When the symptoms of cancer are missed or incorrectly interpreted, the consequences can be life-threatening. At Been Let Down, we're here to support you through the difficulties that come before, during and after your cancer misdiagnosis claim.
To give you the best chances of recovery from cancer, it is vital that a diagnosis is made accurately and in good time. When your symptoms are missed or not interpreted correctly, the experience can be traumatic and life-threatening. Unfortunately, this is a real possibility in cases of cancer misdiagnosis.
The UK sees more than 385,000 cases of cancer every year. If there’s a chance that you have it, it’s important that you are assessed by a doctor and diagnosed as soon as possible. This will give you the chance to get the correct treatment and start recovering.
Doctors usually make a diagnosis in time for their patients to get suitable medical treatment. However, there are times when symptoms are missed, overlooked or not interpreted correctly, and cancer is misdiagnosed. Alternatively, a patient might be told that they have cancer when they don’t. Either way, the consequences can be severe if cancer is left undetected.
If you believe you might have experienced a misdiagnosis, this is a form of medical negligence and you could be able to claim cancer misdiagnosis compensation.
At Been Let Down, we understand that you’re going through an unimaginable situation. We will help you to seek the damages you are entitled to. With a team of expert solicitors who specialise in pursuing cancer misdiagnosis claims, we will guide you through the process.
Head of Clinical Negligence (Liverpool), Sara Stanger, secured justice for her client, after her husband sadly lost his life due to a delayed cancer diagnosis.
Click here to read moreThe term ‘misdiagnosis’ refers to an occasion where a doctor provides a delayed or inaccurate diagnosis of a medical condition, illness or injury. This mistake can delay treatment or mean that there’s none at all, leading to the patient’s condition worsening. In extreme cases, this can lead to their death.
While not all cancers are necessarily life-threatening, some can progress to other parts of the body if left untreated. Early diagnosis can help to introduce any necessary treatments to prevent it from spreading. If there have been missed or incorrect cancer diagnoses, there may be grounds for putting forward cancer misdiagnosis claims.
A cancer diagnosis may have been missed because of:
Your doctor may have not linked your symptoms to cancer and incorrectly given you a clean bill of health. The UK is currently facing unprecedented numbers of missed cancers as symptoms are frequently mistaken due to falling care standards since Covid-19.
Cancer may be detected in the early stages but incorrectly diagnosed. Patients can be prescribed the wrong treatment and even undergo surgical procedures that are not required.
In cases of breast cancer, for example, women may have had breast tissue taken away in error, leaving them emotionally and physically scarred. If you or a loved one are in this position, our medical negligence team can help you to make a claim.
When cancer is correctly diagnosed, but only after taking too long to recognise what it is and has metastasised or otherwise worsened. This is unfortunately becoming an increasingly common circumstance reported to our medical negligence solicitors.
A delayed or incorrect diagnosis can have catastrophic results. As cancer develops, it can progress through several stages, becoming increasingly advanced and hard to treat. It may even spread to other organs of the body if it reaches Stage 4, the highest stage.
Treatment options, like chemotherapy, are much more likely to be successful when cancer is detected early. This is why it’s essential that your doctor detects this disease at the earliest possible stage.
Cancer is the public’s biggest health concern. A recent study by Cambridge University Hospitals found that 70% of people worry about getting diagnosed too late. In the worst-case scenario, a delayed diagnosis could cause a preventable and untimely death.
In addition to failing to diagnose your cancer in time or correctly, a medical professional could be clinically negligent if any of the following occurs:
In any of these situations, we can help you to seek compensation for misdiagnosis of cancer.
The potential implications of a cancer misdiagnosis or late diagnosis can’t be understated.
Additionally, a misdiagnosis can lead to the missed opportunity for potentially life-saving treatment, or even cause a patient to undergo unnecessary treatments. If you have suffered a misdiagnosis for cancer, you may have experienced some of these horrific, unfair and uncomfortable circumstances.
Cancer misdiagnosis claims are designed to help those who have been through this awful situation get the compensation they need to get their lives back on track. When you speak to us and explain what happened, we’ll be there every step of the way.
If you think that you’ve been diagnosed too late, pursuing a claim could:
At Been Let Down, we understand the profound impact a cancer misdiagnosis can have on your life. Our team of expert solicitors, will guide you through this challenging time with compassion. We are committed to getting you the justice and compensation you deserve, ensuring that your case is handled with the utmost care and professionalism.
If you’re thinking of making a claim, it’s important to consider what the outcome would have been if your diagnosis had been made on time. Your medical team owed you a duty of care so it’s important to identify at which point in your treatment things went wrong.
The law doesn’t hold doctors responsible for every incorrect diagnosis.
On our side, we’ll need to prove the following to be able to demonstrate that negligence occurred:
Our friendly and experienced solicitors will discuss your case with you.
To start the claims process, contact us on our freephone number or via the simple contact form on our website. You’ll hear from one of our highly experienced legal team soon after you get in touch with us.
No matter how complex your cancer misdiagnosis may seem, you have nothing to lose in contacting us. We understand this is a difficult time, so please remember that your initial consultation will always be free of any obligation to go further.
We support our clients regardless of the type of cancer discussed. Whether you’re seeking our support for testicular cancer misdiagnosis, complications with bowel cancer treatment or any other type of cancer-related medical negligence, our expert team is on hand to talk to you.
No type of cancer is overlooked, and our professional team will discuss your case in strict confidence. Our solicitors have years of experience behind them and you can rest assured that you will be treated with empathy and respect. We cannot make the problem go away but we will do everything we can to put right what has been done wrong.
Whether you want to talk to us about your breast cancer misdiagnosis or make a claim for lung cancer misdiagnosis, we can help you move forward at this difficult time.
Please note that time limits apply for medical negligence claims. In the case of cancer misdiagnosis, this is typically three years from the date the injury or harm occurred, or from the date that you found out about the negligence.
We will be able to advise you which of these will apply in your case. Different rules on time limits also apply to children and protected parties, allowing more time to bring a claim.
Cancer negligence claims may feel overwhelming and complex but our team of solicitors specialise in successful outcomes. Our expert knowledge means we can steer your case in the right direction to win you the compensation you deserve.
Cancer misdiagnosis is one of the most serious forms of medical negligence. If your claim is successful, the final payout amount that you receive will depend on factors like:
No matter your circumstances, our team will evaluate your case fairly and thoroughly. We refer to Case Law and the latest edition of the Judicial College Guidelines to ensure best practice and to operate in line with other leading law firms.
We have the right team to support you through even the most complex cancer misdiagnosis claims cases. Here’s why you can rely on our knowledge and experience:
Get in touch today to regain some independence and get the cancer misdiagnosis compensation you deserve. Call us on 0800 234 3234 or contact us and we’ll call you back to discuss your first steps.
Sara is a qualified Solicitor and Head of the Liverpool Clinical Negligence Department at Been Let Down.
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