When dealing with medical illnesses and conditions, prompt diagnosis and treatment is often necessary. One mother recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against her daughter's former pediatrician for failing to diagnose that the then 8-year-old was suffering from viral meningitis.

Viral meningitis occurs when portions of the brain and spinal cord coverings become infected and inflamed. When diagnosed early, the virus is treatable and most individuals make a full recovery. When a doctor errs and fails to diagnose that a patient is suffering from viral meningitis, the infection and inflammation may impact an individual's brain, resulting in irreversible brain damage or even death.

Individuals infected with viral meningitis often experience symptoms including fever, headache and stiff neck. If a doctor suspects a patient may have viral meningitis and diagnostic tests rule out other possible illnesses, a spinal tap should be performed to make a formal diagnosis.

In the case of the 8-year-old girl, she displayed symptoms common with viral meningitis and her doctor even noted the virus as a possible cause of her discomfort. Her doctor, however, failed to perform a spinal tab and instead sent the little girl home with instructions to keep track of her headaches.

Two days later, the young girl suffered a seizure. Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors diagnosed the girl as suffering from viral meningitis. Unfortunately, there was little they could do as the virus had progressed and infected the girl's brain. She continued to suffer seizures and fell into a coma. While the young girl lived, she suffered irreversible brain damage that forced her to relearn to walk and talk.

Today, the now 15-year-old young woman functions at a 3-year-old level. She requires assistance with dressing and eating and spends most of her time in front of the television. As a result of the brain damage she suffered, the girl will need assistance for the rest of her life. A defense expert recently estimated the cost of such professional assistance to be roughly $14 million.

Source: Lowell Sun, "Lowell mother takes stand in malpractice suit; says daughter disabled by missed meningitis diagnosis," Lisa Redmond, March 1, 2013