There are few occasions in life that are more distressing than a loved one receiving a diagnosis of cancer, but it is all the more wounding when that diagnosis arrives later than it should resulting in a worse prognosis for that person than it ought to have been. In some instances, this can even mean a patient dying prematurely when it was completely avoidable had it been diagnosed earlier.

Lung Cancer case not diagnosed for two years

TEN Legal are currently handling a case where a lady had visited her GP a number of times over a two year period, complaining of a persistent cough, pain in the left hand side of her chest and chronic, difficulty breathing and unexplained exhaustion. She was sometimes sleeping for 18 hours out of every 24, she was so tired. She was losing weight and there seemed to be no plausible explanation.

As a non-smoker, lung cancer was not suspected and instead she was advised that the symptoms she was suffering were due to anxiety and was prescribed anti-depressants. But the problem did not subside, and she made several more visits to the GP – each time she was told that the symptoms were anxiety and/or psychosomatic.

It was not until some time later, our client was admitted into hospital as an emergency because she was so unwell, that a routine scan was performed and a tumour was discovered on her left lung which was by now, the size of a grapefruit.

Major surgery was scheduled to remove the tumour – which also included the complete removal of one lung. She now suffers from respiratory problems that make it difficult to breathe, she cannot work and her quality of life severely impacted – with considerable costs incurred on a weekly basis to fund her day to day care.

In this instance, the GP practice was negligent in referring the patient for further tests – had the condition been identified two years earlier, it would not have been necessary to remove her entire lung and the consequences far less severe.

Tests cancelled due to Covid may equate to Medical Negligence

It has been widely reported that a great many tests (and also treatment) for cancer and other serous illnesses have been cancelled or delayed as a result of the national response to Covid, and it is likely that a great many avoidable deaths will occur as a direct result.

The Lancet predicts thousands of excess and unnecessary deaths from lung and colorectal cancers in the next five years as a result of missed diagnoses due to Covid-19.

Has this happened to you or someone you know?

If you, or a loved one has received a diagnosis of cancer that has been delayed a result of long waiting times or cancelled appointments – or if you already have a diagnosis of cancer and your treatment was cancelled, resulting in a worsened prognosis please get in touch with Chris Davis, our in-house Medical Negligence expert at TEN Legal who can advise whether you have the basis for a successful claim.

If your case has a realistic prospect of success, we will represent you on a No Win No Fee basis.

Find our more about Medical Negligence or Contact Us for more information. Please be assured that all enquiries are handled with the strictest confidentiality.

You can contact Chris Davis by emailing – cd@tenlegal.co.uk