The multimillion-dollar medical negligence case brought by Slater & Gordon is now before the Supreme Court.

The hospital has denied allegations of negligence.

Supreme Court documents state Campbellfield student Tony Assi was 16 when he attended Northern Hospital's emergency department in Epping on November 4, 2006.

He complained of having had a headache and fever for four days.

He was sent home after several hours with a suspected viral infection.

The following day, the hospital called Mr Assi's family and told them his blood results had revealed a bacterial streptococcus infection, according to the statement of claim.

He returned to the emergency department on November 6, complaining of a persistent headache, neck stiffness and nausea.

At 1.15pm he was seen by a doctor who prescribed antibiotics and ordered him to undergo a CAT scan.

Both parties agree Mr Assi was not given antibiotics until November 7 – 28 hours later.

By that stage, the young man's condition had worsened.

Court documents allege the infection spread to the base of his skull and he suffered a permanent brain injury.

Mr Assi, now 21, was left paralysed in both legs and with weakness in one arm, and will need care for the rest of his life.

In the writ, Mr Assi's lawyers claim he should not have been sent home on November 4.

The writ alleges he would have recovered from the bacterial infection if he had been treated with antibiotics earlier.

Slater & Gordon lawyer Mia Campbell, who brought the case on behalf of Mr Assi, said his injuries were "very avoidable".

"It appears to be a simple case of an administrative error which has had catastrophic consequences," Ms Campbell said.

The hospital admitted in defence documents filed in the Supreme Court there was a 30-hour delay in antibiotics being administered, but did not provide an explanation for the delay.

In the defence documents, the hospital disputes the facts of the case and denies any allegation of negligence.

Northern Health spokeswoman Emma Diffen declined to comment because the case was before the court.