We've got your misdiagnosis claim covered
Misdiagnosis Claims
Medical misdiagnosis forms the basis of the largest percentage of medical negligence compensation claims. The annual report from NHS Resolution indicated that 40% of notified claims related to wrong, failed or delayed diagnosis. The consequences of misdiagnosis can be devastating and can lead to delays in patients receiving the treatment they require.
What is a misdiagnosis claim?
Whilst diagnosis may be difficult in some circumstances, a treating clinician has a duty to consider all reasonable causes for your condition and to take steps to exclude or confirm any potential diagnosis. Some conditions may have similar signs or symptoms and in those circumstances a “differential” diagnosis would be appropriate. We have a unique understanding of this area as we’ve had years of experience in dealing with all the different aspects of misdiagnosis claims and medical negligence.
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The misdiagnosis compensation claims we handle are:
- Complete misdiagnosis
- Delayed diagnosis
- Cancer misdiagnosis
Medical misdiagnosis has many different forms but some of the most common we see are:
- A serious illness is allowed to progress unchecked or without being correctly identified
- Wrong medication is prescribed due to the misdiagnosis of the condition. This could result in a worsening or prolonging of your ailment
- Test results are misinterpreted or not properly assessed
- Inadequate consideration is given to alternative or differential diagnoses
- There is a failure to interpret test results correctly
- Your treatment is delayed because of misdiagnosis so your condition gets worse
- Misdiagnosis in pregnancy related cases can result in damage to the mother and to the unborn baby particularly in relation to a failure to recognise early signs of infection
Claiming cancer misdiagnosis compensation
Cancer misdiagnosis can be detrimental to a person’s wellbeing, particularly if the total misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis impacts your long-term health or leads to additional medical costs. This is a specialist claim type that requires dedicated legal expertise. Our solicitors are experts in medical negligence and have handled many cancer misdiagnosis claims successfully. Because of the complex nature of diagnosing a disease such as cancer, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can unfortunately happen. If there has been a delayed or missed diagnosis, then this can result in cancer progressing with a limitation of the available treatment options. In such cases, we can help to determine when cancer should have been diagnosed and how this affected your outcome to your detriment.
What common conditions are misdiagnosed on the NHS?
Because the symptoms of cancer and other conditions can mimic the symptoms of different diseases, many common conditions can be diagnosed incorrectly. This is particularly common during initial visits to the GP when symptoms are in their early stages. These conditions can include but are not limited to:
- Pancreatic cancer misdiagnosed as gallstones
- Ovarian cancer misdiagnosed as cysts
- Lymphoma misdiagnosed as various other illnesses
- Bowel cancer misdiagnosed as IBS
- Skeletal injury being treated as muscular pain
How to make a medical misdiagnosis claim
We know how stressful and consuming a legal claim can be and that’s why we’re here to take that stress away from you, and deal with your claim in a smooth and efficient manner. Our expert legal team will not only fight for justice for you, but will also be on hand to offer advice and support throughout your case – whether that be related to your claim, recovery and rehabilitation needs, or just to answer any questions you may have.
To start your claim, contact our specialist team and they will discuss your case with you.
Meet the team
Adrian Denson
Chief Legal Officer
Adrian joined us in December 2011 as Head of Serious Injury, leading the department through a period of significant growth, whilst working with customers following catastrophic and life changing events. In spring 2017, Adrian was appointed our Chief Legal Officer and oversees all of our legal teams, ensuring our customers are always at the heart of everything we do. Adrian has been named in the Legal 500 as one of the top 10 leading individuals for personal injury in the North West for the second year running.
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