Meningitis Negligence

Meningitis is a life-threatening condition that requires a swift and accurate diagnosis, especially in vulnerable people such as young children. Minton Morrill know that having a child with meningitis can be an incredibly difficult and worrying time for parents, and we understand the devastating impact it can have on families when medical care falls short. With our expert team of specialist meningitis lawyers, who are leaders in their field, we are dedicated to securing justice for those affected. We approach each case with compassion, ensuring that our clients receive the support and guidance they deserve throughout this challenging journey. If you or a loved one has suffered due to negligent medical treatment of meningitis, we are here to help you seek the answers and compensation you deserve.

How to contact us

If you or your child have suffered an injury because of Meningitis and you have concerns about the standard of medical care provided, please contact our team of expert meningitis claims solicitors today on 0113 345 2386 or complete the online enquiry forms.

What is Meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes (the meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord. The resulting inflammation from infection can cause damage to the brain and nerves.

Meningitis misdiagnosis claims

Meningitis compensation claims usually focus on delay in diagnosing bacterial meningitis resulting in a lost window of opportunity to effectively treat it with antibiotics. Because meningitis symptoms are similar to other illnesses, doctors may not take the investigative steps required to rule out meningitis; for example, a GP may not refer a child to Hospital for paediatric review and, instead, take a wait and see approach. A paediatrician may also not carry out blood tests, a lumbar puncture or chest x-ray (if pneumonia is suspected) if they do not consider meningitis a risk.

In our experience, the key is for doctors to listen to the parent’s concerns about the history of the child’s illness; particularly, the chronology of onset of the more subtle symptoms, such as grunting, poor feeding and drowsiness and, as the infection takes hold, distressing high pitched crying.

Doctors should always have an index of suspicion of meningitis, especially if parents report ongoing and prolonged possible meningitis symptoms because of the severity of injuries if it is not diagnosed and treated quickly. Our team of leading lawyers have considerable experience in investigating and successfully pursuing NHS Compensation claims where there has been a delay diagnosing Meningitis.

With our years of experience, our meningitis negligence claims solicitors have successfully secured substantial compensation for our clients, here are some of their stories:

Leonard, a 4-year-old boy, was mismanaged by his GP, leading to a delayed hospital visit and a diagnosis of pneumococcal meningitis, resulting in hearing loss and balance issues. Following our investigation, the GP admitted liability, and substantial compensation was secured to support Leonard's ongoing care.

C, born in 2005, was repeatedly sent home from hospital despite developing pneumococcal meningitis, leading to severe brain damage and lifelong disability. After the NHS Trust admitted partial fault, we are working to secure compensation to support C's lifelong needs, with an interim payment already helping his family purchase essential equipment.

F, diagnosed with listeria meningitis as an infant after delays in hospital admission, suffered neurological complications, including right hemiplegia and visual problems, which could have been avoided with earlier treatment. Despite the claim being defended, it settled before trial, and F received £900,000 in compensation, enabling him to live independently, purchase a home, and provide for his family.

How common are meningitis claims?

Statistics show that meningitis negligence claims for delayed diagnosis of bacterial meningitis are on the increase, especially against GPs. New strains of bacterial meningitis need to be balanced against new vaccinations but meningitis does still frequently occur especially as 10% of the population carry the bacterial infection (which remains harmless for them) and can pass this onto others.

How much compensation would be I receive from a meningitis claim?

Each case is different but meningitis compensation claims can result in settlements in excess of £1 million pounds, typically, somewhere in the region of £2 – £15 million pounds. The level of compensation is, however, increasing and claims in the region of £30 million are now pursued.

When assessing meningitis claims, we usually look at the following needs of the child/family to determine the level of compensation:

Professional Care (Past and Future)

Occupational Therapy Needs

Physiotherapy Needs.

Speech and Language Therapy Needs.

Accommodation (whether the family home needs adaption or a complete new house).

Transport Needs (adapted vehicle, for example).

Assisted Technology Needs (computers for communication, for example).

Future medical treatment.

The child’s loss of earnings.

Court of Protection Costs.

Case Management Costs.

A lifetime of much needed extensive professional input, care and treatment like that described above underlines why meningitis claims result in such high value compensation claims.

Why choose us for your meningitis claim?

When medical treatment goes wrong and causes injury and loss it is crucial to speak with a professional, experienced and specialist meningitis claims solicitors to help you and your child. We understand that meningitis negligence can have a detrimental effect on all those involved which is why our experienced team of experts can help you throughout the entirety of the meningitis claims process.

Our meningitis negligence solicitors

The team at Minton Morrill has this experience and is made up of some of the best medical negligence solicitors who specialise solely in this complex area of law. Our team have more accredited panel members (5) on the AvMA and Law Society clinical negligence scheme than any other law firm handling meningitis claims in Leeds and Manchester as well as a national presence acting for clients across the country such as Kent, Hampshire and Cumbria.

Our medical negligence team is top ranked in the Tier 1 category in the prestigious Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners annual reviews in recognition of their medical negligence work. The department is described as ‘One of the market leaders’ noted for ‘achieving high-value settlements’ in birth injury claims and also for its ‘superb reputation for handling a wide range of clinical negligence claims’.

The department is led by Simon Minton. Simon and Julia Morrill are both recognised as the only two Leading Individuals for clinical negligence in the Leeds area. The other department members: Emma Semwayo, Sahida Patel and Guy Pomphrey all have a wealth of experience. Speak to our team today to work towards succeeding with your claim.

What our clients have to say

Click here to read some of our client reviews about our medical negligence legal team for our work during previous meningitis claims.

Types of meningitis

The infection that causes meningitis can be viral or bacterial. The more common type is viral meningitis. For example, before vaccinations were available, mumps and measles caused a lot of meningitis outbreaks. It is now usually caused by enteroviruses, responsible for symptoms of meningitis such as sore throats, colds and flu-like illnesses. Children, who are the main transmitters of enteroviruses, and people with weakened immune systems, are most likely to be affected but, thankfully, usually make full recoveries.

Bacterial meningitis is usually a lot more severe and dangerous than viral meningitis and occurs when bacteria enters the blood stream and travels to the brain and spinal column. For example:

Streptococcus pneumonia, the most common cause of bacterial meningitis (known as  pneumococcal meningitis) which can also cause ear infections and pneumonia; and

Neisseria meningitides, another leading cause of bacterial meningitis (known as meningococcal meningitis) which occurs when bacteria from an upper respiratory infection enters the bloodstream.

Bacterial meningitis symptoms

The symptoms of bacterial meningitis are not always easy to identify so knowing the signs of meningitis is vital because it can often be mistaken for other illnesses, such as flu, which may be the basis of a meningitis misdiagnosis claim. There are also different symptoms depending on the age of the patient.

For meningitis in babies and children under the age of 5, the symptoms may include:

A high fever with cold hands and feet

Vomiting and poor feeding

Agitation and reluctance to be handled

Drowsy, floppy and unresponsive

Grunting or rapid breathing

High-pitched or moaning cry

Pale blotchy skin and, sometimes, a red meningitis rash when performing the meningitis glass test (the rash doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it)

Tense, bulging fontanelle

Stiff neck and dislike to bright lights

Convulsions or seizures

For meningitis in adults and older children the symptoms include:

A high fever with cold hands and feet

Drowsiness and difficulty waking up

Confusion and irritability

Severe muscle pain

Drowsy, floppy and unresponsive

Pale, blotchy skin and possibly, although not always, a distinctive rash

A severe headache

A stiff neck

Sensitivity to light

Convulsions or seizures

A lot of these meningitis symptoms are caused because of the increased pressure in the brain as a result of the inflammation and swelling in the meninges and the brain tissue due to the infection.

What type of injuries does meningitis cause?

If meningitis treatment is not provided promptly, bacterial meningitis can be fatal, at any age.

Hearing loss is the most common physical after effect, particularly in children who have suffered from pneumococcal meningitis. This type of injury occurs early in the inflammation process and cannot always be prevented, even with prompt diagnosis and treatment. Brain damage is another possibility that can result in cerebral palsy, paralysis, learning difficulties and behavioural and emotional difficulties.

Psychological problems often present very subtly in young children (temper tantrums and being clingy, for example), which then develop and become more apparent with age.

Viral meningitis is usually a lot less severe and does not typically lead to long term injuries.

Meningitis Treatment

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial meningitis. It is crucial that these are given early on in order to try and stop and reduce the inflammation and swelling and minimise any injury to the brain. Doctors will carry out tests to diagnose meningitis including blood tests and possibly a lumbar puncture. A lumbar puncture is useful and important because it tests the content of the fluid that fills the meninges (cerebrospinal fluid) which is designed to bathe and cushion the brain. This test can determine which germ in this fluid is causing the illness and, therefore, the best antibiotics to try and combat this. Steroids may also be given to try and help reduce the inflammation in the brain.

Antibiotics are not used to treat viral meningitis because they do not have any effect on viruses. Because viral meningitis is usually less severe, rest and fluids is often sufficient treatment.

Is there a meningitis vaccine?

Yes, vaccinations against common types of meningitis are routinely offered under the NHS childhood vaccination programme; however, vaccinations will not protect against new infection strains, which may also be more resistant to antibiotic treatment.

How to contact our meningitis lawyers

Frequently asked question about meningitis compensation claims

Why should I pursue a meningitis claim?

A child that has suffered a meningitis misdiagnosis may well be diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy or another devastating brain injury and therefore require considerable support throughout their life. The cost of private 24-hour care, for example, can be hugely expensive so it is crucial that the child’s needs are fully met. Meningitis compensation claims are specifically aimed at funding these needs.

How will I pay for my meningitis negligence claim?

We understand that financing your meningitis negligence claim is something you don’t want to worry about when pursuing a claim. This is why we work on a no win no fee basis. This means that you won’t have to pay for your claim unless it is successful and payment will be an agreed percentage prior to your claim.