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Cancer Negligence Claims
Reviewed by
Peter Rigby - Managing Director of Medical Negligence | Last updated on: 18th July, 2025
We've got your Cancer Negligence Claim covered
- No win No fee
- Not just lawyers - real specialists
- No obligation
- UK's highest-rated medical negligence solicitors
When you’re dealing with a cancer diagnosis, concerns over the standard of care you’re receiving should be the last thing on your mind. Unfortunately, with almost half of cancers diagnosed at a late stage, the reality is that sometimes mistakes are made.
As well as a delay in diagnosis, some patients will suffer a delay in the treatment of their cancer or experience avoidable mistakes made during their treatment.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to medical negligence under these circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation to address the physical, emotional and financial damages caused by these errors.
What is cancer negligence?
Cancer misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis or improper treatment are all forms of cancer negligence and can significantly reduce a patient’s chances of survival. Medical research indicates that 38% of cancer cases are preventable, underscoring the critical importance of timely and accurate medical care.
Every healthcare professional must treat patients according to a code of conduct and meet the ‘duty of care’. If your cancer treatment did not adhere to this duty of care, and the consequences have resulted in suffering that would otherwise have been avoided, this is considered to be medical negligence.
Types of cancer claims we support:
We’ve supported hundreds of people like you who have been let down by a health professional. Some examples of the types of cancer claims we have handled include:
- Skin cancer claims
- Bowel cancer claims
- Prostate cancer claims
- Lymphoma claims
- Pancreatic cancer claims
- Lung cancer claims
- Chemotherapy claims
If you have received any sort of cancer negligence, we can help you make a cancer negligence claim at Patient Claim Line.
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Making a cancer negligence claim
If you find yourself seeking legal advice for a cancer negligence claim, our expert team of solicitors will provide you with much-needed guidance and reassurance. When you are claiming for cancer negligence, we will guide you through the process and explain:
- If we are able to take on your cancer claim, and if we believe that we can win you the compensation you’re entitled to
- How your cancer negligence claim will be handled, and what information we need from you
- How much your claim may be worth
- How compensation can help you
- How our No Win No Fee agreements work
Cancer misdiagnosis claims
Cancer misdiagnosis claims can arise from various factors, including delayed diagnosis or incorrect diagnosis. Many early-stage cancers can present subtle symptoms that may be misdiagnosed for less serious conditions
The NHS has set targets to diagnose 75% of cancer cases at an early stage, aiming to improve survival rates, with a goal of 80% by 2025. As it stands, this target is not being met.
It’s worth noting that cancer misdiagnosis and negligence can happen at any stage, including initial appointments, after having tests, or when receiving treatment like chemotherapy. When a patient visits a medical professional to check a symptom, it should be thoroughly investigated and the right course of action should be taken as quickly as possible to avoid cancer misdiagnosis.
During early appointments, you will be examined and, if a GP suspects you have cancer, they should make an urgent referral within two weeks (as stated on the NHS’s online waiting times guide). If this does not happen and you later learn you do have cancer, it can be confirmed as medical negligence and you may have grounds for cancer misdiagnosis compensation.
How do I know if I can make a cancer negligence claim?
If you were not referred to a specialist within two weeks and your cancer diagnosis is delayed, you may be able to claim for any suffering caused. Likewise, if your cancer was misdiagnosed as a less serious condition or at the incorrect stage, you may have a cancer negligence claim.
Some common examples of cancer negligence claims include:
- Failing to request the proper tests within the right time period
- Misreading test results, such as blood or tissue samples
- Not recording patient information or symptoms properly
- Misdiagnosing the cancer as a different illness
- Prescribing the wrong treatment
To make a cancer negligence claim, it must be proven that, if any of the above did occur, this had a direct impact on the outcome of your cancer, and this outcome could have been avoided.
If you are unsure whether you can make a cancer negligence claim, get in touch with us today, and you can find out for free whether or not you can make a compensation claim.
How much can I expect from my cancer negligence payout?
There is no absolute settlement figure for cancer negligence claims, as every case is different. When helping you to make a claim for cancer negligence, we are dedicated to securing a compensation amount that fairly represents the distress you have suffered and the costs you have faced. Typically, when making a cancer claim, you will receive compensation for the following:
- Accounting for any medical fees you faced
- Costs of palliative equipment or changes to your home
- Loss of earnings while undergoing cancer treatment
- Transport costs if cancer has left you unable to drive
- Loss of earnings for a loved one who has become your carer
- Compensation for the pain or suffering you have experienced
- Counselling and support services
With a cancer negligence claim, the final compensation figure will be decided according to your circumstances. However, using a specialist cancer negligence solicitor will ensure you have the best chance of getting the maximum settlement that you are entitled to. At Patient Claim Line, we have helped many clients receive compensation for cancer negligence claims, with figures exceeding seven figures in some cases.
No-win no-fee cancer negligence claims
When dealing with a cancer diagnosis, the last thing you want to worry about is funding a compensation claim. It’s for this reason that every cancer negligence case with Patient Claim Line is on a ’No Win No Fee’ basis. This means that if we don’t win your case for you, you don’t pay a penny.
What does No Win No Fee mean?
‘No Win No Fee’ is a type of legal agreement that essentially makes it easier to pursue financial compensation for medical negligence and injury, no matter your own personal financial status. With No Win No Fee, you won’t have to pay to have your claim assessed and you won’t have to pay legal fees if your claim is unsuccessful.
At Patient Claim Line, we know that the last thing you need if you’ve suffered personal injury or medical negligence is to worry about hidden charges. That’s why we make it easy for you to bring a claim without fear of unexpected costs. We ONLY work on a No Win No Fee basis, and we NEVER ask for money upfront. That’s our promise to you.
How to make a claim
We understand the distress that can be caused by delayed or inappropriate cancer treatment, so we aim to take the stress out of making a medical negligence claim.
From your initial enquiry, right through to the settlement of your case, our experienced team will support you through the process, listening to you and answering any questions you might have.
Why Choose Patient Claim Line for your Cancer Negligence Claim?
Not just lawyers — medical negligence experts
Patient Claim Line was established in 2014 and consists of a team of medical lawyers specialising in cancer negligence and general medical negligence claims.
At Patient Claim Line we have more than 100 solicitors with a combined experience of over 400 years and they will work on your behalf to achieve the best result possible for you.
It’s not enough to use a solicitor who sometimes covers medical negligence. You need someone who knows this area through and through. That is what the solicitors here at Patient Claim Line do. They deal exclusively in this area of law and are experts in the field.
Frequently asked questions about Cancer Negligence Claims
Our expert legal team answer your questions about making a Cancer Negligence Claim
We understand how important it is to receive an estimated compensation figure ahead of pursuing a cancer negligence claim. Although we cannot calculate an exact figure beforehand, our legal teams will provide you with as much information as possible, guided by their many years of experience dealing with cases like yours.
There are now a range of screening options for many types of common cancers. However, some less common cancers can be harder to detect. For instance, pancreatic cancer can exist in the body for a long time before symptoms become obvious and, even then, can be misdiagnosed as a digestive illness. Lymphoma can also be misdiagnosed as a more common illness due to its effect on the immune system. Patients typically develop a cold or the flu which may be mistaken as a virus.
Should your friend or a member of your family fall victim to a negligent cancer diagnosis, you can claim on behalf of them under the following circumstances:
- You are the spouse or child of an individual who unfortunately died as a result of cancer negligence or misdiagnosis.
- You are the parent of a child under the age of 18 who has experienced cancer negligence.
- You can prove that you were financially dependent on the individual who has died.
- You are acting on behalf of the estate of the deceased person or you are sorting the affairs of the deceased person.
Ordinarily, there’s a three-year time limit to submit your claim – either from the date of the negligence or from your date of knowledge of the negligence, whichever is later. In the case of a deceased person, the three years runs from the date of death of a loved one.
When it comes to making the cancer negligence claim itself, there is no set time frame. The time from initial consultation until final settlement will vary depending on the individual circumstances of your cancer claim.
Once we accept your claim, we always work on a no win no fee basis. This means that if you pursue your claim with us, and the claim is not successful, you walk away without having to pay us a penny.
Meet our Cancer Negligence Team
Case Study
Sarah's Story
"Now we have peace of mind"
My husband, Nick, went back and forth to the doctors for a long time and tried everything the doctor recommended. But his illness got worse, to the point that he was in agony.
In the end we got so desperate that we asked for a referral. The doctor was reluctant, so we had to consult a private hospital. That’s when we found out there was a tumour. It took years from the onset of his illness to finally start cancer treatment.
He used to be a man with a lot to live for, but in the end he was in so much pain that he withdrew from the family. He became angry that nobody had helped him sooner, and the legal team were able to give him the validation that he was desperately seeking. The NHS confirmed if they had done more, Nick would still be alive today.
