How Much Compensation Can I Get for Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis?

If you have suffered unnecessarily due to a cancer misdiagnosis, how much medical negligence compensation you can claim will depend on the extent of your suffering and its impact on daily life and finances. Ovarian cancer is often referred to as a ‘silent killer’ because its symptoms are prone to mimic other conditions, such as the menopause. Early intervention is vital, as patient survival rates can drop significantly without timely diagnosis and treatment. When a healthcare provider delivers substandard care, the consequences can include delayed diagnosis, more aggressive treatment, and profound impacts on your health and finances. 

Key Points

• Ovarian cancer mainly affects women over the age of 50, with NHS genomics information showing rates peaking between the ages of 75 and 79.
• Ovarian cancer misdiagnosis occurs when medical professionals fail to correctly identify a patient’s condition, whether due to symptoms overlapping with other conditions, administrative errors, or the failure to refer a patient for tests.
• Medical professionals, such as GPs and gynaecological oncologists, have an obligation to deliver care that meets minimum standards expected of them.
• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can still occur even when the correct medical standards are met; however, in such instances, you cannot make a claim.
• A medical negligence solicitor from Advice could support you in making a claim on No Win No Fee terms.

At Advice, we recognise that taking the step to pursue a claim is never done lightly, especially when you might still be navigating the physical, financial, and psychological fallout of a cancer misdiagnosis. Thankfully, our advisors are on hand to provide compassionate guidance, not only to answer your questions but also to offer some peace of mind when you most need it. To discuss your case and find out if you can claim, please:

• Phone 0161 509 2856.
• Speak to us online.
• Contact us via our form.

Jump To A Section

• Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis Caused By Medical Negligence
• Compensation Amounts For Misdiagnosed Ovarian Cancer
• Is Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis Common?
• What Conditions Could Ovarian Cancer Be Mistaken With?
• The Signs Of Ovarian Cancer
• The Complications Of Misdiagnosed Ovarian Cancer
• How Can Advice Help After An Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis?
• Learn More

Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis Caused By Medical Negligence

Medical negligence could cause ovarian cancer misdiagnosis if unnecessary patient suffering occurs due to administrative errors (e.g., test result mix-ups), or from a healthcare provider’s failure to recognise or take a patient’s symptoms seriously. Specific examples of medical negligence might include:

• You have a documented family history of ovarian cancer and have undergone genetic testing showing you’re at high risk. Still, your GP fails to take this into account when you exhibit bloating, abdominal pain, and several other symptoms of the disease. They instead diagnose you with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), allowing the ovarian cancer to go undetected and spread to other organs.
• After undergoing a CA-125 blood test, your doctor misinterprets the results. This misreading leads them to fail to recognise that your levels are well above normal and to neither refer you to an oncologist nor arrange additional testing. The ovarian cancer worsens, leaving you permanently infertile.
• Test results for several patients at a hospital are mixed up, including yours. This delays a correct diagnosis for your ovarian cancer, leading to long-term organ damage and causing you to develop depression.

Our advisors are here to listen to what happened to you, provide information, and help you understand your options to make a claim. So, please reach out today for tailored support.

Compensation Amounts For Misdiagnosed Ovarian Cancer

Compensation amounts for misdiagnosed ovarian cancer could range from £7,150 to £23,270 for moderate psychological harm, up to £140,210 to £207,260 for infertility due to disease or injury, as well as severe depression, anxiety, pain, scarring, and sexual dysfunction. These figures come from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a publication which may be used by legal professionals, containing guideline brackets for different types of harm.

Compensation for ovarian cancer misdiagnosis may cover pain and suffering and any associated financial losses.

Compensation Guidelines

Below, we have listed several brackets from the JCG. However, keep in mind that the headline figure does not come from this document and that these amounts are not guaranteed to be awarded.

• Multiple forms of severe harm, together with financial losses – special damages for lost income, care, and medical costs – up to £1,000,000+.
• Female reproductive system (a) – infertility due to disease or injury, depression, anxiety, pain, and sexual dysfunction – £140,210 to £207,260.
• Female reproductive system (b) – causing sexual dysfunction, claimant either already had, or would not have had, children – £52,490 to £124,620.
• Female reproductive system (c) – infertility, no aggravating features nor sexual dysfunction in a young, childless woman – £68,440 to £87,070.
• Female reproductive system (d) – infertility with no medical complications nor sexual dysfunction. Claimant has children – £21,920 to £44,840.
• Female reproductive system (e) – infertility in someone who would not have had children – £8,060 to £22,800.
• Female reproductive system (f) – involving diagnostic delays for ectopic pregnancies without fertility being affected – £4,140 to £24,930.
• Female reproductive system (g) – claimant will have experienced a failed sterilisation, causing an unwanted pregnancy without serious psychological effects or depression – £12,450 (in region of).
• Psychological harm (a) – severe harm, impacting all parts of the person’s life – £66,920 to £141,240.
• Psychological harm (b) – moderately severe harm and significant problems across the person’s life – £23,270 to £66,920.

Special Damages

Financial losses arising from any unnecessary harm you endured can be compensated for under a head of claim known as special damages. Such costs can vary, but can include:

• Lost income and future earnings, inclusive of pension contributions and workplace benefits.
• Medical care costs, including medication (e.g., pain relief or hormone replacement therapies), private surgery, or long-term rehabilitative care.
• Therapy or other mental health support services.
• Care provided by professionals or family members.
• Getting to or from medical appointments.

Claimants must provide documentation, such as invoices, pay slips, and bank statements, to pursue compensation for their losses.

Contact our advisory team for a free, confidential assessment and quickly find out if you can make a misdiagnosis claim.

Is Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis Common?

Although there are no specific statistics that definitively show how common ovarian cancer misdiagnosis is in the UK for either the public or private sectors, NHS records for England show that 60% of patients with ovarian and fallopian tube cancer had a stage 3 or 4 diagnosis in 2021.

Regarding compensation claims, data from the arm’s-length NHS Resolution shows that 1,950 claims were closed in 2024/25 for diagnostic delays or failures. This figure does not provide specifics on the cancers these claims cover. 

Ovarian cancer could present with a variety of symptoms (highlighted in a subsequent section) that could be mistaken for other, less serious conditions. Low awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer can lead to the disease being diagnosed at a more advanced stage, and GPs may misdiagnose ovarian cancer as something else entirely.

Please talk to an advisor if you or a loved one has been impacted by gynaecological cancer negligence.

What Conditions Could Ovarian Cancer Be Mistaken With?

Ovarian cancer could be mistaken for urinary, gynaecological, gastrointestinal, abdominal, or systemic conditions, such as uterine fibroids or urinary tract infections. Other specific conditions ovarian cancer might be mistaken for include:

• Benign ovarian cysts.
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Endometriosis.
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
• Gallstones or kidney stones.
• Period pain.

If you received a negligent ovarian cancer diagnosis and suffered avoidable harm, you may be eligible to make a medical negligence claim. Please contact one of our advisors to discuss your circumstances and find out how our specialist medical negligence solicitors could help you claim for poor care in a hospital.

The Signs Of Ovarian Cancer

The signs of ovarian cancer include feeling bloated, having a swollen stomach, loss of appetite, and needing to urinate more often or urgently. Other common ovarian cancer symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain or pelvic pain, as well as tenderness.
• Feeling full quickly when eating.
• Diarrhoea or constipation.
• Constantly feeling tired.
• Unusual vaginal bleeding, such as heavier periods, bleeding between periods, or post menopausal bleeding.

Further symptoms of ovarian cancer may include back pain, indigestion, and unexplained weight loss. The NHS recommends that you visit your GP if you experience any of these symptoms.

If you’d be interested in sharing your personal situation, our advisors can provide you with free and sensitive guidance to help you determine if you can pursue compensation for an ovarian cancer misdiagnosis.

The Complications Of Misdiagnosed Ovarian Cancer

The main complication of misdiagnosed ovarian cancer is the delay in identifying and treating the disease, allowing the patient’s condition to worsen. More specifically, complications can lead to:

• Progression of the cancer: Delays to diagnosis and cancer treatment can allow the condition to progress and spread to other parts of the body.
• Worsening prognosis: Late diagnosis can lead to worse outcomes, lower life expectancy, and terminal conditions.
• Reduced treatment options: More treatment options may be available with early diagnosis. In contrast, a later diagnosis may lead to more aggressive, invasive treatment.
• Avoidable pain and suffering: Prolonged symptoms could cause greater, unnecessary harm.

If you’ve experienced misdiagnosed cancer or gynaecological medical negligence, you deserve legal support that will always be by your side during this challenging time. Please speak to an advisor to see how a solicitor from Advice could help you.

How Can Advice Help After An Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis?

The advisory team here at Advice can help after an ovarian cancer misdiagnosis by carefully reviewing your case, taking the time to understand what happened, and helping you explore your options for claiming. After your free consultation, they may be able to connect you with one of our dedicated solicitors, who have extensive experience supporting clients throughout the cancer misdiagnosis claims process on a No Win No Fee basis.

If you choose to pursue your case with one of our solicitors, they can provide their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This specific kind of No Win No Fee arrangement allows the solicitor to support you through the claims process without asking for any payments towards their services before it starts or whilst it is underway. You also do not pay a service fee for the work carried out by the solicitor if your claim fails.

If you are awarded compensation, the solicitor will deduct a pre-agreed percentage of it as a success fee. The law limits the maximum percentage for this success fee, meaning the bulk would stay squarely with you.

Further advantages of working with one of our solicitors include the following:

• Organising and filing all necessary paperwork for your case.
• Explaining how to prove medical negligence, and helping you to gather proof that you experienced it.
• Providing clear guidance to navigate the claims process smoothly.
• Keeping you updated on the progress of your case.
• Putting you in touch with counsellors, therapists, private oncologists, or other specialists.

Contact Our Team

Contact our team about your ovarian cancer misdiagnosis compensation claim.

• Call 0161 509 2856.
• Talk to an advisor live.
• Use our form to contact us.

Learn More

Learn more about cancer misdiagnosis and other medical negligence claims:

• Learn about the medical negligence claims time limit.
• View our guide on the medication error claims process.
• Here you can read about hysterectomy negligence claims.

References:

• Read about cancer in this NHS resource.
• View NHS cancer statistics in this NHS overview.
• Learn about screening for ovarian cancer.

Please contact us if you or a family member has been impacted by ovarian cancer misdiagnosis and would like to see if you could pursue compensation.