Skin Cancer Negligence Compensation Claims Solicitors.

The law in England and Wales generally allows you up to three years to bring a medical negligence claim. This is usually counted from the date the negligent act occurred – or from the moment you first became aware that your condition may have worsened as a result of a delay, misdiagnosis or inadequate care. This is known as the ‘date of knowledge’.

However, there are important exceptions. If the person affected is a child, the three-year time limit does not begin until their 18th birthday, giving them until the age of 21 to bring a claim. In cases involving individuals who lack the mental capacity to make legal decisions for themselves, either permanently or for a period of time, these time limits may not apply at all.

Because each situation is unique, we always recommend seeking legal advice as early as possible. Even if you’re unsure whether you’re within the time frame, we’re here to talk things through and help you understand your options.

When we talk about skin cancer misdiagnosis, there are three main areas to be considered:

• Missed diagnosis – If your skin cancer has been missed completely and has gone undiagnosed, this means you will not have received the required treatment, and your condition could have potentially worsened.
• Incorrect diagnosis – If a medical professional has given you the wrong diagnosis you may have then received incorrect treatment, or not received any treatment at all. Likewise, if you have received a diagnosis of skin cancer when you, in fact, do not have skin cancer, you may have received unnecessary treatment, as well as the undue anxiety and stress of receiving such a diagnosis.
• Delayed diagnosis – If there has been a delay in your skin cancer being diagnosed, your condition will have gone untreated for longer than necessary, perhaps leading to a worsening of your symptoms and a less favourable prognosis.

It could be that your GP did not examine you properly at your first appointment, or perhaps they failed to follow up on the symptoms you presented with. Maybe your GP did refer you to a specialist, but they failed to carry out a biopsy, or the test results were misinterpreted and you were given an incorrect diagnosis. Or perhaps you had to wait too long for your referral appointment or the results of your tests, and your condition worsened in the meantime.

If you have received any kind of negligent treatment from a medical professional which you feel has directly contributed to the worsening of your skin cancer, we can help you to claim the compensation you deserve.

We know that the idea of pursuing legal action can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re also dealing with the emotional and financial effects of illness. That’s why we offer a range of flexible funding options to suit your circumstances.

Most of the people we help choose to make their claim on a No Win, No Fee basis. This means there’s no financial risk to you – if your claim is not successful, you won’t have to pay us anything.

In addition, we’re able to support claims through private funding, or through legal expenses insurance, which is sometimes included in home or motor insurance policies. We’ll discuss all of these options with you clearly from the outset, and help you decide which one is right for you.

When you contact us for an initial consultation, there’s no cost and no obligation – just an opportunity to explore whether you have a claim and what the next steps might look like, in a way that feels manageable and supportive.

When skin cancer is treated early enough, there is a very high survival rate, which is why prompt diagnosis and treatment are key to successful skin cancer management. When there is any sort of delay in the diagnosis or treatment of skin cancer, it can have a huge impact on the patient, including:

• The cancer may spread to other parts of the body
• The illness lasts for longer than it would likely have done with earlier treatment
• The physical pain and suffering is exacerbated and prolonged
• The skin cancer requires more aggressive treatment than it may otherwise have done
• The patient experiences lifestyle changes resulting from the misdiagnosis
• The patient experiences financial losses, i.e. loss of earnings or medical expenses
• The psychological effects of diagnosis are exacerbated e.g. anxiety and depression

If you are unhappy with the level of care you have received during your skin cancer diagnosis and treatment, and feel that your condition has been made worse due to negligent care, we can help you to seek justice. At Lanyon Bowdler our team of medical negligence solicitors have the experience and expertise to help you win your compensation case. We have helped many people who have been in the same situation, so don’t hesitate to put your trust in us.

The first step in any skin cancer diagnosis will usually be to see your GP, who will then examine you, ask about your symptoms, and they may ask about your family’s medical history. If your GP suspects skin cancer, they will then refer you to a specialist for further diagnostic tests. Inaccurate diagnosis in the early stages can have serious repercussions further down the line, so it is vital that GPs carry out rigorous testing on patients who present with symptoms of skin cancer.

Once you’ve been referred to a specialist, they will most likely carry out a biopsy, whereby the tumour is either partially or wholly removed in order to be examined and tested for cancerous cells. In some cases, the removal of the tumour for the biopsy may also remove the cancer completely if it hasn’t spread to other parts of the body.

For non-melanoma skin cancers, surgery is usually the most effective way of removing the cancer. Other treatments also include cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy, radiotherapy, electrochemotherapy, and anticancer creams. The treatment you receive largely depends on the location, type, and severity of the skin cancer.