Infant Meningitis Lawsuit

Quick Answer

Infant meningitis is a life-threatening infection that can cause brain damage, hearing loss, seizures, or even death. When medical negligence leads to preventable harm, families may be entitled to compensation through an infant meningitis lawsuit. Money from a lawsuit can help cover medical costs, ongoing care, and more. Get a free case review right now.

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What Are Infant Meningitis Lawsuits?

A newborn in an incubator with a caregiver's hand gently touching their back.An infant meningitis lawsuit allows families to seek compensation when medical errors during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or neonatal care lead to this life-threatening infection.

Infant meningitis occurs when bacteria, viruses, or fungi infect the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord. If not diagnosed and treated quickly, it can cause brain damage, hearing loss, seizures, and permanent disabilities.

The impact on a child’s ability to learn, communicate, and thrive can be devastating. The emotional and financial toll can be overwhelming, but an infant meningitis malpractice lawsuit may help families secure compensation for medical care and long-term support.

Did you know

A Wisconsin family was awarded $19 million in an infant meningitis lawsuit after a misdiagnosis led to permanent brain damage, leaving their child deaf, blind, and reliant on lifelong care.

A skilled infant meningitis lawyer fights to hold negligent medical providers accountable. The experienced birth injury attorneys in our network can help families in all 50 states.

If you suspect medical negligence harmed your child, your family may be entitled to compensation.

Find out if we can help — get a free case review right now.

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A free case review is the first step in pursuing compensation for you and your family.

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Infant Meningitis Lawsuit Compensation

Financial compensation from infant meningitis lawsuits depends on the severity of the harm, the impact on a child’s health, and the level of medical negligence involved.

Cases involving severe brain damage, delayed diagnosis, or clear medical errors can result in multimillion-dollar infant meningitis lawsuit settlements and verdicts.

Reported compensation from infant meningitis lawsuits includes:
  • $9 million in Illinois for not testing the mother for Group B Streptococcus (GBS)
  • $5.2 million for a delayed meningitis diagnosis causing brain damage in a newborn
  • $4.1 million in California for failure to diagnose meningitis in a 4-year-old child
  • $1 million in New Jersey for seizures due to failure to treat meningitis
  • $3.7 million for bacterial meningitis leading to severe disabilities in a child
  • $4.1 million for newborn meningitis misdiagnosed after childbirth
  • $7.8 million in North Carolina for severe brain damage from not detecting meningitis

Your family may be entitled to similar compensation if medical negligence led to delayed diagnosis or treatment of your child’s meningitis, resulting in severe complications.

Get a free consultation with an experienced legal professional to find out how much you could receive from an infant meningitis lawsuit.

Call the Birth Injury Justice Center right now at (800) 914-1562 or Click to Live Chat to see if we can connect you with a top infant meningitis lawyer near you.

Infant Meningitis and Medical Malpractice

Birth injury malpractice may be a factor if doctors failed to prevent, diagnose, or properly treat infant meningitis, leading to complications.

In these cases, an infant meningitis lawsuit may be the best path forward for families who were impacted.

These situations could point to medical negligence related to infant meningitis:
  • Delaying diagnosis or treatment of infant meningitis, increasing the risk of brain damage, seizures, or death
  • Failing to screen or treat maternal infections like Group B Streptococcus, raising the risk of newborn meningitis and severe complications
  • Ignoring early symptoms of meningitis, making cognitive impairments or hydrocephalus more likely
  • Misdiagnosing meningitis as a less serious condition, delaying critical treatment, and leading to cerebral palsy or developmental delays
  • Mismanaging high-risk pregnancies and missing signs of newborn infection, which can result in undetected meningitis and permanent disabilities
  • Neglecting to monitor for complications after birth, allowing infections to cause epilepsy (seizure disorder), hearing loss, or vision problems
  • Withholding antibiotics, leading to rapid infection spread and the potential for sepsis (blood infection)

Compensation from an infant meningitis lawsuit can help cover medical expenses and long-term support for complications like brain damage, hearing loss, or developmental delays.

If medical negligence contributed to your child’s condition, an experienced birth injury attorney may be able to help your family seek the money you deserve.

Why File Infant Meningitis Lawsuits?

Successful infant meningitis lawsuits provide families with compensation for medical care and hold negligent health care providers accountable.

Families file infant meningitis lawsuits to:
  1. Access funds for medical treatments, therapy, and long-term care
  2. Hold medical professionals accountable to improve patient safety
  3. Seek justice for the preventable harm caused to their child

If you’re unsure whether taking legal action is the right decision for your family, our team at the Birth Injury Justice Center can help.

Our experienced labor and delivery nurses can listen to your story and determine if medical negligence may have played a role.

If our nurses believe your child’s injury was preventable, they’ll explain your legal options. There’s no cost to speak with us.

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When to File an Infant Meningitis Lawsuit

You should file your infant meningitis lawsuit as soon as you suspect your child’s condition may have been avoidable.

Birth injury lawsuits have strict legal deadlines, called statutes of limitations. If your deadline passes, you may lose the chance to seek compensation.

Since time limits vary by state, speaking with a birth injury lawyer familiar with your state’s laws is crucial.

An experienced attorney can explain your options and make sure your case is filed before your deadline. Don’t wait — call us right now at (800) 914-1562 to see if we can help you protect your child’s future.

Who Can File Infant Meningitis Lawsuits?

Parents or legal guardians may be able to file an infant meningitis lawsuit if medical negligence during pregnancy, childbirth, or neonatal care contributed to their baby’s condition.

This may include failure to diagnose infections, delayed treatment, or mistakes in care that led to preventable harm.

An experienced infant meningitis lawyer can help families take legal action against the responsible doctor, hospital, or health care provider.

Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit may secure compensation for medical expenses, therapy, and long-term care.

If you believe medical errors caused or worsened your child’s condition, an infant meningitis lawsuit may help your family access the support you need. Get a free case review right now.

Get a Free Case Review

A free case review is the first step in pursuing compensation for you and your family.

Get a Free Case Review

Steps to Filing an Infant Meningitis Lawsuit

Infant meningitis lawsuits involve several important steps. Knowing what your family can expect may help you feel more confident about taking legal action.

These are the typical steps to filing infant meningitis lawsuits:
  1. Free case review: Top lawyers offer no-cost consultations to see if you may qualify to file an infant meningitis lawsuit. Get your free case review right now.
  2. Collect evidence: Your legal team will gather key evidence to build your case. This may include medical records, expert opinions, and witness statements.
  3. File the lawsuit: Next, your newborn meningitis attorney will file your birth injury lawsuit, ensuring any legal deadlines are met.
  4. Negotiate a settlement: Your legal team will negotiate with the other side to work toward a birth injury settlement as quickly as possible.

Your birth injury attorney will represent your family in court if a settlement isn’t reached. However, most infant meningitis lawsuits settle out of court, allowing families to receive compensation faster and with less stress.

With an experienced attorney handling your infant meningitis lawsuit, you can focus on caring for your child while they fight to get everything your family deserves.

File Your Infant Meningitis Lawsuit

If preventable mistakes led to a delayed diagnosis or treatment for your baby, you may be eligible to file an infant meningitis lawsuit.

Failure to screen for infections, delayed diagnosis, or improper treatment can result in brain damage, hearing loss, seizures, and lifelong disabilities.

By filing an infant meningitis lawsuit, you can seek compensation for your child’s medical treatments, therapy, long-term care, and related costs.

An infant meningitis lawyer can ensure your claim is filed on time and guide you through the legal process. Taking action now can help preserve key evidence and strengthen your case.

Our legal partners have secured more than $1 billion for families nationwide affected by preventable birth injuries, including infant meningitis.

Call us right now at (800) 914-1562 or fill out our case review form to see if we can help your family get the answers and support you deserve.

Infant Meningitis Lawsuit FAQs

What are the long-term complications of neonatal meningitis?

Neonatal meningitis can cause serious long-term complications, especially if not diagnosed and treated quickly.

These may include:

  • Brain damage
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Hearing loss (partial or complete)
  • Learning difficulties or developmental delays
  • Seizures or epilepsy
  • Vision problems

The severity of complications depends on how quickly the infection was treated and the extent of the damage. Early medical care can reduce the risk of long-term effects.

Can you sue for infant meningitis?

Yes, you may be able to file an infant meningitis lawsuit if medical negligence contributed to your child’s condition or worsened the outcome.

Medical malpractice related to newborn meningitis can include:

  • Delaying recognition of meningitis symptoms in the newborn
  • Failing to administer antibiotics promptly
  • Ignoring infections during pregnancy or after birth
  • Neglecting to monitor high-risk infants for signs of infection
  • Providing improper treatment for suspected or confirmed meningitis

If negligence led to severe complications like brain damage, hearing loss, or developmental delays, your family may be entitled to compensation.

Call the Birth Injury Justice Center right now at (800) 914-1562 or Click to Live Chat about your legal options.

How much are infant meningitis lawsuits worth?

Financial compensation for birth injury lawsuits, including meningitis cases, often exceeds $1 million.

However, payouts from infant meningitis lawsuits depend on factors like the severity of the harm, the cost of medical treatment, and the long-term impact on your child’s life.

An experienced birth injury lawyer can evaluate your case to determine potential compensation. They will work to recover the maximum amount allowed by law.

Get a free case review to find out how much your infant meningitis lawsuit may be worth.

How much does it cost to file an infant meningitis lawsuit?

Most birth injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means you pay only if your attorney secures compensation for you. This allows any family to file a menegitis birth injury lawsuit without hourly fees or upfront costs.

Birth Injury Support Team

The Birth Injury Justice Center was founded in 2003 by a team of legal professionals to educate and empower victims and families affected by birth injuries. Our team is devoted to providing you with the best resources and legal information for all types of birth injuries.

View Sources
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2024, January 9). About bacterial meningitis. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/bacterial-meningitis.html
  2. CDC. (2024, January 9). About viral meningitis. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/viral-meningitis.html
    Cleveland Clinic. (2022, August 22). Meningitis. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14600-meningitis
  3. Mayo Clinic. (2024, October 17). Meningitis: Symptoms & causes. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508
  4. Sokolove Law. (2025, February 1). Birth injury lawsuits. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://www.sokolovelaw.com/birth-injuries/lawsuit/