Pancreatic Cancer Misdiagnosis
If you're reading this after experiencing delays or errors in your pancreatic cancer diagnosis, we understand the profound distress and anger you may be feeling. At The Medical Law Partnership, we've helped many patients in your situation navigate the complex process of claiming compensation, and we're here to support you too.
How common are errors in pancreatic cancer diagnosis?
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most frequently misdiagnosed or delayed cancer diagnoses in the UK. Studies suggest that nearly half of all pancreatic cancer patients experience significant diagnostic delays, often because early symptoms like abdominal pain, weight loss, or jaundice are mistaken for more common digestive conditions.
We regularly see cases where patients visited their GP multiple times with persistent symptoms before finally receiving the correct diagnosis – by which time the cancer may have progressed to an advanced stage. If you feel your concerns weren’t taken seriously or tests were delayed unnecessarily, you may have grounds for a compensation claim.
There are several critical points where pancreatic cancer diagnosis can go wrong. One of the most frequent failures we encounter is when GPs don’t recognize the significance of persistent upper abdominal pain or unexplained weight loss, especially when combined with other warning signs like new-onset diabetes or jaundice.
Another common mistake is the failure to order appropriate imaging tests like CT scans or MRIs when symptoms persist. We’ve handled cases where blood tests showed abnormal liver function but weren’t properly followed up, or where scan results were misinterpreted by radiologists.
We’ve also seen situations where patients presented with classic pancreatic cancer symptoms like painless jaundice but were referred to the wrong specialist or faced unacceptable delays in getting crucial diagnostic tests. If any of these failures contributed to your delayed diagnosis, you may have a strong case for compensation.
Beginning a claim might feel overwhelming, especially when you’re dealing with health challenges, but we’re here to make the process as straightforward as possible. When you first contact us, we’ll listen carefully to your experience and confidentially review your medical records to assess whether there are grounds for a claim.
Our specialist solicitors, who focus on cancer negligence cases, will guide you through every step. We’ll obtain independent expert opinions to determine whether your diagnosis should have been made sooner, and whether this delay caused you additional harm. Importantly, we work on a no-win, no-fee basis, so you can pursue justice without financial worry.
Compensation in pancreatic cancer negligence cases aims to address the full impact of what you’ve endured. This includes compensation for the additional pain and suffering caused by the diagnostic delay, and any more intensive treatment you consequently needed.
You may also claim for financial losses like lost earnings if you couldn’t work, medical expenses you incurred, and costs of care or assistance you required. For cases where the delay has led to long-term consequences or reduced life expectancy, compensation can account for future care needs, loss of earnings potential, and loss of quality of life. We’ll ensure your claim fully reflects the physical, emotional and financial impact of the negligence.
Pancreatic cancer negligence claims can take between 2-4 years to resolve, depending on complexity with some cases taking longer. While we always aim to resolve cases as quickly as possible, we’ll never compromise on thoroughness when building your case. Throughout the process, we’ll keep you regularly updated and ensure you have all the support you need.
Contact The Medical Law Partnership today.
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