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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 24 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.
How do I make a claim?
If you feel that a medical professional has misdiagnosed your cancer for any of the above reasons, you could be entitled to compensation. Our team will be able to give you free advice on the prospects of your case and whether you would be eligible to make a claim.
You have three years from the misdiagnosis to pursue a case, so do not delay.
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 opinion.
We will provide you with regular updates on the progress of your case to ensure that you are kept up to speed.
How much is my claim worth?
It is often difficult to value clinical negligence claims at their outset, given the complexities involved. However, we will pursue two forms of compensation for you:
Firstly we will pursue compensation known as general damages. This is an award of money for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the negligence.
Secondly we will pursue compensation known as special damages. This is an award of money for all of your out-of-pocket expenses, such as travel expenses, medication costs, loss of earnings, treatment costs both past and future. This list is not exhaustive and is very case-specific.
How is my case funded?
The majority of clinical negligence cases are funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), more commonly known as a ‘no-win, no-fee’ agreement. This means that there will be nothing to pay upfront and nothing to pay if the claim has been lost. If you are successful in your claim, a deduction of 25% of damages will be taken to cover the success fee and the shortfall in legal fees.
It may also be the case that an After The Event (ATE) insurance policy will be obtained to cover the costs of expensive medical reports and investigations. If an ATE insurance policy has to be obtained the cost of the same will be discussed with you at the appropriate point. The cost of the ATE insurance policy is again taken from your damages and only payable if you are successful with your claim.
Why use Oakwood Solicitors to make your clinical negligence case?
We have a dedicated team of solicitors and paralegals who have many years’ experience between them in running cases of this nature. They are highly trained to deal with all aspects of clinical negligence.
We want to ensure that clients are not overwhelmed by legal jargon, medical terms that they don’t understand and to allow the claims procedure to be as transparent as possible.
For example cases and settlements that we’ve successfully handled, read this article.
What is a melanoma cancer?
Skin cancer, or melanoma, is a cancer that forms in melanocytes. These are skin cells that produce melanin or the colouring in your skin. Skin cancer can appear anywhere on the body but appear more often on the backs of men or the legs of women.
There are various kinds of melanoma with the most common being the superficial spreading melanoma which makes up 70%. They occur in pale-skinned individuals, often with freckles.
Other types include:
Superficial Spreading Melanoma
Most Common.
Flat and irregular in shape and colour. Shades of black and brown.
Nodular Melanoma
Usually starts as a raised area.
Dark black/blue or bluish/red.
Some are not coloured.
Lentigo Maligna Melanoma
Usually occurs in older skin.
Commonly on face, neck, arms, etc. Abnormal skin areas, usually large flat and tan with areas of brown.
Acral Lentiginous melanoma
Least common.
Usually found on palms, soles and even under fingernails.
Statistics
What are the symptoms?
If you are particularly prone to moles, it is important to keep an eye on new moles or any changes in any existing ones. A benign mole is usually round or oval, smooth-edged, and smaller than 6mm.
The changes that need to be looked for are:
Any changes should be checked immediately by a GP, and the earlier they are detected the better.
The ABCDE checklist is an aid to help distinguish between a healthy mole and a melanoma:
Moles that, if divided in half, are not the same on both side.
Moles more than 1/2 cm in diameter (especially if uneven in colour).
Moles gaining or losing colour, or multicoloured.
Moles with edges that are jagged like a coastline.
Moles that have changed size, shape, colour or risen.
What are the causes of melanoma?
Skin cancers are thought to be due to excessive exposure to sunlight or sunbeds. They usually occur due to sunburn or long exposure to the sun. Certain people will be more prone such as if they have:
Skin cancers can be prevented by using high factor skin creams, applying regularly, staying in the shade, and shortening the exposure to the sun.
How are skin cancer and melanomas diagnosed?
Treatment Stages:
Further tests:
If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, further tests may be required. This may include scans such as:
Doctors use the AJCC system, which is used to work out how far the cancer has grown and if it has spread. They range from 0 to 4.
1 – Surface of the skin
2 – Thickness of up to 4mm and ulceration
4 – Spreading into the lymph nodes and other parts of the body
This then assists the treatment providers in getting the correct treatment
What treatments are available?
Some links you may find useful.
If you believe or feel you have a claim, contact us for a free initial consultation regarding your options.
Carol joined Oakwood Solicitors in May 2017 to lead the Medical Negligence department. She handles a wide range of Clinical and Dental Negligence claims and has a specialist interest in Birth Injuries. Carol has years of experience in handling complex clinical and Dental Negligence claims securing substantial amounts of damages for her clients. Carol studied her law degree (LLB honours) at Salford University.
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