Delay in Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis

Meningitis is a serious illness that can be life threatening if not treated in a timely manner. Viral and bacterial meningitis are the most common types of meningitis, with bacterial meningitis generally being more serious than viral. Anyone can get meningitis, and it may not be caused by a healthcare provider, but how appropriately and timely a healthcare provider treats a person’s meningitis can be a matter of life and death. Meningitis can be treated with antibiotics, but a delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis can lead to irreversible consequences. When this occurs and in the setting of a delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis, it is considered medical malpractice in Oregon. 

 

What is Bacterial Meningitis?

 

Bacterial meningitis is a very serious infection that can be deadly if left untreated. It can be caused by many different types of bacteria, including the following: 

 

• streptococcus pneumoniae
• group b streptococcus
• neisseria meningitidis
• haemophilus influenzae
• listeria monocytogense 

 

If left untreated, it can progress to a serious illness known as sepsis, which is incredibly dangerous and life threatening. 

 

Meningitis Symptoms

 

There are many symptoms that many indicate that a person is suffering from meningitis. These include the following: 

 

• Neck stiffness
• Fever
• Mental status changes
• Headache
• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• Respiratory changes
• Reduced appetite 
• Light sensitivity
• Poor feeding (infant)

 

If a healthcare provider sees a patient with these symptoms and fails to conduct testing leading to the diagnosis or meningitis or instead misdiagnosis the person with something else, it is considered negligence. People who experience this are at significant risk for brain damage and other complications, including death.

 

Diagnosis of Meningitis

 

Diagnosis of meningitis is typically achieved by the following:

 

• Spinal tap to test for presence of infection in the cerebral spinal fluid
• Blood tests to test for the presence of infection in the blood 
• Imaging – Imaging may be used to detect if there is any inflammation in the head, or less often chest or sinuses

Treatment of Bacterial Meningitis

 

As bacterial meningitis is caused by bacteria, bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotic therapy. Often, antibiotic therapy is intravenous. 

 

Complications of Meningitis

 

There are many complications that can occur as the result of meningitis, but a delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis can lead to more severe complications. Complications include the following:

 

• Hearing loss
• Vision loss
• Seizures
• Kidney failure
• Shock
• Memory impairment
• Brain damage
• Gait disturbances
• Death

 

These are just a few of the many complications that can occur due to meningitis, but complications are much more significant in patients who experience a delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis. 

 

Meningitis Medical Malpractice Cases in Portland, Oregon

 

There are many ways that a physician or healthcare provider can endanger a patient with meningitis due to their error. Examples of this include the following: 

 

• Failure to diagnose meningitis
• Misdiagnosis of meningitis as something more benign
• Dismissing a patient’s complaints, leading to a delay in diagnosis
• Failing to complete a complete health history
• Failing to perform proper testing
• Misinterpretation of test results, leading to a delay in diagnosis
• Providing inappropriate treatment, leading to worsening of meningitis 

If Your Loved One Was Diagnosed and Suffered Damages from a Misdiagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis, call Our Law Firm

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.