Could your cancer symptoms have been picked up earlier?

How many medical intervention decisions are based on statistics rather than on the evidence presented by patients who know their own bodies? Those whose lives have been cut short because of an initial misdiagnosis would say ‘too many’.

So why are there so many missed opportunities for early intervention, and what can victims do to get justice?

Too often we hear of patients struggling to get a GP appointment and when they get one it is only a telephone appointment. They may then be ‘fobbed off’ with a simple diagnosis and suggested simple remedy. Several months later they get a face-to-face appointment and further investigation – which sadly may come too late.

One of the main reasons for this is that decisions for further investigation are all too often based on statistics!!

If, for example, a 23-year-old woman presents with serious abdominal pain and bloating, she will often be diagnosed with IBS – purely because her age puts her outside the statistical group identified as ‘typical’ for her symptoms being due to a more serious condition such as cancer.

If this happens, what should she do?

If the diagnosis turns out to be cancer, and especially if it is life threatening, the patient or her family members should seek advice from a medical negligence lawyer as soon as possible.

If it can be proved that the cancer was misdiagnosed, or diagnosed too late despite consultation being sought early, the patient could claim cancer misdiagnosis compensation and maybe even get specialist treatment not available on the NHS.

Most medical negligence lawyers offer clients a Free Claims Assessment. If they think you have a viable case, they will support you every step of the way if you choose to make a claim. Even if it is the case that a family member or loved one has died because of a late cancer diagnosis due to medical negligence, you may still be able to claim compensation.

When assessing the viability of a claim, your Medical Negligence Solicitor will need to consider your medical records, past medical history, the symptoms you were displaying and how many times you visited your doctor. Seeking advice from a reputable specialist lawyer is key to the success of a claim.