September marks Blood Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness of different types of blood cancers, symptoms to look out for and what to do if you have suffered delays or a misdiagnosis.
Blood Cancer is a type of cancer that affects your blood cells, and is caused by mutations in the DNA. When this happens, it causes the blood cells to behave abnormally.
Some of the most common types of blood cancer are leukaemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma – and some are more common than others depending on your age.
Blood cancer is usually diagnosed following blood tests, biopsies and imaging tests. But if a medical professional fails to recognise your symptoms and does not send you for the appropriate tests – resulting in delays, a misdiagnosis or further harm you may be entitled to compensation.
At Oakwood Solicitors Ltd, we specialise in medical negligence claims and can help you claim compensation if you have suffered an injustice or harm relating to blood cancer.
Symptoms of blood cancers
Blood cancer symptoms can vary depending on the type of cancer, but may include the following:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bruising or bleeding that is unexplained
- Lumps or swellings
- Shortness of breath (breathlessness)
- Drenching night sweats
- Infections that are persistent, recurrent or severe
- Fever (38°C or above) that is unexplained
- Rash or itchy skin that is unexplained
- Pain in your bones, joints or abdomen (stomach area)
- Tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest or sleep (fatigue)
- Paleness (pallor)
Will a blood test detect cancer?
Blood tests can be used to detect blood cancers by looking at the presence of any abnormal cells or abnormal amounts of normal cells found in the blood. However, other tests such as a bone marrow biopsy may be carried out to determine a diagnosis of the type of cancer or if the cancer has spread.
What blood tests detect cancer?
A complete blood count (CBC) is a common blood test to measure the amount of various types of blood cells in a blood sample. Cancer may be detected if the tests find too many or too few types of blood cells or abnormal cells.
Medical Negligence Claims – How to make a claim
Oakwood Solicitors Ltd’s specialist Medical Negligence department has an in-house team of solicitors and legal professionals dedicated solely to this area of law.
With over 30 years of combined experience, we are dedicated to assisting clients who have suffered physically, mentally, and financially as a result of negligent medical treatment. The specialist team pursues an array of medical negligence claims ranging from prescription errors and misdiagnosis to complex birthing injury and spinal claims and everything else in between.
What is a medical misdiagnosis?
Medical misdiagnosis is one of the most common types of medical negligence claims. It refers to when a medical professional provides an incorrect diagnosis or fails to diagnose you after negligently misinterpreting your symptoms and/or not investigating your symptoms appropriately.
If you have received an incorrect diagnosis, you may have undergone unnecessary treatments or procedures. Further to this, particularly in relation to a failure to diagnose, your condition may go untreated, or its treatment may get delayed, meaning that you may require more invasive treatment in the future.
What is a delay in medical diagnosis?
This is when a medical professional fails to a diagnose a health condition when they should have done or fails to refer you for investigations, meaning you are diagnosed late. This can again lead to a worsening of the condition and prolong your period without necessary treatment.
This can encompass delays in referrals, scans and other investigations. It can also include medical professionals overlooking symptoms or records that are re-reviewed at a later date and urgently acted upon once the delay has been identified.
When can I make a claim?
If you feel that you have been affected as a result of late diagnosis or incorrect or inappropriate treatment, then you may be entitled to bring about a compensation claim.
The team at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd will be able to give you free advice on the prospects of your case and whether you would be eligible to make a claim.
Who can bring about a claim?
The patient who has been affected may be able to bring about a claim. However, it can also sadly be the case that the patient has passed as a result of the disease. In such instances, the executor of the estate or the next of kin/dependents may be able to bring about a claim.
Our specialist team will be able to discuss whether you have a right to bring about a claim, so if you or a loved one has been affected do not hesitate to contact us.
How long will my case take to run?
Given the complexities involved in pursuing clinical negligence claims, they can often take 18-24 months to conclude and longer if court proceedings have to be issued.
Our investigations start by obtaining all relevant records and protocols before approaching independent medical experts for their opinions. We will provide you with regular updates on the progress of your case to ensure that you are kept up to speed.
Further reading
Medical misdiagnosis or delay – Oakwood Solicitors
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
Jade Glover is a Solicitor in the Medical Negligence team. She has worked for the company for over 9 years and completed her training during that time. She has specialised in Personal Injury clai…
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