Breast Cancer Negligence Claims
If you or a loved one have suffered due to medical negligence during the treatment or diagnosis of breast cancer, we have the expertise and experience necessary to help you claim compensation.
Entrusting your breast cancer negligence claim to our highly regarded medical negligence team means putting yourself in the best possible position to achieve the result that you want and deserve. We combine extensive legal knowledge with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity, to make the process as stress-free as possible for you and your family.
Our lawyers have years of experience in helping people to make breast cancer negligence claims and can help you to seek compensation on a no win, no fee basis. Speak to our approachable solicitors today by calling us on 0345 872 6666, or by completing our online enquiry form to arrange for us to call you back.
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What Our Clients Say
How JMW Can Help
The team at JMW has helped many clients with their breast cancer negligence claims and we have the expertise, experience and proactive approach to give you the very best chance of achieving a successful outcome for your individual circumstances. Our breast cancer solicitors approach every case with sensitivity and care, and will work tirelessly on your behalf to get the answers you seek and compensation you are entitled to.
We have handled thousands of claims against the NHS and private healthcare providers on behalf of patients who have suffered because of medical negligence. We are here for you every step of the way throughout your breast cancer claims process.
JMW’s medical negligence team is headed by leading solicitor Eddie Jones, and includes members of the Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) solicitors panel and the Law Society’s specialist panel for clinical negligence solicitors. Our firm has been recognised as one of the best in the country by Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 due to our many years of success, and our track record of securing medical negligence compensation.
Meet Our Team of Breast Cancer Negligence Claim Experts
We act for individuals whose breast cancer was misdiagnosed, delayed in diagnosis, or poorly treated due to medical negligence by investigating errors, gathering expert evidence, and working with clients to pursue compensation that addresses their physical, psychological and financial harm.
Case Studies
How to Make a Breast Cancer Negligence Claim
When you are treated by a medical professional, you are entitled to a certain standard of care. Cancer is classed as a very serious illness that must be treated with urgency, giving it the care it requires as soon as possible. Unfortunately, in some cases this is not provided and can leave you in more pain and with ongoing health problems, especially in cases of breast cancer misdiagnosis..
To start a negligence claim, you should begin by contacting a reputable and experienced medical negligence solicitor, such as legal experts from the medical negligence team at JMW. When you make a claim with us, we will be able to break down your situation, explain your options to you, and offer legal advice on how to proceed. If you choose to make a claim with our medical negligence experts, we will guide you through the process and help gather evidence to support your case. We will work with independent medical professionals to review your medical records and offer expert analysis of your situation, your injuries (if any), and the impact of negligent treatment on your health or prognosis.
Once we have built a strong case, we will submit a letter of claim to the person or organisation we believe was responsible, this may be an NHS Trust, a private facility or an individual healthcare professional. This letter sets out your compensation claim for breast cancer negligence based on the evidence we have gathered.
Most claims are settled out of court, but if necessary, we will take your case to court to secure your compensation, supporting you every step of the way.
Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis
Breast cancer misdiagnosis can have devastating effects, such as prolonged illness or even sadly death, which could have been avoided with the correct treatment.
We have represented clients who have suffered as a result of misdiagnosis where a GP has diagnosed breast cancer as another illness, meaning they did not receive the treatment they needed at the time. In other cases, GPs have correctly referred patients to hospital, but tests have not been carried out and reported as they ought to have been.
There are three types of investigation that are usually used to diagnose breast cancer:
- Clinical examination
- Ultrasound scan or mammogram
- Biopsy
A diagnosis of breast cancer should only be made when all three investigations have been completed, which are collectively known as the 'Triple Test'. The consequences of a late or incorrect breast cancer diagnosis can include:
- More invasive and intense treatment
- Shortened life expectancy
- Unnecessary removal of lymph nodes from the armpit
- Anxiety
- Deformity of the breast
- Lymphoedema, which includes painful swelling of the arm
We can also help you if you have experienced the other side of misdiagnosis - being told you have breast cancer when you do not. You may have not only suffered psychologically but also physically, having undergone a needless mastectomy - the surgical removal of one or both breasts. Receiving unnecessary treatment after you are diagnosed with breast cancer that you do not have can have severe consequences for your mental and physical health that must be taken into account in any breast cancer compensation claim.
Errors in Surgery
In some cases, surgery to remove cancerous tissue can go wrong and lead to devastating consequences, ranging from surgical injuries to reduced life expectancy. This could involve failing to remove enough of the cancerous tissue, which may leave you seriously ill when it should have improved your condition.
Our specialist solicitors can help you to claim compensation under any of these circumstances. Whether you had breast cancer diagnosed too late or misdiagnosed, or were injured during treatment, JMW can support you to make a breast cancer claim and secure financial support for your future.
FAQs About Breast Cancer Negligence
- Am I entitled to breast cancer negligence compensation?
You are not automatically entitled to compensation if you have been misdiagnosed; however, you may be able to claim if you have suffered because of it.
If your condition has worsened as a result of the negligence, you should speak to a legal expert about making a negligence claim. You may be entitled to compensation if you have suffered injury to your physical or mental health and you can prove that the medical professional responsible has been negligent.
Call us now for free for a no-obligation chat to find out whether you could be entitled to make a compensation claim.
- How much compensation can I claim?
Compensation in breast cancer claims depends on the specific circumstances of the negligent treatment and the harm you experienced. The Judicial College Guidelines may be used to calculate a fair compensation amount for your injuries.
As well as damages to physical health, there are a number of other issues that breast cancer negligence can cause. Some examples of these include harm to mental health caused by delayed diagnosis and permanent scarring that may arise from surgical errors. Each of these factors will affect the amount of compensation you will receive.
Finally, you can be compensated for any financial losses related to your breast cancer misdiagnosis or negligence. This can include:
- Travel expenses for trips to and from medical appointments
- Medical expenses for corrective surgery, physiotherapy, counselling and other services you need
- Lost earnings
- Lost future earnings, if your earning capacity is affected by the negligence
- Aids and medical devices that you need following your negligent care
At JMW, our breast cancer claims experts will consider your circumstances thoroughly and take all of the relevant circumstances into account to make sure we claim the appropriate amount of compensation for you.
- What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
Symptoms of breast cancer can include:
- A lump or area of thickened breast tissue
- Changes in the shape or size of the breasts
- A rash around the nipple
- Discharge from either nipple
- The nipple becoming sunken in the breast, or any other change in its appearance
- A dimpling on the skin of the breast
- A lump in either armpit
If you report these symptoms to a medical professional, they should refer you for three key types of follow-up tests. If they fail to make the necessary referral for a biopsy, an ultrasound or mammogram, and a clinical examination, and your cancer is missed as a result, you may be entitled to make a breast cancer compensation claim.
- Are there different types of breast cancer?
There are various types of breast cancer, and these include:
- Non-invasive - this type of cancer is usually detected via mammogram and is found in the ducts of the breast. It is not able to spread outside of the breast
- Invasive - This can spread outside of the breast and makes up around 80% of all breast cancer cases
- Other - These can include inflammatory breast cancer, invasive lobular breast cancer and Paget's disease of the breast
Your ability to claim compensation does not depend on the type or diagnosis of breast cancer you receive, but on the harm caused by medical negligence.
- How should breast cancer be diagnosed?
If detected early enough, there is a good chance of recovery from breast cancer. Women are advised to regularly check their breasts for anything out of the ordinary and to make sure they visit their GP if they notice anything amiss.
Mammographic screening is used to detect early breast lesions and all women aged 50 to 70 are invited for breast cancer screening every three years. If you report symptoms to your GP or anything is detected during a mammogram screening, your doctor should refer you for a biopsy and other follow-up tests urgently, through which breast cancer can be diagnosed and treatment can begin.
- How is it treated?
The disease is usually treated in the following ways to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- Hormone or biological treatments (in some cases)
When breast cancer is diagnosed early and treated correctly, it has a relatively high survival rate, which is why breast cancer misdiagnosis can cause serious problems. Even if you have recovered completely from breast cancer, you may be entitled to compensation for the preventable harm you experienced.
Talk to Us
If you believe you or someone you know has suffered due to breast cancer negligence, speak to our friendly and professional solicitors today. Do so by either calling JMW for free on 0345 872 6666, or by completing our online enquiry form to arrange for us to give you a call back as soon as we can. We will be able to let you know whether or not we can work with you on a no win, no fee basis.
