Cancer is a very serious health challenge and is a leading killer among non-communicable diseases. While no one would like to suffer from the illness, it is important that you know the true state of your health as chances of survival may be higher when a patient’s condition is diagnosed early enough. When a patient’s cancer case is not diagnosed straight away, the cancer may continue to spread and can reduce the person’s life expectancy.
In the UK, as many as 4 in 10 cancer cases are misdiagnosed. In other words, about 40% of all cancer patients get the wrong diagnosis at least once before the right cancer diagnosis is made.
A cancer misdiagnosis claim is one way patients or their loved ones can claim a deserved compensation for their suffering, pain, and complication.
Some of the effects of being misdiagnosed include;
- Your cancer continues to spread and needs a more invasive treatment plan.
- You may be receiving wrong and unnecessary treatment for another illness you do not have
- Your life expectancy may be reduced.
- You may suffer emotional trauma if you were wrongly diagnosed with cancer.
Therefore, if you or your loved one is in this situation, it is a very serious case, and you may be able to take legal action against your doctor for being negligent regarding your health and treatment.
You can begin your cancer misdiagnosis claims process with us today at no cost. We offer a free claim assessment to see if we can put you in touch with our partnered solicitors. Reach out to us at your earliest convenience and let us discuss your claim.
What Form Does a Cancer Misdiagnosis Take?
Cancer misdiagnosis can come in different forms which can include the following;
Delayed diagnosis: In this case, the right diagnosis was made much later than it should have been made. For some cancer cases, early detection greatly increases the chances of survival.
Some cancer types have a 100% survival chance when detected at the earlier stages. However, survival chances can fall drastically if detected at later stages. . An example of this is prostate cancer. In such a case, you could potentially have a claim.
Failure to diagnose (Missed Diagnosis): Your doctor may completely fail to diagnose your cancer condition. This may be due to failure to read or interpret your test results. These tests can include X-rays, blood tests, pap smear tests, etc. When your doctor fails to see a tumor, for instance, your condition may worsen. You could take legal action in this case as well.
Wrong Medication or Treatment: When a condition is diagnosed, the proper treatment must be given. Treatment must be effective but if the treatment or medication given by your doctor is wrong or unsuitable for you, it can also have dire consequences.
Some treatment options in cancer cases include- hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, etc. When they are not carried out properly causing you to suffer avoidable harm, you may be able to make a claim.
False All Clear: It can be devastating to be told that you no longer have cancer only to find out later that it was a false all clear. This can take its toll on you not only in terms of returning to treatment but also psychologically and emotionally. You could potentially claim in these circumstances too.
Recording and Administrative Mistakes: Errors such as recording the wrong results, misplacement or loss of medical files or failure to refer you to a specialist are other mistakes that can worsen your condition. If this is also your case, we are happy to help you.
In 2016-2018 some of the most common cancer examples include:
- Breast Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Bowel Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Melanoma Skin Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
How Are These Cancer Cases Misdiagnosed?
- Bowel cancer can be misdiagnosed as other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
- Inflammatory breast cancer can be misdiagnosed as cellulitis of the breasts, when there is failure to refer you for a mammogram or breast ultrasound, biopsy or needle aspiration.
- Failure of your GP to recommend Pap smear tests or HPV tests may mean that cervical cancer can be misdiagnosed as a different sexual health problem.
- Failure to recommend chest X-ray, CT scan, PET-CT scan, bronchoscopy, and biopsy, or endobronchial ultrasound can cause your lung cancer to be misdiagnosed as pneumonia.
- Ovarian cancer may be misdiagnosed as ovarian cysts as a result of failure to carry out relevant tests and scans such as an abdominal or pelvic ultrasound.
- Prostate cancer often has no symptoms and may be misdiagnosed as pelvic pain, hernia, or prostatitis.
Possible signs of That Your Condition Was Misdiagnosed
While this may be difficult to determine, if you do not show improvement even after being treated, then it can be a sign that you are not receiving the right treatment for the ailment you are suffering. It is important you go back to your doctor or seek a second opinion just to be sure you are being diagnosed properly or receiving the right treatment for the ailment.
Depending on the type of cancer, you may have some of these symptoms:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Bleeding, such as blood in the stool Bloating
- Unexplained weight loss or gain
- Lumps on the body
- Bowel changes
- Changes in skin colour
Please note the following while making cancer misdiagnosis claims:
- You should be able to show that your doctor had a duty of care to you but failed in that duty because of negligent treatment or misdiagnosis.
- Show that the misdiagnosis of your condition is the sole reason for your suffering.
- Prove that you have incurred damages as a result of the misdiagnosis or doctor’s negligence.
- Remember that you have three years from the date of the negligence or the time you became aware of the negligent treatment to make your claim.
We are a claims management company and receive payments from our partnered law firms for our service. If you qualify for a free claim assessment and that assessment is successful, you will be connected to our partnered medical negligence solicitors who are professional experts in cancer misdiagnosis claims..
We work with law firms across the UK including Liverpool, Manchester and London. You can rest assured that our partnered solicitors will provide you with the right legal representation and seek out the compensation you deserve.
You can always reach out to us via our helplines 0800 644 4240 or fill out our online free claims assessment form to start your claims process.
