Vertebral Artery Dissections Lawyer in Kirkland
Our Attorney at Lindquist & Kornfeld Understands Injuries in a Personal Way
A vertebral artery dissection is one of the most difficult injuries to diagnose and treat. It often poses a serious risk to a person’s health and, at times, may even be life-threatening—but many medical practitioners disagree on the most appropriate method of treatment.
If you have a vertebral artery dissection, you deserve the highest possible quality of care from your doctor. You also deserve to hold negligent parties accountable if they caused your injury, failed to diagnose it, or provided improper medical treatment. At Lindquist & Kornfeld, our lead attorney has nearly four decades of legal experience and a steadfast commitment to protecting the rights of the wrongfully injured.
The sooner we take on your case, the closer you are to justice.
Call (425) 657-5255 today.
What Are Vertebral Artery Dissections—and What Causes Them?
On the back of the neck near the spine are two vertebral arteries that, along with two carotid arteries below the jaw, send blood to the brain. A vertebral artery dissection is when the artery wall tears, and, as a result, blood begins to flow between the layers. The pooling of blood is referred to as a pseudoaneurysm.
Many cases are triggered by incidental minor trauma, but some appear to have no direct cause (i.e. spontaneous vertebral artery dissections).
Experts believe people may have a higher risk of developing this injury if they:
- Smoke regularly
- Experience one or more incidents of neck distortion (e.g. chiropractic treatment, blunt trauma, severe coughing/vomiting, invasive diagnostic procedures, hyperextension after lifting weights or playing sports, etc.)
- Have certain preexisting conditions (e.g. high blood pressure, fibromuscular dysplasia, connective tissue diseases such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, etc.)
Our Proven Results
Our top priority is to devise customized legal strategies that are tailored to the unique legal needs of our clients, no matter how simple or complicated their situations, might be.
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$750,000 Medical Malpractice
The Estate of Jane Doe v. Dr . Anesthesiologist: A patient with obvious facial and neck deformities went in for a routine D & C. Because the patient was overly sedated, the doctor was unable to timely awaken the patient from the paralytic drugs after she was unable to intubate and establish an airway in a timely fashion. As a result, the patient suffered severe hypoxia and brain damage and died one week later.
Medical Malpractice -
Medical Malpractice
Jon Doe v. John Doe Entity: A young adolescent was injured in a playful accident and presented to the emergency department at a hospital. X-rays were read as negative by PA. The child was sent home and allowed to walk on foot causing post-traumatic arthritis and eventually 4 joint fusion in the foot.
Medical Malpractice -
$34,500 Motor Vehicle Accident
Plaintiff was a passenger in a car that lost control and collided with a tree. Plaintiff sustained a left shoulder scapula fracture, depression and anxiety.
Car Accident -
$50,000 Motor Vehicle Accident
Plaintiff was riding a motorcycle when the Defendant pulled out in front of him. Plaintiff was thrown from his motorcycle. Plaintiff sustained fractured carpal bones, torn acetabular labrum and bone contusion, pain in the pelvic region and thigh, pain in the forearm and low back pain.
Car Accident -
$850,000 Motor Vehicle Accident
Spinal Cord injury to Quadriplegic Patient: A quadriplegic passenger strapped and secured in his van suffered a cervical strain-whiplash injury in a car accident.
Brain Injury -
$750,000 Medical Malpractice
The Estate of Jane Doe v. Hospital: A retired patient went in for heart surgery and removal of an intra-aortic balloon pump from her femoral artery in her leg. After the IABP was removed, the client bled internally. The bleed was not timely diagnosed post-surgery and the patient bled to death.
Medical Malpractice -
$2,255,000 Wrongful Death
Rob Kornfeld of Kornfeld, Trudell, Bowen and Lingenbrink, PLCC successfully represented the estate of an deceased cable installer and his surviving wife and two children as a Seattle wrongful death settlement lawyer, as well as a surviving coworker in a contentious multiparty litigated matter which settled on the first day of trial, October 11, 2010.
Burn Electrocution & Chemical Exposure -
$1,050,000 Motor Vehicle Accident
Ankle Fracture Injury: $1,050,000 litigated settlement short of trial of an ankle fracture and surgery of female driver with permanent injuries after a roll over collision.
Car Accident -
$855,000 Dog Bite Injury
$855,000 for a dog bite on a minor child of 10 years old.
Dog Bite Injury
What Are Vertebral Artery Dissection Symptoms and Consequences?
The dissection can occur either in the neck (extracranial) or in the brain (intracranial), and the location of the injury affects long-term effects and likelihood of recovery.
Generally, the injury may cause serious symptoms and neurological consequences, including:
- Aches in the head, neck, and face (for up to 14 days before the dissection)
- Issues with senses (e.g. dizziness, vertigo, double vision, loss of taste, “whooshing” sound in one ear, etc.)
- Sudden loss of strength in one side of the body
- Stroke (when the pseudoaneurysm, or blood pool, bursts and floods the brain)
Compared to intracranial dissections, extracranial dissections are not as serious. Roughly half of patients with this injury will experience no brain dysfunction. About a fifth will experience mild dysfunction, and a quarter will experience moderate to severe dysfunction. Only 4% of cases are fatal.
Intracranial dissections, however, usually cause severe neurological dysfunction and/or subarachnoid hemorrhage, a life-threatening stroke. While a recurring injury is statistically unlikely, a patient with an intracranial dissection experiences a higher risk of recurrence for 10 or more years after the initial tear.
What Makes Our Firm Unique
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40+ Years of
Proven Legal ExperienceWith decades of hands-on litigation and negotiation, we bring a deep understanding of how to build strong, successful cases. -
Aggressive & Personalized
RepresentationWe tailor our legal strategies to your unique situation, relentlessly pursuing the maximum compensation you're entitled to. -
Committed to Securing
Justice for Each ClientWe treat every case with the urgency and dedication it deserves, ensuring your voice is heard and your rights are protected. -
No Fees Unless
We Win Your CaseOur clients can focus on healing while we fight for results—because we only get paid when you do.
Get in Touch with Our Legal Team As Soon As Possible
Of all possible injuries, those affecting the brain are some of the most critical and complex, with far-reaching and long-lasting consequences for both body and mind. Seeking immediate, high-quality treatment is often a matter of life and death—especially for vertebral artery dissections.
If you sustained this injury, the cause may have been a preexisting condition. However, your doctor is responsible for assessing your risk factors, treating your original conditions, and doing everything possible to prevent the onset of resulting injuries or illnesses. Furthermore, proper treatment after the dissection is crucial for your full recovery. If your doctor failed to perform their basic duty to you, they must be held accountable.
The dissection may, on the other hand, have been the result of negligent chiropractic treatment, an accident such as an auto collision, or an invasive diagnostic procedure. No matter the cause of your injury or your prolonged recovery, our team at Lindquist & Kornfeld is more than prepared to help you secure the compensation you deserve. Proving liability in court will help you attain the financial resources you need to pay for your recovery, and it will also send the message that negligence is unacceptable.
Schedule your free consultation or call us directly at (425) 657-5255 today. We accept cases in Seattle, Kirkland, Everett, Bellevue, and the Greater Washington State Area.
