Okay, well as I was going to say that it would be worth applying to both hospitals for his patient records, because you often learn quite a lot from those, far more than you are told. But that may not be possible now, because the legal process has begun.
A few years ago, my friend's wife committed suicide through alcohol and paracetamol. She was also an ICU nurse at an NHS hospital. so that put a bit of a twist on it. As he had never worked in an office, he didn't really understand paperwork and all things connected. So I ended up doing the probate for him and then he asked me to come along to the coroner's inquest.
The one thing I vividly remember that coroner saying (uninvited) was that if my friend was going to go legal, to get any information from the hospital first before mentioning legal action. His reason for saying this was, he said that the NHS by law has to give you all the help you ask for and co-operate with you, as soon as you mention legal action, they will shut up shop and their legal department takes over and they are entitled to do this.
For some reason there was a second inquest, much more formal, and in the city with the NHS having solicitors/barristers representing them. He still to this day, can't tell me (doesn't remember) why he didn't ask me along for this one. As a side story, his wife worked in ICU at the hospital I was transferred to and put in ICU. How I wished she'd still been there when I was there, a familiar face and friend would have helped so much.
I may be wrong (it does happen) but I would be surprised if the solicitor gets a reply back from the neurologist and is not referred to the legal department. The NHS has a big legal department and because of the very nature and size of the business are dealing with claims all the time. Make sure your solicitor is familiar with the NHS.
'it has to be shown that any treatment given at the hospital would have helped control the stroke. And that it wasn't already too late to avoid the damage done.'
I should imagine they'll find this hard to defend, because all the guidance on strokes says speed is of the utmost importance and in the case of haemorrhagic strokes I quote from the Stroke Organisation leaflet:
'Anyone with a suspected stroke should go to hospital immediately. A brain scan (a CT
or MRI scan) should be carried out as soon as possible and within 24 hours to confirm
the diagnosis of stroke. A brain scan should take place immediately if the symptoms
include a severe headache or a low level of consciousness.'
It would be hard for them to prove the damage was already done before the first visit, because they did not do a CT scan.
Commenting on your two other posts. Yes, I did put don't expect too much help, not to disappoint you, but to help with the frustration and confusion that it is not you imagining this, they pretty much abandon everyone in this way and you are not on your own. As for forums, there is a dearth of them for strokes, I have yet to find a good one. I thought there would be many people wanting to talk about their experience but that doesn't seem to be the case. One reason I suspect is, most clot strokes (85%+ of strokes) happen in older people are not so devastating and their have often retired and are more sedentary. Haemorrhagic strokes hit a different demographic, victims are much younger around 50 (I was 48 approaching 49 when I had mine), they are more devastating and happen to people who are still very active and probably at the peak of their earning career.
It does hit people quite hard, I remember my GP saying to me, a week after I got out of hospital, 'you know of course, you'll never be the same again'. I thought what a silly thing to say, I now understand exactly what he meant and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about it, over three years later.
Some things to consider, your brother will have mood swings, this is natural. Just because they discharge you from hospital does not mean you are okay. It takes months for the brain fog of a stroke to clear. He will most likely be suffering from fatigue and want to sleep in the afternoon, this is normal and it does eventually go away, if he does, he should just allow his body to sleep to help repairing itself.
Medication is another thing, I don't know if he is on much. If he is on amlodipine, keep an eye out for that, it has many side effects in many people and these effects can creep up over time.