Being diagnosed with cancer can be a frightening experience, especially if there are problems getting the initial diagnosis. Chris Achilles, medical negligence solicitor at Jackson Lees, explains the dangers of a delayed or missed cancer diagnosis.

According to statistics, 1 in 2 people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Being diagnosed with cancer can be traumatic and overwhelming, only to be made worse if it comes to light that there was an opportunity to diagnose it earlier.

All healthcare professionals owe patients a duty to care to act and provide medical advice and/or treatment to an acceptable and reasonable standard, and patients have the right to expect that level of care. This makes it even more frustrating when things go wrong or get missed.

Wirral Globe: Chris Achilles, medical negligence solicitor at Jackson Lees Chris Achilles, medical negligence solicitor at Jackson Lees (Image: Jackson Lees)

It’s important that any suspicion of cancer is acted on at the very earliest opportunity. It is vital to make sure that thorough investigations take place, and that cancer is diagnosed as early as possible to improve treatment options and chances of recovery.

When medical professionals make errors, the symptoms of cancer might not be investigated as quickly or thoroughly as they should be, leading to a delayed diagnosis and treatment. This could lead to cancers progressing to more advanced stages, making it harder to treat and potentially having an impact on life expectancy.

When the expected standard of care is not met and an individual suffers harm or injury as a result, that person would have a legal right to make a claim for compensation.

If you believe you have suffered a delay in diagnosis of cancer which has impacted the staging of your cancer, the treatment options available and potentially your life expectancy, you may be entitled to a compensation claim.

While we know compensation doesn’t forgive what has happened to you, it can assist in lifting some financial strain, and highlight the patient care problems at the place you sought help, to avoid someone else suffering from a similar outcome.

Jackson Lees has a dedicated Medical Negligence team who deal with a variety of cases, typically on a No Win, No Fee Agreement. This means that if your claim is ultimately unsuccessful, you would not be charged for any of the work done to investigate your claim. This allows the team to investigate an alleged negligence claim without having to pass the cost onto you. We have a wealth of experience in dealing with all kinds of cancer cases, including:

  • Bowel cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Testicular cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Skin cancer

If you or a loved one has been affected by substandard medical treatment, you may be able to claim medical negligence compensation to help you move on from this mistake and put your life back together.

For a free consultation with one of our legal team call us on 0808 159 8144 or email enquiry@jacksonlees.co.uk or visit our website: www.jacksonlees.co.uk

If you have been injured by a medical professional, we are here to help you.

What we can do for you…

  • We deal with cases on a ‘no win, no fee basis’
  • We provide a dedicated team of lawyers supported by a doctor, nurse,  midwife and radiographer
  • We handle a full range of claims up to life changing injuries or those involving death of a loved one.
  • We have male and female solicitors available for sensitive issues
  • We can visit you at your home and out of hours if required
  • We are independently accredited as experts in this field by the Law Society and AvMA (Action against Medical Accidents).

If you feel you may have been mistreated medically, or if someone you care about has, please contact our dedicated team on 0808 159 8144 for a confidential chat with a legal expert.