It can be absolutely devastating for patients in cases where the doctors missed cancer signs and symptoms, and the impact can be severe and permanent.
It comes as no comfort when we’re told that we don’t have anything serious to worry about, only to discover later on down the line that there has been an error. As medical negligence specialists, compensation claims for a missed or incorrect diagnosis is a common type of case, and when it involves cancer, it’s a matter that needs to be taken seriously.
If this has happened to you or someone you know, here’s a little advice about what to do.
Where do you stand if doctors missed cancer signs and symptoms?
In cases where doctors missed cancer signs and symptoms, and a late diagnosis is made, you could be eligible to make a claim for compensation.
Whether you can claim or not will generally depend on two key factors:
- Whether the signs and symptoms should have been identified as cancer;
- Whether the delay in receiving the correct treatment has resulted in any further problems or complications.
If it’s the case that the correct diagnosis should – and could – have been reasonably made, we can argue that the medical professionals involved have be negligent. This can be the case for doctors at A&E, or perhaps your GP surgery, or other consultants.
What we then need to look at is if there has been any impact on you. If the delay in receiving the correct diagnosis has led to complications, that’s what you will typically be able to claim for. There has to have been some form of suffering that stems from the negligence.
What can you claim for?
In a case where doctors missed cancer, you could be eligible to claim for any further pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by the delay in receiving the correct treatment.
You could also claim for any additional losses and expenses as well.
For example, if you required further and more in-depth surgery because the cancer spread due to the late diagnosis, and this leaves you with a longer recover time or even permanent problems, that’s what you could claim for.
We use expert medical evidence to support this, and we also use expert evidence to establish that there has been negligence in the first place.
What to do when doctors missed cancer signs
If you’ve been the victim of a case where doctors missed cancer signs and symptoms, we may be able to help you if you’re a resident of England or Wales.
If we believe there are prospects of success, we can also offer our clients No Win, No Fee representation.
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