According to the NHS, 1 in every 2 to 3 people who are diagnosed with meningitis go on to have permanent problems. If you’ve suffered harm because a medical professional failed to provide an adequate standard of care and therefore misdiagnosed your meningitis, you might be interested in learning about meningitis misdiagnosis claims.
The claims process can seem daunting, but we are here to help. In this guide, we’ll explain when you could be eligible to make a claim for compensation and the steps that you could take after suffering a misdiagnosis of meningitis caused by the negligent actions of a medical professional.
We’ll also talk about how this kind of misdiagnosis can occur and the potential consequences that can come with meningitis. Then, we’ll talk about the kinds of evidence that you could potentially use to support your medical negligence claim, and what kinds of compensation you could receive.
Finally, our guide will cover the benefits of working with a legal professional on your case. We’ll explain why we recommend working with a No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor and how one of our specialist solicitors could help you.
Contact Us
We hope our guide will answer any questions you have about the misdiagnosis claims process, but if it doesn’t, our team of advisors are here to help. Get in touch today to start your free consultation by:
- Calling us on 0800 652 3087
- Using the live chat feature
- Start your claim online
Browse Our Guide
- What Are Meningitis Misdiagnosis Claims?
- How Can Meningitis Be Misdiagnosed?
- What Are Potential Consequences Of Meningitis Being Misdiagnosed?
- What Evidence Can Be Used In Meningitis Misdiagnosis Claims?
- How Much Compensation For A Meningitis Claim?
- No Win No Fee Meningitis Misdiagnosis Claims
- Read More About Medical Negligence Claims
What Are Meningitis Misdiagnosis Claims?
All patients are owed a duty of care by the medical professionals treating them. To fulfil this duty, medical professionals need to make sure that the care they provide meets a minimum standard. If it doesn’t, and this causes the patient to suffer from avoidable harm, then this is known as medical negligence.
For example, if your doctor misread your blood test results and misdiagnosed you, this is medical negligence. However, if you were misdiagnosed because you were showing atypical symptoms, then you would not be able to make a claim, because the professional treating you did not provide substandard care.
In short, to make a medical compensation claim, you need to be able to prove that:
- You were owed a duty of care by a medical professional.
- This duty was breached.
- You suffered avoidable harm as a result.
Keep reading to learn more, or get in touch with our team to learn more about meningitis claims.
How Can Meningitis Be Misdiagnosed?
Misdiagnosis can happen for a number of reasons, but as we’ve already mentioned, not all will result in a valid claim. So, how can negligence contribute to the misdiagnosis of meningitis?
Some examples of how a medical professional acting negligently could contribute to misdiagnosis include:
- You visit a local pharmacy, presenting with a rash and common symptoms of meningitis. Instead of recommending you dial 111 or escalate your treatment, your pharmacist tells you that you are having an allergic reaction to medication and sends you home.
- While in a hospital receiving chemotherapy for cancer, you start showing common symptoms of meningitis. After undergoing a lumbar puncture, your doctor misreads your test results and diagnoses you with pneumonia.
- You approach your GP with concerns that you might have meningitis after realising that you have a rash that doesn’t go away under pressure, a high temperature, and joint pain. They dismiss your concerns, and your GP misdiagnoses you with anxiety instead.
If you’d like to learn more about whether or not you were negligently misdiagnosed, contact our team of advisors today.
What Are Potential Consequences Of Meningitis Being Misdiagnosed?
There are two kinds of meningitis: bacterial and viral. Bacterial meningitis is rarer than viral meningitis, but it’s often more serious. Both can result in life-threatening consequences, including:
- Epilepsy.
- Amputation of limbs to stop it from spreading.
- Blindness and vision loss.
- Deafness and hearing loss.
- Kidney problems.
- Problems with your bones and joints.
- Behavioural issues and learning difficulties.
- Problems with movement and balance.
These are just a few of the serious consequences that could be caused by meningitis going unchecked. If you’d like to learn more about meningitis misdiagnosis claims, keep reading. Or, contact our team today to find out if you could make a meningitis compensation claim.
What Evidence Can Be Used In Meningitis Misdiagnosis Claims?
Now that you know more about the serious complications that can come with the different kinds of meningitis, let’s talk a little more about the meningitis medical negligence claims process and how to claim.
One of the most important steps in all medical negligence cases is collecting evidence. This should be able to illustrate:
- How severely you were harmed.
- Who is responsible for the negligent treatment.
- Whether or not you suffered financial losses as a result of this.
Your meningitis misdiagnosis claim could be supported with evidence such as:
- Medical records, including blood test results or the results of a lumbar puncture.
- The contact details of witnesses, like a friend or family member who came to your appointment with you.
- Pictures of any visible symptoms, like a rash.
- A symptoms diary that keeps track of how the misdiagnosis affected you and any worsening symptoms.
- Proof of financial losses, like wage slips, invoices, and bank statements.
If you make a claim with a specialist medical negligence lawyer, they can help you collect evidence and help you through the meningitis misdiagnosis claims process. Contact our team today to learn more about how one of our solicitors could help you.
How Much Compensation For A Meningitis Claim?
So, how much compensation could you get for a meningitis negligence claim? Generally, medical negligence compensation can contain up to two heads of loss.
The first heading covers the pain and suffering caused by the harm you suffered and is called general damages. This heading of compensation also covers loss of amenity, which is a lack of enjoyment in hobbies and recreational activities caused by the harm you’ve suffered.
When compensation under this heading is calculated, professionals will often refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG is a useful document, because it provides guideline brackets of compensation for a number of different injuries and illnesses.
In the table below, you can see some of these guidelines as they apply to common complications of meningitis. Please note that these aren’t fixed amounts, and the first entry in the table isn’t from the JCG.
Compensation Guidelines
| Injury | Compensation Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Harm With Special Damages | Up to £1,000,000+ | Compensation for suffering severe harm and the financial losses this has caused such as medical expenses and lost earnings. |
| Moderately Severe Brain Damage | £267,340 to £344,150 | A substantial disability with a need for round the clock professional care. |
| Moderate Brain Damage (i) | £183,190 to £267,340 | There is a moderate to severe intellectual deficit, with a personality change and risk of epilepsy. |
| Total Blindness | In the region of £327,940 | Total loss of sight. |
| Kidney Injuries a) | £206,730 to £256,780 | Damage or loss of both kidneys that is serious and permanent. |
| Loss of One Arm (ii) | £133,810 to £159,770 | Loss of one arm from above the elbow. |
| Above-Knee Amputation of One Leg | £127,930 to £167,760 | Consideration is given to phantom pains, effectiveness of prosthetics, and side effects such as backache. |
| Established Grand Mal Epilepsy | £124,470 to £183,190 | Consideration is given to the prognosis, and the effectiveness of medication. |
| Total Deafness | £110,750 to £133,810 | Consideration is given to the presence of tinnitus or a speech deficit. |
The second head that you could receive is called special damages. This part of your claim covers the financial losses caused by the harm you underwent. For example, you might have had to take months off work to recover from the meningitis due to its late diagnosis, causing lost earnings.
In this case, special damages can help you recoup these lost earnings, as well as the cost of:
- Prosthetics.
- Mobility aids, like crutches or a wheelchair.
- Home adjustments, like widening doorways or installing a stairlift.
- Childcare.
- Travel.
- Physiotherapy.
- Medications and prescriptions.
- Private medical treatment.
- Counselling.
These are just a few examples of the financial losses that could be caused by misdiagnosed meningitis. Contact our team today to learn more about compensation in meningitis misdiagnosis claims, or keep reading to find out how one of our solicitors could help you.
No Win No Fee Meningitis Misdiagnosis Claims
Our specialist medical negligence solicitors are here to help. When you get in touch with our team, they can evaluate your claim for free, and could potentially connect you with one of our expert solicitors.
Working with a solicitor comes with a number of benefits. For example, they can help you negotiate a settlement, gather evidence to support and strengthen your claim, and even prepare your claim to go to court if a trial is necessary.
Plus, our expert team work on a No Win No Fee basis. Specifically, our solicitors provide work under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), meaning you get access to all of their services without having to pay:
- Upfront.
- As the claim is ongoing.
- If the claim fails.
Successful meningitis misdiagnosis claims will result in a success fee, which is taken directly from your compensation. This is taken as a small percentage, but there’s a legal cap in place to help make sure that you keep the majority of what you receive.
Contact Us
To start your free evaluation and talk to our friendly advisors, get in touch today by:
- Calling us on 0800 652 3087
- Using the live chat feature
- Start your claim online
Read More About Medical Negligence Claims
To read more on medical negligence claims:
- Learn about claims for medication errors in elderly care.
- Advice on claiming for a failure to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy.
- Get help making a missed fracture compensation claim.
Or, for more helpful resources:
- Learn more about meningitis from the NHS.
- Raise a complaint about a hospital to the Care Quality Commission.
- Learn about the National Institue for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Thank you for reading our guide on meningitis misdiagnosis claims. Contact our advisors today to dsicuss your case.
