When a hospital failed to timely diagnose a clot in a 41-year-old man’s vertebral artery, he developed locked-in syndrome. Attorney Jason Matzus settled the case on his behalf. The vertebral arteries travel through the neck and supply blood to the brainstem, the part of the brain that controls movement, breathing, and other vital functions. A clot in this artery can cut off that blood supply and cause a severe stroke. Locked-in syndrome is a devastating neurological injury in which a person remains conscious and aware but loses the ability to speak and move nearly all voluntary muscles. Many patients can communicate only through eye movements. Timely diagnosis and treatment of a vertebral artery clot can help prevent this type of catastrophic brain injury.
Delayed Diagnosis: Vertebral Artery Clot Resulting in Locked-In Syndrome
