Almost all medical negligence in respect of skin cancer is related to misdiagnosis of some sort, which in turn leads to delays in treatment. As the survival rate for early diagnosis of skin cancer is so high, diagnosis of the condition early can often mean that treatment is no more than a topical cream, or a minor operation to remove a limited area of skin around a mole or blemish. 

 

A combination of an early diagnosis and treatment is the best way to ensure survival and full recovery, and even if the cancer is not wholly removed, the prospects of having a second chance to treat the cancer and a longer life are increased by early treatment. So, any missed opportunity to diagnose the condition, is potentially denying the chance of survival, increasing the prospects of more invasive treatments and likely reducing life expectancy. 

 

Negligence occurs when a medical professional, at any stage, misdiagnoses your symptoms as something else and either provides or refers you for the incorrect treatment or simply does not treat you at all. If, because of the act of negligence, your symptoms worsened or your condition is missed entirely, you are entitled to make a claim for cancer misdiagnosis personal injury compensation. If this is the case, get in touch with our expert cancer misdiagnosis solicitors today to begin your claim, here. 

Generally speaking, a skin cancer misdiagnosis will fall into one of three categories: 

 

 

 

 

While most misdiagnoses fall into one of these three categories, skin cancer can go unchecked from anything from a few weeks to years, for a huge multitiude of reasons. Mistakes and negligece from medical professionals can occur at any stage, including: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With all personal injury and medical negligence cases, it is very difficult to establish a concrete prediction for how much financial compensation each claim will receive. However, this can be even more complex when it comes to skin cancer misdiagnoses. This is because every case is unique, and the effect that a misdiagnosis had on the development and treatment of your melanoma, as well as the psychological impact that it might have had, varies hugely from patient to patient.  

 

However, our expert medical negligence solicitors are able to pay close reference to the most up to date guidance, the Judicial College’s 15th edition guidelines for the assessment of damages, and interpret this to provide estimates for different injuries, including psychological damage. These are known as general damages, and cover the injury itself, whether that be psychological or a reduced life-span due to a skin cancer misdiagnosis.  

 

This is then combined with any other losses, such as financial losses, is known as Special Damages. The most common Special Damages for skin cancer misdiagnoses include lost earnings, medication costs and travel expenses.See a full overview of the terms, here.  

If you have suffered as a result of medical negligence, then you have three years from the date of the negligence, or from your knowledge that the medical practitioner’s negligence has caused your cancer to be misdiagnosed, or worsen, within which to pursue a claim for compensation. The three year time limit is subject to the Limitation Act 1980, but if you were under 18 years old when the negligence occurs, then you have three years from your 18th birthday within which to make a personal injury claim. If the claim relates to a patient who can’t manage their own affairs because of a mental disability, the 3-year period doesn’t apply until (and unless) they recover from their disability. In both these cases, a parent or other person close to them can make a claim on their behalf. 

 

In relation to timescales for pursuing a medical negligence claim, we always advise our clients that if you are thinking of pursuing a claim for medical negligence compensation, then do so as soon as you can. The reason for this is simply that the Limitation Act can be rather cruel, and despite having a period of 3 years within which you are able to make a claim, what a lot of solicitors do not mention, is that the 3 years time limit is not the time limit you have to advise your solicitor about your medical negligence claim- the 3 years is the time limit to actually issue your claim at court, meaning that if you approach a solicitor very close to the 3 year deadline, then there is every chance that your medical negligence compensation claim will not be accepted.  

 

It is wise to put the wheels in motion sooner, rather than later, to avoid being disappointed. If you have any questions or queries, about pursuing a claim for medical negligence, then please feel free to contact our friendly team.  

MG Legal’s expert cancer misdiagnosis solicitors believe that access to justice should not entail up-front costs, legal jargon, or confusing conversations with fussy solicitors who don’t live in the real world. So, if you have suffered a delayed cancer diagnosis because of mistakes during a GP’s consultation, routine testing, or surgical procedure, as a result of someone else’s negligence, then you should not have to pay up front legal costs to get access to justice. 

 

Because of this, we accept all of our medical negligence cases on a No Win No Fee agreement, meaning that if we do not settle your case and win financial comensation for you as our client, then we do not get paid for our work, and you owe us nothing.