Cancer claims

There have been great advances made in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Research is being undertaken with the aim of finding a cure for cancer and whilst this is still some way off, survival rates have improved.

Cancer does not always mean a death sentence. If it diagnosed early enough then you have a very good chance of beating this disease and living a normal life.

But, the emphasis is on ‘at an early stage’. If someone is diagnosed with cancer at a very early stage then their prognosis is likely to better than for someone whose cancer has been detected at a later stage.

Doctors use a ‘number staging system’ to assess the extent of cancer. This is as follows:

• Stage 1: localised cancer (early stage)
• Stage 2 and Stage 3: the cancer is more widespread and may have progressed to the lymph glands.
• Stage 4: cancer has spread to other areas of the body (known as ‘secondaries’).

(Source: Cancer Research UK: Cancer Stages)

Cancer

We are all familiar with the term ‘cancer’ which is one of the major causes of death in the UK. According to statistics around 1 in 3 people will get cancer at some point in their lives. This is caused by various factors, one of these being the modern Western lifestyle.

(Source: Office for National Statistics)

Cancer occurs as a result of abnormal cell division. Cells within the body grow and reproduce themselves on a constant basis in order to perform a range of vital functions.

But if something goes wrong these cells start to divide and multiply uncontrollably which results in the formation of a lump or tumour. A tumour is categorised as benign or malignant.

Importance of an early diagnosis

The earlier a tumour is diagnosed the greater the chance of a cure. This will influence the treatment you receive and the likely outcome.

But if there is a delay in this diagnosis then this will impact upon your chances of a recovery. This is upsetting for both you and your family.

Sadly there are cases where people are given a diagnosis of cancer at a later stage or are told that they are terminal. This is a devastating piece of news which is particularly so if the cancer could have been successfully treated if it had been detected at an early stage.

There are cases where someone has experienced a great deal of pain and discomfort from an illness which has been misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all only to discover that they have cancer.

They have lived with the symptoms for a long period of time which has been stressful for both them and their family and this is further compounded when they are given the bad news.

If this has happened to you then you may be able to claim compensation due to medical negligence.

Making a claim for compensation for cancer due to medical negligence

We recognise that money will not change this diagnosis or alter the situation but it may help to pay for the costs of nursing care, specialist treatment and any other additional expenses.

For example you may have to change jobs or give up work due to your illness. If this happens then you and your family’s income will be drastically reduced which may cause financial hardship.

Consider making a claim if a parent or relative recently died as a result of a late diagnosis of cancer.

In any of these situations compensation can help.

Look for a personal injury solicitor, law firm or claims assessor who handles these types of claims. They will have knowledge, experience and understanding of what this type of claim entails and the likely outcome.

They should deal with a claim for cancer in a sympathetic manner and advise you accordingly.

Our making a claim for compensation section discusses the claims process in greater detail.

Time limit for claiming compensation for cancer

Time limit for personal injury claims is usually 3 years but this differs in certain categories of claims. Your personal injury law firm or solicitor will discuss this further with you.