In this stroke expert witness case study, we share one of the stories that continues to motivate our team at Homestead Medical Experts. It’s a powerful reminder of why we do what we do and who we do it for. Names have been changed for HIPAA compliance.
A Routine Visit That Changed Everything
Betty was 74 when she began experiencing vision loss and balance issues. Concerned, she and her husband went to their local community hospital in rural Michigan. After several hours in the emergency room, Betty was admitted and placed on a stroke watch.
Her care plan required neurological checks every 30 minutes. Between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., these checks were performed correctly. However, three later checks were missed. Around 11:30 p.m., a medical intern who was not authorized to see patients alone finally examined her. He immediately noticed clear signs of a stroke: slurred speech and confusion.
The intern called a resident physician, who now faced a critical decision whether to administer tPA, a clot-busting drug effective only within 90 minutes of symptom onset. Unfortunately, more than two hours had already passed. Betty’s window for treatment had closed.
A Series of Failures
The resident ordered a CT scan to confirm the stroke, but the hospital’s mobile CT unit wasn’t operational overnight. Staff decided to wait until 7:30 a.m. for imaging. By that time, Betty had suffered a full-blown stroke, and irreversible damage had occurred.
When the CT confirmed the stroke, it was too late for intervention. Betty’s condition deteriorated quickly. She lost her ability to walk, speak, feed herself, and breathe without assistance. Despite her condition, the hospital eventually discharged her, leaving her and her husband to manage on their own.
On top of that, Medicare covered only part of her care. The hospital placed a $78,000 lien on her treatment costs, an impossible sum for a retired couple.
Turning to the Legal System for Help
Betty’s husband left his job to become her full-time caregiver. As bills piled up, they feared losing their home. Desperate, they contacted an attorney for help. After reviewing the facts, the attorney realized the severity of the hospital’s negligence and decided to take the case pro bono.
He needed a neurology expert witness to explain the failures that led to Betty’s outcome. During his search, he found Homestead Medical Experts and connected with Dr. Roger Behar, Director of Stroke at St. Peter’s University Hospital.
Finding the Right Expert Witness
Dr. Behar’s testimony became central to the case. He explained to the court how missed evaluations, improper supervision, and a lack of readiness caused catastrophic harm. His expert opinion clearly demonstrated the hospital’s failure to follow standard stroke protocols.
Because of this, the attorney secured the maximum settlement allowed in Michigan of $700,000. After legal fees and repayment of the Medicare lien, Betty and her husband were able to pay their mortgage and set aside money for her care.
Why We Do This Work
At Homestead Medical Experts, we don’t do what we do solely for our attorney clients, we do it for families like Betty’s. Every case reminds us that behind each medical file is a human life profoundly affected by the system’s failures.
Stories like Betty’s drive us to keep building better connections between attorneys and medical experts. We’re here to correct mistakes, defend wrongly accused providers, and bring clarity to complex medical cases.
Most of all, we do this so that families like Betty’s can find peace and so their stories have the endings they deserve.
A Continuing Mission
We’ll continue sharing stories like this stroke misdiagnosis expert witness case study because they show the heart behind our work. At Homestead, we’re not just facilitating expert connections. We’re helping families, restoring trust, and giving attorneys the tools to deliver justice.
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Recommended Reading:
Learn more about stroke types and treatment from the American Stroke Association, and see NIH guidance on stroke assessment and tPA for clinical context.
