Comprehensive and supportive guidance for pursuing a delayed diagnosis claim.
When a healthcare professional fails to diagnose an ailment appropriately, the consequences can be life-changing.
A delay in diagnosis is a form of medical negligence that can lead to late treatments that may be less effective, a decline in condition, complications that could have otherwise been prevented, and extended, preventable suffering.
Our expert solicitors at David W. Harris can provide comprehensive and supportive guidance for individuals facing the delayed diagnosis claims process.
From delayed medical condition diagnoses to A&E diagnoses, we offer practical legal services to help you recover and secure compensation.
We will support you at every stage of the process and ensure you are fully informed about your legal rights.
Our delayed diagnosis lawyers in Swansea, Pontypridd and Talbot Green can help with matters including:
- Delayed medical condition diagnosis
- Delayed cancer diagnosis
- Delayed A&E diagnosis
We have delayed diagnosis experts at each of our local offices in Swansea, Pontypridd and Talbot Green, and we can arrange a meeting at a time convenient to you.
We understand how daunting it can be to start a delayed diagnosis claim when you’re already dealing with the consequences of your medical negligence experience.
Our team will step in and provide fast, effective legal counsel and support so that you can secure fair compensation with minimal stress.
Consult our delayed diagnosis solicitors in Swansea, Pontypridd or Talbot Green
You can contact your local David W Harris office in Pontypridd, Swansea or Talbot Green.
Alternatively, please use our simple online enquiry form to book a free initial chat with one of our medical negligence in South Wales. We respond promptly to all enquiries.
Our experience with delayed diagnosis
Delayed medical condition diagnosis
A delayed medical diagnosis can result in the condition worsening or becoming unmanageable if the correct treatment is not applied in time. Some common delayed diagnoses include:
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Chronic kidney disease
- Celiac disease or IBS
- Parkinson’s
- Stroke
- Early dementia
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Heart attacks
- Sepsis
Delayed diagnosis most often affects individuals who are elderly or vulnerable and can have serious consequences, such as the deterioration of your condition, prolonged suffering and pain, the potential development of additional health complications or having to undergo unnecessary treatment.
We recognise how serious these experiences can be and the damage that a delayed diagnosis can cause to the prevention of proper treatment.
Our solicitors can help you and your loved ones obtain fair compensation for a delayed diagnosis, which can help you secure the support you need moving forward.
Delayed cancer diagnosis
Delayed cancer diagnosis can have a significant effect on your physical well-being and emotional health.
A delayed diagnosis can allow cancer to progress or spread without timely treatment.
If you or a loved one have experienced a delayed diagnosis of their cancer, leading to suffering that could have been avoided, our legal service can help you secure fair compensation to support your recovery and treatment.
Delayed A&E diagnosis
Failure to receive a diagnosis for an ailment during an A&E trip may mean that a condition worsens or progresses to a more severe stage, resulting in detriment to the victim.
A healthcare professional may have neglected to admit their patient or provide treatment, allowing a critical condition to go untreated.
If you or a loved one experienced a delayed A&E diagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation. Our solicitors can help you understand your rights and secure the compensation you deserve to help you address the impact on your life.
Common questions about delayed diagnosis claims
What is considered a delayed diagnosis?
A delayed diagnosis occurs when a medical professional fails to identify a condition within a reasonable timeframe, leading to harm that would have been otherwise avoidable.
A case of delayed diagnosis medical negligence can result from a range of factors, including misinterpreted test results, administrative errors, or failure to investigate symptoms properly.
In some cases, a delay in diagnosis can have long-lasting impacts, worsening the condition through failure to treat symptoms or the root cause.
A legal professional can assess your experience and advise on the viability of your claim, explaining what the likely process will be and the compensation you may receive should your claim be successful.
What causes a late diagnosis?
A late diagnosis can occur for multiple reasons and is usually due to human error.
Late diagnosis can be traced back to a range of factors, including miscommunication between healthcare professionals, failure to recognise symptoms or inadequate testing.
It could also be the case that you were not listened to with an appropriate amount of severity when you explained your symptoms or your concerns were dismissed outright.
In cases involving cancer, or other illnesses where early detection is critical for effective treatment, delays in diagnosis can be particularly egregious.
If a medical professional’s mistake or negligence has led to a delayed cancer diagnosis, you are likely to have grounds for a negligence claim.
This could be linked to misread scans, lost referrals, or a failure to act on abnormal test results that all affect your treatment.
Can you sue the NHS for delay in treatment?
Yes, you can sue the NHS if a delay in treatment was due to negligence and caused you harm.
It is important to remember that acknowledging a shortcoming in the NHS does not position you as inherently opposed to the service. Instead, it is a critical part of the feedback that allows the NHS to improve its services.
Medical professionals have a duty of care to diagnose and treat patients in a timely manner. If a delay has resulted in worsened health and increased suffering, you may be able to bring a delayed diagnosis medical negligence claim against the NHS.
If successful, you could receive delayed diagnosis compensation to help cover medical costs, lost earnings, and suffering caused by the delay and help you live more comfortably in your new circumstances.
How much compensation for delayed diagnosis?
The amount of delayed diagnosis compensation that you may be able to claim will depend on the severity of harm that was caused.
Factors that may impact the sum include the degree of damage caused to your health, current and future financial losses, and whether further treatment is required.
Mild cases can result in settlements of several thousand pounds, while severe cases involving life-altering consequences can lead to significantly higher compensation.
Your financial compensation should accurately reflect the level of preventable harm that you sustained.
If you have suffered due to a delayed diagnosis medical negligence case, seeking legal advice can help you understand what your options are and what level of compensation you may be entitled to.
How much compensation for delayed cancer diagnosis?
Compensation for a delayed cancer diagnosis will vary based on the impact that the delay had on your health and changes of remission.
Cases where a late diagnosis directly leads to a reduced life expectancy or the necessity of more invasive treatment will, if correctly handled, result in significant payouts.
Delayed cancer diagnosis compensation considers pain, suffering, financial losses, and any additional care needed for you to continue living.
Settlements can range from tens of thousands of pounds in milder cases to hundreds of thousands of pounds when negligence leads to severe harm.
If you have been affected by a delayed cancer diagnosis, our legal experts can help assess your claim and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Consult our delayed diagnosis solicitors in Swansea, Pontypridd or Talbot Green
You can contact your local David W Harris office in Pontypridd, Swansea or Talbot Green.
Alternatively, please use our simple online enquiry form to book a free initial chat with one of our medical negligence in South Wales. We respond promptly to all enquiries.