No win, no fee delayed cancer diagnosis claims
You can be represented by a highly-experienced delayed cancer diagnosis lawyer at no upfront cost to you. Under our No Win No Fee agreement you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of the compensation awarded if your case is successful.
Delayed cancer diagnosis compensation claims
Every delay in cancer diagnosis and treatment is a risk to a person’s health and potential recovery; these delays are unacceptable and they can also be a breach of duty of care.
In many cases people whose treatment for cancer is delayed have less favourable outcomes and a higher risk of dying. In the case of Mary Badham, experts said a delay of two years cost her 10 years of life.
Our delayed cancer diagnosis solicitors have supported hundreds of clients and their families, providing expert legal support to question and challenge the care they received and securing damages for the impact it has on their lives.
Our dedicated medical negligence solicitors have vast experience, ensuring your case or the case of a loved one is investigated thoroughly and sensitively and you are provided with the support you and your family need.
Specialist delayed cancer diagnosis solicitors
Our dedicated medical negligence team have vast experience ensuring your case, or the case of a loved one, reflects the severity of the situation.
If you have received a delayed cancer diagnosis or misdiagnosis, our specialist medical negligence experts can support you in your claim and help you:
- Receive an explanation about your treatment.
- Get an apology.
- Secure delayed cancer diagnosis compensation.
Why cancer diagnosis delays happen
- Doctors not attributing a patient’s symptoms to cancer.
- Not being sent for appropriate tests.
- Delays in waiting times for tests and for test results.
- Patients not being contacted about their test and scan results.
- Scans not being correctly interpreted.
- Missing signs of cancer on scans.
Read how doctors missed opportunities to diagnose our client Tracey Ketch’s lung cancer
Due to the pandemic, waiting times for a cancer diagnosis and treatment have increased and it is likely many more people will have symptoms diagnosed late.
Hospital Trust admits mother would have avoided double mastectomy had breast cancer not been missed eight months before diagnosis
A mother-of-four had to have both breasts removed after doctors missed her cancer – causing an eight-month delay in diagnosis. Serena Russo, 54, of Worthing, West Sussex, discovered a small lump in her right breast in June 2019 and was examined at the breast clinic at Worthing Hospital. She was told her mammogram results were […]
Hospital Trust’s error caused 14 month delay in diagnosing lung cancer – costing patient years of her life
A hospital trust has admitted its errors led to a 14-month delay in diagnosing a patient’s lung cancer – causing her to have less precious time left with her loved ones. Eileen Peacock died aged 72 in December 2021, having known for her final 16 months that a hospital’s error had reduced her life expectancy. […]
Mother of inspirational teenager who died of cancer donates damages settlement to charity to support other families
The mother of an inspirational teenager who died from cancer has donated all money from a legal case relating to her daughter’s initial care to a charity supporting other young people battling the illness. Hope Rooms, of East Yorkshire, was aged just 12 when she was diagnosed with cancer, as a tumour grew in her […]
Patient given all clear after routine screening only to be told months later that ‘abnormalities’ had been present and cancer was now incurable
A London hospital trust has agreed a damages settlement with a woman who was told she had breast cancer – which had spread to her spine and liver – just nine months after being given the all-clear following routine screening. The woman, 52, who’d previously had a mass in her left breast in 2016 and […]
Portsmouth Hospital Trust caused 12 month delay in liver cancer diagnosis by failing to recall patient for scheduled reviews
A hospital trust has admitted causing a 12-month delay in diagnosing a patient’s liver cancer and agreed an out-of-court damages settlement with his widow. The patient, from Hampshire, was under the care of Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust for liver disease but was not recalled for vital blood tests and scans as he should have […]
Judge rules in favour of terminally ill cancer patient in legal case Hull hospital trust defended in court – despite already admitting negligent care
A judge has ruled in favour of a terminally ill cancer patient – and awarded her damages – in a case against a hospital Trust which took the matter to a trial despite having already admitted its treatment had been negligent. Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust admitted its failure to recall Denise Fallon for […]
How to make a delayed cancer diagnosis claim
Make a claim in six easy steps
Free Initial Advice
Call us, request a callback or complete our online claim form and we will assess whether we think you have a claim.
Funding
We will help you to decide how best to fund your claim. Usually, we will be able to offer you a No win, No fee agreement.
Obtain Medical Records & Medical Reports
We will request copies of your medical records and instruct appropriate medical experts to prepare reports confirming whether your care was negligent and how this caused you injury.
Letter Of Claim
We will send a letter to your healthcare provider with details of your claim, setting out why we think your case was negligent and how this caused you injury.
Prepare Claim Valuation
We will put together a schedule of loss setting out the losses you have incurred and the extent of the injuries you have sustained.
Negotiate Settlement
We will send all the evidence to your opponent inviting their settlement proposals. If we cannot agree a reasonable settlement, we will prepare court proceedings.
Start your claim today
Feel free to give us a call or begin your claim online
Our client reviews
We’re always committed to getting the optimum outcome for you.
FAQs
What are the guidelines for diagnosing suspected cancer?
From October 2023 NHS England created three key cancer waiting time standards. They are:
- 1: The 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard. Patients should have cancer ruled out or receive a diagnosis within 28 days. This applies to patients who have been urgently referred by a GP for suspected cancer, or following an abnormal cancer screening result or by a GP for breast symptoms where cancer is not initially suspected.
- 2: The 62-day Referral to Treatment Standard. Patients who have been referred for suspected cancer from any source and go on to receive a diagnosis should start treatment within 62 days of their referral.
- 3: The 31-day Decision to Treat to Treatment Standard. Patients who have a cancer diagnosis, and who have had a decision made on their first or subsequent treatment, should then start that treatment within 31 days.
However, waiting times can vary depending on the type of cancer you have and the type of treatment you are going to have.
How do I make a cancer claim?
If you or a member of your family has received poor medical treatment with regards to cancer, you may be able to make a delayed cancer diagnosis compensation claim. As a first step, our cancer claims solicitors are available to discuss your particular situation and the time limits that may apply.
We’ll conduct a free, confidential, no obligation consultation and listen to your circumstances. If we believe you have grounds to claim compensation, we’ll work with you to get the result you deserve.
This may involve working with independent medical professionals to understand the severity and impact that the misdiagnosis or late cancer diagnosis has had upon your health and your wellbeing.
We’ll contact those involved in your treatment to negotiate a settlement, and if they refuse to accept responsibility we can start court proceedings, helping you through the process every step of the way.
What evidence is needed for a delayed cancer diagnosis claim?
If you are able, keep records of all symptoms and discussions as well as calls and appointments with health professionals, including cancelled appointments.
If you can prove your delayed cancer diagnosis was caused by medical negligence, then you may have a claim.
Delays can’t be allowed to become accepted and must be challenged and investigated to ensure we are all better protected and cared for in the future.
Hudgell Solicitors has one of the UK’s leading medical negligence compensation claims teams, led by specialists with decades of experience.
We know that, beyond compensation, you’ll want to know why things went wrong and we’ll help you get the apology and answers you deserve along with the compensation you need to make the best recovery possible.
How much compensation will I receive for cancer misdiagnosis?
The amount of compensation you may be entitled to depends on your individual circumstances and how seriously the late diagnosis, has impacted your health and overall quality of life.
Compensation can cover any expenses you’ve incurred because of the medical negligence, such as hospital bills, transports costs, and rehabilitation fees, along with loss of earnings and any future expenses that have arisen due to the medical negligence.
Depending on the severity of your situation, you may also claim for compensation that reflects the pain and suffering you have experienced (and may continue to experience) because of the late cancer diagnosis.
Our expert cancer claims solicitors will be able to give you a better idea of what you may be entitled to, based on your story.
Can I make a cancer delayed diagnosis claim for someone else?
When a loved one has died due to a delayed diagnosis of cancer or misdiagnosis it is possible to recover compensation.
You may be able to claim if you are the partner, child or parent of the person who died of cancer.
Often there is a three-year time limit, three years from the date of death or from the date of knowledge.
What is medical negligence?
Medical negligence can result in life-changing injuries and, in some cases, outcomes can be fatal. Our advice article, What is Medical Negligence? helps provide a greater understanding of clinical negligence and the medical negligence claims process.
Doctors and healthcare professionals have a duty of care to their patients and must act with a reasonable level of skill and care to avoid causing avoidable harm to patients.
Medical negligence (also known as clinical negligence) occurs when a patient receives treatment which is below this reasonable standard of care and suffers harm as a result.
If this has happened to you, or a loved one, our medical negligence solicitors may be able to help you claim compensation.
Meet our delayed cancer diagnosis lawyers
Local lawyers at the heart of your community
Advice
Expertise. Trust. Authority
Why letters of apology are so important to patients when medical mistakes are made
In my work for Hudgell Solicitors, I represent many people who have suffered as a result of medical negligence, and most place receiving an apology from those treating them as a priority. People understand that medical mistakes can happen, but what they can’t accept is being faced with outright denials, and a lack of empathy […]
Common questions, misconceptions and advice about making a medical negligence compensation claim
In this article experienced Chartered Legal Executive, Ronke Bain, answers the common questions about clinical negligence claims. What is clinical negligence, and does it differ from medical negligence? Clinical negligence occurs when a healthcare professional provides substandard care that directly causes harm to a patient. This can include misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, surgical errors, medication mistakes […]
How to Make a Medical Complaint
If you’re not happy with the medical treatment you or a member of your family has received, you are legally entitled to have your concerns investigated. You should also receive a full response from the healthcare provider. Listen to Samantha Darwin, a senior medical negligence solicitor at Hudgells, explain how to make a formal complaint […]
Get in touch
Feel free to give us a call or begin your claim online