vary by state. Because some aneurysm-related injuries involve extended hospitalization or impaired consciousness, special legal rules may apply. Contacting an attorney quickly is essential to preserving your ability to file.

What if I’m not sure whether my medical team actually made a mistake?

You don’t need certainty to reach out. A qualified malpractice attorney can review your medical records, consult with specialists, and determine whether the standard of care was breached. Many families only learn what went wrong after a detailed legal and medical investigation.