Meningitis Negligence Claims Guide

This guide explains the meningitis negligence claims process and the eligibility criteria to make a medical negligence claim. We will discuss the duty of care a medical professional owes you, their patient when they are treating you and how a breach of this duty could lead to you suffering unnecessary harm. 

Additionally, we share examples of evidence that could be gathered to help support your specific case. This guide will also explain the time limit you must adhere to when filing a medical negligence claim. Furthermore, we will discuss how compensation is calculated and the different heads of a successful claim. Lastly, we will share some of the various benefits of being represented by a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel in your claim.

If you would like to discuss your specific case and receive free advice, you can contact a member of our advisory team. They can also help answer any questions you may have about the medical negligence claims process. They can be reached by:

Meningitis Negligence Claims

Meningitis Negligence Claims Guide

Jump To A Section

  1. Eligibility Criteria For Meningitis Negligence Claims?
  2. Examples Of Harm Caused By Negligent Meningitis Care
  3. How To Prove Meningitis Negligence Claims
  4. Estimated Settlements For Meningitis Negligence Claims
  5. Start A No Win No Fee Clinical Negligence Claim
  6. Related Guides To Medical Negligence Claims

Eligibility Criteria For Meningitis Negligence Claims?

Once a medical professional agrees to treat a patient, they owe them a duty of care. This duty requires delivering a service and treatment that does not fall below the expected standard of care. If they do not treat their patient at the correct standard of care, the patient may suffer harm that could have been prevented otherwise. 

For all meningitis negligence claims to be valid, they must meet the medical negligence claim eligibility criteria:

  1. A duty of care was owed to you or a loved one by a medical professional. 
  2. This medical professional breached their duty of care.
  3. You or a loved one suffered harm that could have been avoided.

A breach in a medical professional’s duty of care that leads to you suffering unnecessary harm is classed as medical negligence.

How Long Could You Have To Claim?

You will also need to ensure that you begin a medical negligence claim within the time limit that is set out within the Limitation Act 1980.

This time limit is 3 years, commencing from either the date you suffered medical negligence or the date you had knowledge that you suffered medical negligence. There are a couple of instances where the time limit may be suspended, for example, for those under 18 or without the mental capacity to pursue their own claim. 

If you have any questions about this time limit and who it is suspended for, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our advisors. They can also inform you of your case’s eligibility and answer any questions you may have about the meningitis negligence claims process.

Examples Of Harm Caused By Negligent Meningitis Care

Surrounding the brain and spinal cord are protective membranes. Meningitis is when these membranes become infected. It is vital for anyone suffering from meningitis that they are diagnosed promptly and receive the correct treatment at the earliest possible moment. Meningitis can get very serious very quickly.

Here are a few examples of negligent meningitis care: 

  • Despite having the main symptoms of meningitis, your doctor misdiagnoses your condition for the flu. This resulted in your symptoms worsening as you did not receive the treatment you needed. 
  • The results from the lumber puncture test or spinal tap are lost. You quickly deteriorate as you wait for the second set of results, which causes a delay in treatment.
  • At the hospital, your blood test results get mixed with another patient, meaning you receive the diagnosis of another patient’s condition and not your own.

If meningitis is misdiagnosed or missed entirely, it could lead to sepsis, loss of a limb, brain damage, and even death. 

To discuss your specific case and learn about the meningitis negligence claims process, you can contact a member of our team. They can also help answer any questions you may have, such as how to report a doctor for medical negligence.

How To Prove Meningitis Negligence Claims

Gathering sufficient evidence is a vital step in proving medical negligence occurred. Some examples of the evidence that could be collected to support meningitis negligence claims include:

  • Blood test results.
  • Scans, such as CT scans, to check for any swelling around the brain or other issues.
  • A copy of your medical records confirming your meningitis diagnosis and the treatment you are receiving for it.
  • Photographs of any visible symptoms.
  • Witness contact details of anyone who was there at the time of the diagnosis.

If you contact our advisors to discuss your claim, they may be able to connect you with one of the solicitors on our panel. As part of the No Win No Fee service solicitors on our panel offer, they could then help you gather additional evidence to help support your specific case.

Estimated Settlements For Meningitis Negligence Claims

General damages is awarded in all successful meningitis negligence claims. General damages provide you with compensation for the unnecessary harm you have endured due to a medical professional failing to adhere to their duty of care.

Those in charge of calculating this head of your claim may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) alongside medical evidence to help them. Within this document are compensation guidelines for different forms of harm.

For the table below, we have used some of the guidelines featured in the 16th edition of this document. Please, however, only use it as a guide.

Injuries Table

Edit
Injury Severity Guideline compensation bracket Notes
Multiple serious injuries and financial costs. Very severe Up to £1,000,000 Multiple severe injuries or illnesses plus costs such as the cost of care, nursing, home adaptations and losses in earnings.
Brain damage Very severe (a) £282,010 to £403,990 The claimant will show little meaningful response to their environment and will suffer with double incontinence and little to no language function.
Brain damage Moderate (iii) £43,060 to £90,720 Memory and concentration will have been affected with a slight risk of epilespy.
Leg Amputations (a) (iii) £104,830 to £137,470 Where one leg is lost above the knee. The award will be based on the level of amputation.
Leg Amputations (a) (iv) £97,980 to £132,990 Below the knee amputation of one leg. Whether there were complications with the amputation will affect the amount awarded.
Epilepsy Established Petit Mal £54,830 to £131,370 Factors such as the prognosis, effect on social life and whether the attacks are successfully controlled by medication will impact the amount awarded.
Amputation of arms Loss of one arm (b) (ii) £109,650 to £130,930 One arm is amputated above the elbow.
Amputation of arms Loss of one arm (b) (iii) £96,160 to £109,650 Below the elbow amputation of one arm.
Kidney Total loss of natural kidney function (b) Up to £63,980 The person suffers with a substantial risk of the kidney’s losing their natural function or a future urinary tract infection.
Deafness/Tinnitus Total Loss of Hearing in One Ear (c) £31,310 to £45,540 Total loss of hearing in one ear, with potential additional issues such as headaches.
Eye Serious but incomplete loss of vision in one eye (f) £23,680 to £39,340 Incomplete loss of sight in one eye with the other suffering no serious risk of reduced vision.

Please note that the top entry of this table is not part of the JCG.

Get Compensation For Your Financial Losses

Special damages is the other head of claim that could be awarded in successful meningitis negligence claims. This compensates for the financial costs that have been experienced due to the medical negligence. These could include:

  • Medical expenses, such as paying for prescriptions.
  • A loss of earnings due to needing to take time off work.
  • Travel expenses such as taxi fares to medical appointments.

Retaining any receipts, invoices or bank statements that demonstrate these financial losses could help support your claim.

To discuss your potential medical negligence claim and receive a free valuation of how much you may be able to receive, you can contact our advisory team.

Start A No Win No Fee Clinical Negligence Claim

One of the solicitors on our panel with experience working on meningitis negligence claims may be able to help you with yours. Additionally, they may provide their services to you under a type of No Win No Fee agreement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

With this agreement in place, you will not need to pay any fees for your solicitor’s work:

  • Before the claims process starts. 
  • During the entire claims process. 
  • If your claim ends unsuccessfully. 

If your claim is successful, you will owe your solicitor a success fee. This will be taken directly from the compensation awarded to you as a small percentage that is subjected to a legal limit.

Talk To Our Team

If you have any further questions regarding meningitis negligence claims that this guide may not have covered, you can contact our advisors. They can also provide you with free advice for your specific case and potentially connect you with a solicitor from our panel. To speak to a member of our team today, you can:

Related Guides To Medical Negligence Claims

Additional medical negligence claim guides by us:

Further resources:

If you have any further questions regarding meningitis negligence claims, you can contact a member of our team.