Personal

Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis

If you have suffered from a misdiagnosis of ovarian cancer, we have expert medical negligence solicitors that can help you with your clinical negligence claim.

SOLVING PERSONAL LEGAL MATTERS

Ovarian cancer is a serious condition that requires prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment. If you have suffered harm as a result of a misdiagnosis of ovarian cancer, our ovarian cancer lawyers can help you to pursue a claim for compensation. At Forbes Solicitors, we have a specialist ovarian cancer misdiagnosis claims solicitors who can provide expert advice and representation to help you to recover the compensation you deserve.

What is Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis?

Ovarian cancer misdiagnosis is an incorrect diagnosis of ovarian cancer, which is a type of cancer that affects the ovaries. A misdiagnosis can result in delayed treatment, incorrect treatment, or even harm to the patient.

Finding out you have ovarian cancer is life changing, but being misdiagnosed or given a late diagnosis can be devastating. Ovarian cancer is the 15th most common cancer in the UK, and while it only accounts for 2% of all new cancer cases, discovering that medical negligence has contributed to misdiagnosis or a delayed diagnosis can mean you might endure more invasive, intensive treatment; or, in some cases, it may result in a terminal prognosis.

Sometimes, symptoms of ovarian cancer do not become apparent until a later stage. This means it is vital that your doctor picks up any signs as quickly as possible and sends you for appropriate tests and scans, or refers you to a specialist in a timely manner.

Ovarian cancer solicitors

Our medical negligence solicitors are experts in dealing with cancer misdiagnosis claims. We know that finding out you have ovarian cancer can be devastating and discovering the condition was misdiagnosed can be even more stressful. Late or misdiagnosis of ovarian cancer can result in the cancer spreading and becoming terminal.

At Forbes Solicitors, we can help you bring an ovarian cancer claim against the NHS, a private clinic or healthcare professionals. As we believe in access to justice, we are one of the very few law firms in North West of England who can offer Legal Aid for clinical negligence, which means we are recognized by the Legal aid agency as specialists in this area. We may be able to offer our services on a no win no fee basis. If you have suffered loss or injury due to a late diagnosis or misdiagnosis of ovarian cancer contact our understanding and expert medical negligence solicitors today on 0800 037 4625.

What are the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer?

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are not always straightforward, as they can be similar to other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other bowel issues. Common symptoms include:

Feeling bloated all the time
A swollen tummy
Discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area
Feeling full quickly when eating
Needing to pee more often than normal.

The NHS website recommends going to see your GP if you have felt bloated more than 12 times a month, you have a family history of ovarian cancer and are worried and if you have other symptoms of ovarian cancer that won't go away.

How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

To help diagnose or rule out ovarian cancer, your GP may recommend a blood test to check for a substance known as CA125. If you show a high level of CA125 in your blood, then it's a possible sign of ovarian cancer. However, the rise could be due to other, less serious conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids or pregnancy.

If you have high levels of CA125 you may be sent for an ultrasound and if abnormalities are found then you could be sent for further tests which may include CT scan, X-ray, needle biopsy or laparoscopy. These tests will confirm the diagnosis and help determine how far they have spread.

How do I know if I have a late or misdiagnosed ovarian cancer claim?

A compensation claim can only be brought if there has been a breach of the duty of care by medical professionals, which has resulted in harm or loss to you. It may be possible to claim compensation if:

Your ovarian cancer was misdiagnosed;
Your ovarian cancer was diagnosed late due to medical negligence, and resulted in more aggressive or invasive treatment being required;
Correct tests were not carried out;
Scans or biopsy were not given or misread;
Blood tests were not taken or misread.

It is usually not possible to claim compensation if a late diagnosis would not have changed the end result.

As mentioned above, ovarian cancer can be difficult to detect as symptoms can be like other conditions which are not as serious. It has been known for ovarian cancer to be misdiagnosed as IBS, urinary tract infection or changes during the menopause amongst others. The clinical guidelines set by NICE currently state that 'women over 50 rarely present with IBS for the first time, in these cases serum CA125 should be measured.'

If you have suffered loss or harm due to medical negligence, then it may be possible for you to claim compensation. However, it is usually not possible to claim compensation if a late diagnosis would not have changed the end result.

Ovarian Cancer compensation

Our expert medical negligence solicitors are here to help you get the compensation you deserve. If you or a family member have suffered from a misdiagnosis or late diagnosis of ovarian cancer, we have friendly expert solicitors that can help you with your medical negligence claim. In many cases, we can also represent families after the sufferer has already passed away.

The amount of compensation you may receive will depend on several variables such as:

Loss of earnings
The effect the late or misdiagnosis has on the outlook for the cancer
The impact it has had on your life
Out of pocket expenses
The kind of treatment needed

Claiming compensation is not only about seeking justice, but you may also be able to gain access to treatment or medications that are not available on the NHS. Depending on your case, it is possible to request advanced payments to help pay for the care you need.

If you have a cancer misdiagnosis claim, then our dedicated team of clinical negligence solicitors will be with you throughout the whole process. Such claims can take time and require a meeting with a medical expert and potentially other experts to understand the extent of your condition and what treatment you will need in the future. This will help us work out how much compensation to ask for.

If a late or misdiagnosis of ovarian cancer has caused you loss or harm, then contact us today on 0800 037 4625.

How long do I have to make an ovarian cancer compensation claim?

Claims such as ovarian cancer misdiagnosis fall under clinical negligence law, so this means you have three years from the time you found out about the late or misdiagnosis to bring a claim. If a loved one has passed away with ovarian cancer, then you can still pursue a claim on their behalf. If a late or misdiagnosis of ovarian cancer has caused you loss or harm, then contact our dedicated clinical negligence solicitors today on 0800 037 4625.