Negligent Bowel Cancer Diagnosis Delay and Claiming Compensation
April 2022 is Bowel Cancer Awareness month in the UK, aiming to raise awareness of what is currently one of the most deadly cancers.
As observed by Bowel Cancer UK, however, it is treatable and curable if diagnosed at an early stage. A delay in diagnosis or a misdiagnosis can allow the cancer to develop and spread, endangering the life of the patient or, where they survive, putting them at risk of developing life-changing symptoms. It may, for example, increase the likelihood that the patient will require a stoma to provide bowel function due to the impact of the cancer on their bowel.
If negligent medical care has caused you or a loved one to suffer due to a delay in diagnosing or treating this terrible illness, it may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
Symptoms and negligence
Symptoms which might suggest that a patient is developing bowel cancer could include the following:
- Blood appearing in faeces when you go to the toilet
- A change in bowel habits such as wanting to go to the toilet more frequently
- A loss of weight
- Tiredness
- Abdominal pain
A failure to investigate these symptoms or a failure to recognise their possible significance, leading to a delay in diagnosis, a misdiagnosis or a delay in referring a patient for specialist attention may all be regarded as negligent care.
UK guidelines relating to the management of a patient with suspected cancer require that a patient with suspected cancer has an appointment with a specialist within two weeks. Furthermore, there should be a delay of no more than two months between a referral to a hospital for suspected cancer and the start of treatment.
Delays beyond these guidelines may be regarded as substandard care.
Claiming compensation
If a patient who has experienced poor-quality medical care suffers a worse outcome than would have been the case with better care, the law entitles them to compensation. Where the impact of the negligent care causes significant financial losses, such as a loss of income, these losses would be taken into account in the claim.
However, compensation claims for medical negligence are extremely complex and require the skills of a specialist solicitor.
Speak to a specialist
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice with extensive expertise in this highly-specialised field. Contact us today if you or a family member have been the victim of substandard medical care.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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