Meningitis is a highly contagious condition that affects the membrane surrounding your brain and spinal tissues. It can be bacterial, viral, or fungal and is most often seen in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and infants. However, even healthy adults can contract meningitis in hospital settings. Viral meningitis is more common in the United States than bacterial, but bacterial meningitis can be fatal if not treated within 24 hours.
If you believe dangerous or unsanitary hospital conditions at facilities such as UPMC Harrisburg caused you to catch meningitis, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Confidentially discuss your medical neglect claims with the dedicated medical malpractice lawyers at Marzella & Associates.
Determining the Cause of Your Meningitis Diagnosis
Because there are so many types of meningitis, it can be hard to determine whether you contracted the disease in a hospital setting. This is often the most significant barrier to recovering compensation in such cases. It’s important to work with contagious disease experts, such as those retained by experienced medical malpractice attorneys, to determine the source of the disease. Suppose you were in the hospital for reasons unrelated to an illness, such as a broken bone or visiting a friend, and you contracted meningitis within the week. This may be sufficient evidence to file a claim against the hospital in that case.
Symptoms of bacterial meningitis generally manifest quickly, often less than four days after the initial exposure, but it could take up to 10 days. A viral meningitis infection often begins showing symptoms within one week, and it can take fungal meningitis months to appear. If you develop flu-like symptoms, such as high fever, stiff neck, nausea, and headache, within a few days of leaving the hospital, you might have contracted the disease in the facility. Contact an attorney immediately to preserve your claims.
Holding Hospitals Liable for Meningitis
A lawyer might help you hold a hospital directly liable for a meningitis infection if unsanitary conditions or medical malpractice caused you to catch the disease. In hospital settings, meningitis spreads from infected people in the following ways:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Vomiting
- Spitting
- Kissing
- Unsanitary medical equipment and linens
- Prolonged contact with an infected person (such as a roommate)
If you were placed in a room with an infected person, including a small ER room, this could support your claim for damages. Because meningitis is considered an infectious and often fatal disease, failure to diagnose and isolate these patients quickly may result in medical malpractice claims against the hospital and negligent healthcare providers. Likewise, if the hospital did not sanitize beds and medical equipment before treating you, this might also have caused the disease to spread.
Contact a Harrisburg Medical Malpractice Law Firm Immediately if You Contracted Meningitis at a Local Hospital
If you are experiencing long-term complications resulting from meningitis contracted at a Harrisburg hospital, you might be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any anticipated future damages. Common long-term conditions resulting from meningitis include cognitive impairments, vision loss, hearing loss, and mobility disorders, often resulting in lifetime disabilities.
Because it can be hard to prove that you caught the disease at the hospital, it’s important to contact the dedicated hospital negligence lawyers at Marzella & Associates immediately to preserve your claims. Schedule a free and confidential consultation with our medical malpractice team today by calling (717) 678-7966 or contacting us online.