Why bring a cancer compensation claim for negligent care?
A patient, not happy about their care, may understandably wish to bring a medical negligence claim for compensation. They may also want to try and prevent mistakes happening to other cancer patients in the future.
There can be many good reasons for asking Medical Lawyers whether you should bring a claim for cancer compensation. You, or a loved one, may feel that:
- a GP or a hospital doctor did not take symptoms seriously.
- Test results were misinterpreted.
- Appointments for investigations were late or kept being cancelled and rearranged.
- Late diagnosis meant that more extensive surgery was needed.
- Late diagnosis allowed cancer to spread.
- Late diagnosis took away any chance of a cure.
We often take on medical negligence cancer claims for families after they have lost their relative to cancer. We represent the family, including the children of the family, in such circumstances.
Clearly, early diagnosis is essential to the chances of a cure. Misdiagnosis of the type of cancer can lead to undertreatment of cancer or overtreatment of cancer. Early diagnosis can also lessen the financial impact of having to undergo treatment, by reducing recovery time. Delay can have devastating effects not just on the patient, but their loved ones, who may be reliant on them financially, as well as emotionally.
Many cancers respond well to early treatment such as cancer of the colon, breast, lung, prostate, cervical, vulval, testicle, kidney and non-small cell cancers. Unfortunately, other cancers have a poor chance of recovery regardless of when the cancer is detected. These types of cancers include small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer (unless there is early detection before the ovarian cancer has spread elsewhere).
