Have you or a family member had a medical problem which was not properly diagnosed?

If so, did this make a difference to you in either the short or long term?

All too often we see people who didn’t receive the follow up that they should have to test results, or whose results were misreported.  Sometimes a medic just misinterprets symptoms or doesn’t carry out a full range of tests.

There appear to be a growing number of people whose illnesses are either misdiagnosed or diagnosed later than they should have been.  These types of error now account for around 10% of the clinical negligence claims brought in the UK although studies show most of incidents of medical error  are not pursued by patients. This may be for a number of different reasons. Sometimes misdiagnosis is likely to cause worry but no long-term damage.  However, the consequences of misdiagnosis can be very serious and, at worst, delayed diagnosis and treatment can be fatal.  It has to be in everyone’s interests to ensure that these incidents are avoided where possible by GPs and hospitals taking the necessary steps to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.

Bringing a legal claim can never completely put right what went wrong but it can help to highlight procedural failures to make the position better for other patients in the future, and to obtain financial compensation to fund long-term care and equipment needs, and cover any lost earnings or pain and suffering. If you would like to discuss a possible claim please email sandra.patton@ashtonslegal.co.uk or call us on 01842 752401.