Meningitis Negligence Claims

To succeed in arguing the wrong treatment was given you have to understand how the patient contracted the infection, know what kind of infection it was, because that dictates what kind of treatment they needed, and know what was the timescale during which the infection developed, and the point where treatment could no longer make a difference to the patient.

If you or a loved one have suffered from meningitis and treatment has not stopped the infection, then it's likely that a life changing injury has been sustained.  Often the effects of missed meningitis are catastrophic affecting the whole family. The family of someone who has suffered serious injury as a result of delay in diagnosis of meningitis will be left trying to get help with care needs and manage reduced finances if they have had had to give up work to care for the injured child or adult.

Our medical negligence team has successfully concluded a huge range of meningitis cases and continue to act on behalf of many patients who have suffered injuries because of missed diagnosis and treatment of meningitis.  The types of injuries we see people suffering include brain injury, amputation of limbs due to the spread of septicaemia, and bilateral hearing loss.  If it is possible to obtain compensation the damages recovered can help provide for rehabilitation, care, support, treatment, therapies and in the case of children, appropriate education, for the rest of the claimant's life.

Bringing a claim can make a huge difference to people's lives because if a claim is successful the damages you recover can protect the patient for the rest of their life and pay for treatment and equipment and education and care services that the patient would not otherwise have any chance of receiving.

Ideally you should instruct a lawyer as soon as possible after you have suffered an injury as the general rule is that claims can only be brought within 3 years of the injury.  However different rules apply to children and people who do not have capacity to make decisions about their finances and legal affairs.  We know that in the aftermath of a serious injury there is so much to take on board and deal with that contacting a lawyer is the last thing that you want to deal with.  Also claimants sometimes do not realise at the time that the meningitis is suffered that different treatment could have avoided the injuries, and so there is a long time delay in instructing us. However, if the claimant is still a minor or does not have capacity to make their own decision about their financial affairs, then generally the claim can still be pursued.

For funding information, or if you believe you have a meningitis claim for yourself, or a child or an adult you are responsible for you, please contact our medical negligence team. All enquiries are completely free of charge and we will investigate all funding options for you including No Win No Fee.