How long before misdiagnosis starts to cause adverse effects?

This will of course greatly depend upon the type of cancer you are suffering from and how aggressive it is. However, as a rule of thumb we would state that it will be a matter of months rather than days and weeks from when the Doctor should have made the diagnosis or believe that there was a possibility that cancer was present.

The test for compensation relies on the balance of probabilities as to what would or could have been done differently if the doctor had made an earlier diagnosis, and whether earlier treatment or intervention could have made a difference to the sufferers outcome.

What do you need to prove?

In your case it will be necessary for you to prove that the fact that the diagnosis was incorrectly given at an early stage has caused an unfavourable outcome. It is not possible just to show that there has been an increase in the chance of the unfavourable outcome but must be shown that it has definitely caused the unfavourable outcome. Unfortunately, any cancer diagnosis can have devastating effects, no matter when it is diagnosed.


If you would like to have a chat about your options or how we may be able to help you please contact a member of the team, complete our call back form or contact us directly at your local office.