This guide explains whether you could claim compensation if a bowel cancer diagnosis caused you avoidable harm. If a doctor misdiagnosed your cancer, it could have worsened your existing medical condition and affected your future prognosis. In some more severe cases, the misdiagnosis of cancer could contribute to a patient’s death.
Negligent bowel cancer diagnosis
A claim could be made for compensation accounting for the harm you have sustained due to medical negligence.
However, in order to make a claim, you must prove that medical negligence caused you to sustain harm. This guide will explore what medical negligence is in more detail.
You could begin your No Win No Fee claim by contacting Medical Negligence Assist today. An advisor could connect you with a solicitor from our panel to represent your claim on this basis. As part of their services, they can help you build a case to seek the compensation you deserve. We will explain more about the services they offer throughout our guide.
Please continue reading our informative guide. Alternatively, contact our team to discuss your potential claim by doing one of the following:
- Call our helpline on 0800 652 3087 to speak to an advisor.
- Start your claim online by filling out the form on our website with your details.
- Use our live support feature to ask our advisors a question right now.
Select A Section
- Can Doctors Misdiagnose Bowel Cancer?
- Common Bowel Cancer Symptoms
- How Long Do I Have To Claim For A Negligent Bowel Cancer Diagnosis?
- Why Claim For A Negligent Bowel Cancer Diagnosis?
- Bowel Cancer Diagnosis Error Compensation Calculator
- Why Contact A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
Can Doctors Misdiagnose Bowel Cancer?
The diagnosis of bowel cancer can involve an examination by your GP. After an examination, doctors may carry out different tests to rule out any other causes of your symptoms.
Cancer is a disease that can worsen over time. Therefore, it is important for a doctor to diagnose cancer as promptly as possible so that the patient can begin receiving treatment. If a doctor misdiagnoses bowel cancer, this error may prolong the time it takes for the patient to undergo treatment.
All medically trained professionals have a responsibility to provide patients with the correct standard of care. However, if they fail to meet this standard of care, this is known as medical negligence. Not all instances of medical negligence will lead to harm. If harm isn’t caused then you may not be able to seek compensation.
In order to seek compensation, you must be able to prove that you sustained harm as a result of medical negligence. To find out whether you’re eligible to claim, get in touch on the number above. Alternatively, continue reading to find out how bowel cancer could be wrongfully diagnosed.
Why Is Bowel Cancer Wrongfully Diagnosed?
There are scenarios where a trained medical professional could provide a bowel cancer diagnosis that is wrong. A misdiagnosis could happen due to a patient displaying unclear symptoms that do not typically fit the disease. This would not be classed as medical negligence. Not all instances of misdiagnosis are caused by negligence.
However, medical negligence (also called clinical negligence) could cause a misdiagnosis. Medical negligence means that a medical practitioner did not provide you, the patient, with the correct standard of care that their profession requires.
Here are some examples of how medical misdiagnosis could occur:
- A GP doesn’t take any further action or tests after hearing a patient describe symptoms that match those typical of bowel cancer and misdiagnoses them with a different illness. This could occur due to GP negligence.
- A colonoscopy may show growths that need to be checked to determine whether they are cancerous. However, further tests are not done and you are diagnosed with a different ailment.
- An administrative error means that a doctor receives the wrong test results and misdiagnoses a patient.
Medical professionals owe their patients a duty of care to provide a minimum standard of care. If you experienced medical negligence, this means a medical professional has breached their duty of care. You could claim compensation if you have been harmed by a misdiagnosis of cancer resulting from medical negligence.
Common Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Bowel cancer is a type of cancer that affects the bowel. It is also sometimes called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer is located. The symptoms of bowel cancer can also overlap with symptoms of other health problems. Therefore, your doctor may carry out tests to rule out other conditions before you receive a bowel cancer diagnosis.
Symptoms of bowel cancer can include:
- An ongoing change in your bowel habits.
- Blood in your faeces without other symptoms of haemorrhoids.
- Abdominal pain and bloating after eating.
In some cases, cancer can spread to other areas of the body. For example, according to Cancer Research UK, cancer could spread to the:
- Liver
- Lungs
- Lymph nodes
- Tissue lining in the stomach
If cancer spread due to a misdiagnosis, it could cause you additional harm. For example, if it spread to the lymph nodes, such as in the neck, this could put pressure on the spinal cord causing further complications.
Please see your GP if you are displaying bowel cancer symptoms.
How Long Do I Have To Claim For A Negligent Bowel Cancer Diagnosis?
Under the Limitation Act 1980, you normally have three years to start a medical negligence compensation claim. The time limit can begin on the date that you became aware that medical negligence caused your bowel cancer misdiagnosis. Alternatively, it can start from the date that medical negligence occurred.
There are some exceptions to the time limits, for example, if the person is under the age of eighteen at the time of the incident or if the person lacks the mental capacity to make a claim. Please contact our advisors to find out more. Also, they can provide advice regarding claims made on behalf of a deceased loved one due to medical negligence.
How To Claim For A Negligent Bowel Cancer Diagnosis?
When making a claim after receiving the wrong bowel cancer diagnosis due to medical negligence, there are several steps you may wish to take. For example:
- Gather proof of medical negligence: This can include doctor reports, hospital reports, prescriptions, statements of diagnosis and referral letters.
- Attend a medical appointment: You may be asked to attend an independent medical assessment as part of the claims process. This can produce a report detailing the full extent of the harm you suffered. It could also be used to help when valuing your claim.
- Seek legal advice: You can contact Medical Negligence Assist for free legal advice about making a clinical negligence claim for the harm caused by an incorrect bowel cancer diagnosis.
Our advisors could connect you with a solicitor from our panel who can offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis. For more information, get in touch on the number above.
Bowel Cancer Diagnosis Error Compensation Calculator
Each settlement following a successful medical negligence claim can comprise general and special damages. General damages account for the pain and suffering you experienced due to the harm sustained as a result of medical negligence.
We used the Judicial College guidelines (JCG) to create the table below. Solicitors use the JCG to help them value the general damages portion of settlements. Please note that your compensation payout may vary depending on the circumstances of your case. As such, the figures in the table should only be used as a guide.
| Injury | Compensation Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Back Injury | £91,090 to £160,980 | (a) Severe (i) Damage to the spinal cord could be included in this bracket. |
| Bowel Injury | Up to £184,200 | (a) The person may suffer double incontinence (losing bowel and urinary control as well as function). They may also have other medical complications. |
| Bowel Injury | Up to £150,110 | (b) Total loss of natural bowel function and dependence on a colostomy. |
| Bowel Injury | In the region of £79,920 | (c) Passive incontinence and faecal urgency. These persist after surgery and cause distress as well as embarrassment. |
| Bowel Injury | £44,590 to £69,730 | (d) A severe injury to the abdomen which impairs bowel function. A colostomy may be required on a temporary basis. |
| Bowel Injury | £12,590 to £24,480 | (e) A penetrating injury that causes some permanent damage but natural function and control will eventually return. |
| Lung Injury | £70,030 to £97,330 | (b) Severe pain and function impairment due to lung cancer. |
| Psychiatric Damage | £5,860 to £19,070 | (c) Moderate: The person will experience problems with various areas of their life but the prognosis will be good. |
| Psychiatric Damage | £1,540 to £5,860 | (d) Less severe: The award given will consider how long the person has been affected and to what extent. |
| Mental Anguish | £4,670 | The person fears death is pending and that their life expectancy has been reduced. |
You may also receive special damages which account for the financial losses caused by the harm you sustained. This can include travel expenses, care costs and loss of earnings. It is important to keep evidence of financial losses, such as travel tickets and bank records.
You can call our helpline to speak to an advisor about estimating how much you could claim. Additionally, they can advise you on the use of a compensation calculator to estimate your potential settlement amount yourself.
Why Use A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
If you wish to claim compensation for harm caused by a negligent bowel cancer diagnosis, please contact Medical Negligence Assist today. If you have a valid claim, you could be eligible to have a solicitor from our panel represent your claim.
They offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) which is a type of No Win No Fee agreement. The CFA provides you with a way to hire legal representation. As per the CFA, generally:
- You won’t pay any upfront or ongoing fees for a solicitor’s services. Nor will you pay for a solicitor’s services if the claim is unsuccessful.
- If your claim is successful, a success fee will be deducted from the compensation. The law caps the percentage that can be taken.
For more information on the services our panel of solicitors can provide or to discuss your potential claim after receiving the wrong bowel cancer diagnosis due to medical negligence, you can:
- Call our helpline on 0800 652 3087 to speak to an advisor.
- Start your claim online by filling out the form on our website with your details.
- Use our live support feature to ask our advisors a question right now.
Medical Negligence Claims Resources
Please read the guides below to learn more about making a medical negligence claim.
- Breast Cancer Negligence Claims – How To Claim Compensation
- How Long Does A Medical Negligence Claim Take?
- Misdiagnosed And Late Diagnosed Bladder Cancer Guide
- An NHS guide to the symptoms and treatment of cancer
- A guide on what to expect from your doctor from the General Medical Council
- A Cancer Research guide to bowel cancer
Please get in touch with us to enquire about claiming compensation for the harm caused by a negligent bowel cancer diagnosis.
Writer Hana Clarke/ Jess Olsen
Editor Meg Miller