Every parent enters the delivery room with hope and trust, counting on their medical team to provide the care and attention needed to safely welcome their child into the world. When that team fails to recognize a dangerous infection in a newborn, and the child suffers lasting harm as a result, parents may understandably feel a deep sense of betrayal. You did everything right, but the people you entrusted with protecting your baby did not.
Neonatal meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and it can develop during or shortly after birth. When medical providers fail to identify and treat it promptly, the damage can be permanent and life-altering. Our skilled birth injury attorneys take medical malpractice cases across the state of Pennsylvania. If your child was harmed in this way, contact Friedman Schuman Layser to speak with a Fort Washington meningitis malpractice lawyer who is ready to fight for your family.
Neonatal meningitis most commonly occurs due to bacterial infections, including Group B streptococcus, E. coli, and Listeria, which can be transmitted from mother to baby during labor and delivery. Viral causes, including herpes simplex virus, can also pass through the birth canal and lead to serious neonatal infections. Because newborns have developing immune systems, these infections can escalate rapidly when they are not caught and treated early.
Medical providers have a clear standard of care when it comes to protecting newborns from these risks. During pregnancy, doctors are expected to screen for and treat maternal infections that can be passed to the baby. During and after delivery, the medical team should monitor a newborn carefully for warning signs such as fever, unusual irritability, difficulty feeding, and rapid breathing. When these signs appear, the standard of care requires prompt diagnostic steps, including a lumbar puncture to test cerebrospinal fluid and the immediate start of appropriate antibiotic or antiviral treatment.
Negligence that constitutes meningitis malpractice can take several forms, including:
When these failures occur and result in a child suffering brain damage, hearing loss, seizures, developmental delays, or other serious harm, you can hold the responsible medical providers liable in a meningitis malpractice claim with help from our Fort Washington attorneys.
The harm that occurs when neonatal meningitis goes untreated or is treated too late can follow a child for a lifetime. Many families face years of medical appointments, therapies, assistive devices, and specialized educational support, in addition to the emotional weight of watching their child struggle with challenges that may have been preventable.
Our meningitis malpractice attorneys in Fort Washington can pursue a verdict or settlement that addresses the full scope of what your family has faced and will continue to face. This can include compensation for current and future medical care, physical and occupational therapy, specialized educational needs, assistive technology, and the pain and suffering your child and your family have endured.
These cases are complex, requiring a thorough review of medical records, an understanding of the applicable standard of care, and the ability to connect the failures of the medical team directly to the harm your child suffered. Our lawyers approach each case with the attention and dedication it deserves, building a strong foundation to pursue the outcome your family needs.
Your baby deserved skilled, attentive care from their very first moments of life. If a medical team’s failures led to a devastating infection and lasting harm, your family has every right to seek accountability and compensation.
At Friedman Schuman Layser, we are prepared to stand beside your family through every step of this process. We understand what is at stake for you and your child, and we are committed to pursuing the strongest possible case on your behalf. Reach out to Friedman Schuman Layser today to schedule a consultation and speak with a Fort Washington meningitis malpractice lawyer who is ready to review your case.
