How To Make Meningitis Negligence Claims

By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated 11th June 2024. Our guide discusses meningitis negligence claims and explains the criteria you must satisfy to seek compensation for medical negligence. We use illustrative examples to note when medical negligence could occur and highlight different forms of evidence that could support a claim.

As the guide continues, you can learn about how compensation can cover financial damage as well as physical or mental harm caused by negligent care. Finally, we note how you could benefit from the guidance of a specialist solicitor.

Our advisors could give you more information and insight into whether you have a legitimate claim, all without charge or an obligation to start legal action. Choose any of these routes to reach us:

• Phone 0800 073 8804.
• Write to us regarding a claim online.
• Use the live chat tab on this page.

Select A Section

1. Can I Make A Meningitis Negligence Claim?
2. Examples Of Meningitis Negligence
3. What Information Could Help Support Your Case?
4. How Is Compensation In Meningitis Negligence Claims Calculated?
5. Contact Us To Learn More About No Win No Fee Meningitis Negligence Claims
6. Further Medical Negligence Claim Resources

Can I Make A Meningitis Negligence Claim?

When a medical professional diagnoses, treats, or prescribes medicine for meningitis, they owe the patient a duty of care and must provide the correct standard of care. Meningitis negligence claims could be brought when professionals fail to meet that standard and patients suffer harm as a consequence. 

To be eligible to make a medical negligence claim following meningitis negligence, the following eligibility criteria must be satisfied:

• A medical professional owed you a duty of care.
• They failed in their duty by not reaching the correct standard of care.
• This resulted in you suffering avoidable physical and/or mental harm.

How Long Could You Have To Claim?

Submitting the claim within the time frame set out by The Limitation Act 1980 is also important for establishing its eligibility. Generally, a medical negligence claim has to begin within three years of either the negligence occurring or when the connection between a professional breaching their duty of care and the patient’s harm becomes known.

Certain extenuating circumstances might extend the time frame for starting legal action. To learn more about what can affect the time frame for meningitis negligence claims, please give us a call at the number above.

Examples Of Meningitis Negligence 

Meningitis is an infection affecting the tissue around the brain and spinal cord. Many of its early symptoms are similar to other illnesses, so medical professionals may need to carry out tests to identify it. If it is not treated quickly, complications can include sepsis, brain and nerve damage, hearing loss, amputation of extremities or even death.

Here we look at how patients could suffer through negligent meningitis treatment: 

• A doctor misdiagnoses your meningitis as influenza because they do not pay attention to the symptoms you are experiencing. This allows the meningitis to worsen and cause permanent brain damage.
• A doctor confuses you with a patient suffering from a different condition and puts you on the wrong medication. It is ineffectual, and you develop sepsis, eventually losing a hand and a foot.
• You are waiting for test results, but your blood samples are misplaced. By the time the results are returned, the delayed treatment is unable to prevent recurrent seizures (epilepsy).

Please get in touch if you have had a similar experience and speak to one of our advisors for guidance.

What Information Could Help Support Your Case?

You will require relevant evidence to prove medical negligence. For example, you could present:

• Medical records highlighting a delay in treatment. 
• Witness contact information – for anyone who was there with you while the negligence occurred. 
• A diary where you have recorded your symptoms, treatment and any mental health impact.

You will also have an independent medical assessment that will look at how you have suffered and what could have been avoided had the right level of care been provided. This can be used to help calculate a value for the suffering you have been caused. 

While it is not used in all claims, a Bolam Test could be arranged, though you do not have to do this yourself. The test involves a group of relevantly trained medical professionals assessing the care you received and determining whether it met the correct standard.

Working with one of our solicitors would mean you have someone to help gather evidence. You can learn more about this by giving us a call and talking to an advisor.

How Is Compensation In Meningitis Negligence Claims Calculated?

If you make a successful claim for medical negligence, your compensation settlement could consist of two parts. These are general damages and special damages.

General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering caused by the medical negligence.

Those tasked with assigning value to medical negligence claims (such as a solicitor or other legal professional) may refer to the guideline figures published by the Judicial College, otherwise known as the ‘JCG’ to help them with general damages. The JCG provides figures that could be awarded for various types of illnesses and injuries in medical negligence claims.

Compensation Table

In our table below, we look at how compensation could be awarded for successful meningitis negligence claims. The top row looks at how you could be awarded for multiple types of harm and related expenses. The following rows look at figures from the JCG that could be relevant to meningitis claims. It should be noted that the top row was not taken from the JCG. Additionally, as all claims are assessed on their individual merits, the table is only to be used as a guide.

Securing Other Forms Of Compensation

Special damages can join general damages in settlements for meningitis negligence claims if claimants are financially impacted by medical negligence. You may be able to claim back monetary losses such as:

• Medical costs. For example, you may need to pay for prescribed medicines.
• Home healthcare payments.
• Travel fees.
• A loss of earnings if you miss work through illness or injury.

It is important to collect evidence of any expenses caused by medical negligence. Such evidence could include bank statements, invoices, or payslips.

Speak to an advisor if you would like to know more about what you can seek compensation for when claiming for meningitis negligence.

Contact Us To Learn More About No Win No Fee Meningitis Negligence Claims

If you have a valid claim, you could be connected to one of our medical negligence solicitors for expert guidance. They have extensive experience and knowledge of meningitis negligence claims.

Your solicitor could extend a Conditional Fee Agreement to you. This is a form of No Win No Fee arrangement where you would not pay for the solicitor’s service:

• Upfront.
• As the case goes on.
• At the end, should you lose.

Winning the case means receiving compensation, from which the solicitor would collect a success fee. This is a small percentage, capped legally by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.

Begin Your Claim

You can get started today or at any time that suits you. Our advisors offer a confidential, informative consultation where you can learn if your potential medical negligence claim is valid. We may then be able to put you in touch with one of our solicitors for further support.

Talking to us is free, so get in touch by either:

• Calling 0800 073 8804.
• Writing to us about making a claim online.
• Joining an advisor on live chat.

Further Medical Negligence Claim Resources

Here are some further medical negligence claim guides we have created:

• Information on how to make a complaint about a misdiagnosis and claim compensation.
• Find out more about clinical or medical negligence claims 
• Guidance on claiming if a doctor prescribed the wrong dosage of medicine

You may also find useful information from these sources:

• Information about meningitis and how it can affect young people from Great Ormond Street Hospital.
• Ethical guidance for doctors provided by the General Medical Council.
• Government information on seeking Statutory Sick Pay from your employer if you cannot work while ill.

Thank you for reading this guide to meningitis negligence claims. Please call if there is anything you would like to ask or get help with.