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Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis Compensation

If you, or a family member, have experienced delayed diagnosis, or misdiagnosis, for bowel cancer you could be entitled to compensation.

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Forbes Solicitors' bowel cancer misdiagnosis claims solicitors offer expert legal advice to individuals who have been misdiagnosed with bowel cancer due to misdiagnosis seek to claim compensation. Our bowel cancer negligence solicitors can assist with bringing a claim due to delayed diagnosis, incorrect treatment, and other reasons. Our bowel cancer misdiagnosis compensation claims solicitors understand the impact that misdiagnosis can have on individuals, thats why we work to achieve the best possible outcome for our clients.

What is Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis?

Bowel cancer misdiagnosis can occur when a doctor incorrectly diagnoses someone with a different condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome, when they actually have bowel cancer. This can lead to delayed treatment, which can worsen a patient's prognosis.

Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK; depending on where the cancer begins it can also be called colon or rectal cancer. Bowel cancer can be difficult to diagnose, as symptoms can be similar to other bowel issues, which are not as serious. However, if your symptoms persist, doctors and other medical professionals have a responsibility to act quickly as a late diagnosis or misdiagnosis can have devastating consequences, which can lead to the cancer being incurable or having to undergo more advanced treatment.

If you have suffered loss or harm due to a late diagnosis or misdiagnosis of bowel cancer, then you may be eligible to claim compensation. Our dedicated and professional bowel cancer solicitors will listen to your story. During our free consultation, we will be able to determine if you have a case or not. So, don't delay and contact our clinical negligence solicitors today.

Bowel cancer misdiagnosis

At Forbes Solicitors, our clinical negligence solicitors are experts in dealing with bowel cancer claims. We understand that bowel cancer can be difficult to diagnose, however, medical professionals have a responsibility not to ignore signs and symptoms and to also act quickly when they appear. A late diagnosis or misdiagnosis of this cancer can result in needing more aggressive treatment and unfortunately, it can also lead to the cancer spreading and becoming terminal.

Bowel cancer symptoms

Bowel cancer symptoms can be subtle and can be similar to other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), however, there are some key signs to watch out for:

A persistent change in bowel habits;
Blood in the poo without other symptoms (such as haemorrhoids);
Abdominal pain, bloating and discomfort brought on by eating.

The NHS recommends that you see your GP if you have one or more of these symptoms and they last for more than four weeks.

Bowel cancer can also cause a bowel obstruction which can be very serious and is a medical emergency. The symptoms of a bowel obstruction can include:

Intermittent, and occasionally severe, abdominal pain;
Weight loss without trying;
Constant swelling of the tummy and being sick.

How is bowel cancer diagnosed?

If you start to have symptoms of bowel cancer, then go to your GP who will carry out an examination. If they believe you have bowel cancer you will be referred to your hospital for tests and a further examination called a flexible sigmoidoscopy or a CT colonography. If you have a bowel obstruction you may be given a CT scan. Once these tests have been completed, health professionals will be able to determine if you have bowel cancer and if you do, what stage you are in.

Am I eligible for a bowel cancer misdiagnosis or late diagnosis claim?

To bring a successful compensation claim for delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, there needs to be a breach of the duty of care from a medical professional (whether private or NHS) that has caused harm or loss. This can include:

Failing to recognise the symptoms of bowel cancers;
Incorrectly diagnosing your illness;
Failure to carry out adequate tests such as scans, X-rays, sigmoidoscopy, blood tests etc;
Mistakes made by pathologists and radiographers. For example, missing vital signs of cancer while examining tissue under a microscope;
Failure to refer you for specialist treatment;
Not providing the correct treatment after diagnosis or medical staff failing to follow the treatment plan.

Bowel cancer can be commonly misdiagnosed as IBS, haemorrhoids and appendicitis. All of these conditions do have similar symptoms, however, your doctor or health professionals ought to refer you for tests to rule out the possibility of bowel cancer.

It may not be possible to claim compensation if a misdiagnosis or late diagnosis made little difference to the outcome. For example, a delay of a few months is unlikely to make much of a difference; however, if the delay or misdiagnosis has led to the cancer spreading, you may have a valid claim for compensation.

Our solicitors work on a no win no fee basis, and we are one of the very few law firms in Northern England who hold a Legal Aid Agency Clinical Negligence Franchise, which means we are recognized by the Legal aid agency as specialists in this area. Call our dedicated team of bowel cancer solicitors today on 0800 037 4625.

Bowel cancer compensation

By its nature, bowel cancer can be difficult to diagnose, but if you or any member of your family have suffered from medical negligence in regards to a bowel cancer misdiagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation. At Forbes Solicitors, we have approachable expert solicitors that can help you with your bowel cancer misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis claim. We can also represent families where the sufferer has already passed away.

Bringing a compensation claim can help you access specialist care and support, such as private medical care or medications that are not available on the NHS. You may also be able to claim for loss of earnings and any expenses you may have already occurred.

Bowel cancer solicitor

If you have suffered loss or harm due to negligence, then you will have three years to bring a claim. We recommend that you contact a specialist clinical negligence solicitor as soon as possible. Speak to one of our dedicated and highly qualified solicitors today, and if you have a case, we will be by your side throughout the whole process and ensuring that you know what is going on and what the next steps will be.

Our highly skilled teams possess vast expertise in providing proficient legal services for compensation cases related to misdiagnosis of Bowel Cancer to clients throughout the UK. Get in touch with us to communicate with our teams at the earliest opportunity.