Cancer Claims

Symptoms of cancer can vary depending on the cancer type, but there are some signs and symptoms that GPs should always recognise and take seriously as potential signs of cancer, including:

• Lumps – if you have quickly growing lumps, your GP should refer you for specialist tests as soon as possible
• Coughing, chest pain and breathlessness – having a cough for more than three weeks can be a sign
• Bowel habit changes – if you have had blood in your stools, abdomen pain, persistent bloating, or diarrhoea/constipation for an unknown reason, you should be referred for tests
• Moles – malignant moles display symptoms such as jagged edges, colour changes, itchiness, bleeding, asymmetrical shapes, and diameter growth
• Weight loss – a sign of cancer can be weight loss that can’t be explained by diet, exercise, or stress.

If you aren’t referred for the relevant tests by your GP, your cancer could develop to a more serious stage and need invasive treatment. Your tumour might even progress to a point where it’s incurable if it goes undiagnosed.

Handling more cases and winning twice as much in compensation as the next leading law firm, our medical negligence lawyers are here to help if your cancer was misdiagnosed, or spotted later than it should have been.

Most types of cancer have symptoms that are the same or similar to those from non-cancerous conditions. This means that your cancer could be misdiagnosed.

We may be able to help with your claim if you have experienced one of the following misdiagnoses:

• Breast cancer – like other inflammatory breast conditions, such as mastitis (painful and inflamed breast tissue) and fibrocystic breast disease (benign lumps in the breast)
• Bowel cancer – this can be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
• Lung cancer – signs can be mistaken for lung infections including bronchitis, tuberculosis, and pneumonia.

Thorough checks and referrals for specialist tests can help avoid cancer misdiagnosis. Healthcare professionals should know the tell-tale signs of cancer and they should know the importance of acting quickly to detect cancer early.

When misdiagnosis happens, the impact can be life changing. Misdiagnosis can also mean that you receive treatment for the wrong illness, which can be very harmful to your health.

We are here to help if you have suffered because of cancer misdiagnosis. We can help you get compensation and rehabilitation to make your life easier.

Misdiagnosis of cancer can result from negligent treatment. When rules aren’t followed or symptoms aren’t spotted, medical professionals aren’t providing the standard of care you deserve. If this has happened to you, we could help you make a cancer compensation claim.

You might be able to make a claim if the person treating you didn't:

• Carry out an adequate examination
• Refer you for the relevant tests
• Diagnose cancer despite indications from symptoms and test results
• Conduct the necessary scans or biopsies
• Interpret scans, x-rays or other test results correctly
• Send you for specialist cancer treatment
• Organise relevant follow-up care.

If you have suffered because of any of the above, we can help you make a compensation claim. Simply get in touch to find out more.

When you’re unwell, the last thing you need is financial worry. Compensation can help pay for:

• Specialist private medical treatment
• Rehabilitation
• Loss of earnings
• Expenses (e.g., travel costs).

We will always act efficiently to secure funds so your care needs can be met as soon as possible. Your settlement can help pay for private medical treatment.

We can only calculate how much compensation you are entitled to once we understand the full impact of the negligence. This might only become clear when we know how successful any later treatments have been.

You are likely to get more compensation if your cancer wasn’t diagnosed until a late stage. In these circumstances, compensation can pay for your increased care needs. If your diagnosis came at a point where the cancer had become terminal, your settlement can help with your family’s financial security.

If a loved one has died because of a cancer misdiagnosis, we can help you claim on their behalf. You can claim compensation on behalf of a loved one to account for:

• Their pain and suffering
• Any financial losses caused by their death
• Funeral expenses.

You might be able to claim if you are the spouse or child of the person who has passed away. We can also help you make a claim if you are the parent of a child under 18 who passed away, or if you were financially dependent on the person.

We understand dealing with the legal aspects of someone’s death while grieving can feel almost impossible. There’s normally a three-year time limit after the date of death to make a claim. If your loved one had a post-mortem that discovered negligence, then you will have three years from the date you were told. Our medical negligence compensation guide can tell you more about time limits.

Our lawyers could also help you access a statutory bereavement award. A flat rate of £15,120 is payable when a wrongful death has occurred. This is available if you are the spouse, civil partner, or parent (if under 18) of the person who died.

Yes, many of our cancer misdiagnosis claims use no win no fee agreements. When discussing your case, if we think you are best supported by a no win no fee agreement, we will explain what that means for you.

With a no win no fee agreement, you have nothing to pay until claim is successful, and your opponent will pay most of our fees.