Hospital sued for failure to diagnose meningitis

Deadly diseases can sometimes present themselves in seemingly innocuous ways. It is up to doctors in Pennsylvania to determine whether symptoms are evidence of a common complaint or something more serious. When they fail to properly make that distinction, they may face a lawsuit.

A medical malpractice lawsuit has been filed against a hospital for failure to diagnose bacterial meningitis in a 24-year-old man. The lawsuit, which names three other defendants in addition to the hospital, was filed by the man’s parents. Two of the defendants claim the man’s death had nothing to do with their actions. 

The lawsuit states that on August 13, 2011, the man became ill and stopped breathing while inside the hotel he was visiting with his parents. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance where he was resuscitated. He was put on life support equipment because he was brain dead; the next day he was removed from the equipment.

The day before the man stopped breathing, he visited the emergency room at the same hospital for a severe headache. The lawsuit alleges that during his initial visit, the hospital did not do everything it could to save his life. The defendants named in the suit allegedly treated the man on his first hospital visit. 

Doctors and other medical professionals are responsible for the lives and wellbeing of their patients. If they fail to do everything they can to treat a patient, the results can be disastrous. If you or a loved one is the victim of a negligent physician, you may be entitled to compensation. An attorney may be able to help. 

Source: SunHerald.com, “Parents’ lawsuit claims Biloxi hospital failed to diagnose son’s fatal meningitis,” Robin Fitzgerald, May 14, 2013