Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis Claims In The UK Explained

With bowel cancer being one of the most common forms of cancer in the UK, you would never expect to suffer from a bowel cancer misdiagnosis. However, this may happen as a result of medical negligence. 

All medical professionals have a duty of care to maintain good medical practice, such as recognising the symptoms of bowel cancer. However, if their treatment is substandard, such as failing to perform adequate tests despite recognising that your symptoms may indicate cancer, this is considered negligent, breaching their duty of care. So, it this results in unnecessary or avoidable harm, it may give rise to a cancer misdiagnosis claim. 

Key Takeaways 

• Bowel cancer is a growth of abnormal cells that uncontrollably group together in the large bowel, rectum or colon, requiring urgent medical treatment.  
• The common symptoms associated with bowel cancer include changes in stool, stomach pain, rectal bleeding, weight loss and bloating. 
• A bowel cancer misdiagnosis may occur if a medical professional’s care and treatment is substandard, such as failing to detect symptoms. 
• Bowel cancer misdiagnosis compensation may be awarded for any avoidable physical and mental harm suffered and financial losses.
• Our specialist solicitors at Advice may help you pursue a bowel cancer misdiagnosis claim on a No Win No Fee basis. 

Contact our 24 hour helpline on 0161 509 2856 for a free consultation to determine your eligibility to pursue a bowel cancer misdiagnosis claim.

Jump To A Section 

1. How Might Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis Happen?
2. What Compensation Could Be Awarded For Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis?
3. What Might Bowel Cancer Be Misdiagnosed With?
4. What Are The Symptoms Of Bowel Cancer?
5. How Should Bowel Cancer Be Diagnosed?
6. The Impact Of Misdiagnosed Bowel Cancer
7. Misdiagnosed Bowel Cancer Claims With Advice
8. More Information

How Might Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis Happen?

A bowel cancer misdiagnosis may occur if medical professionals provide substandard care while examining patients. Some examples of this include:

• Failing to detect symptoms. For example, a patient may go to their GP for stomach pain and changes in their stool. However, the GP diagnoses irritable bowel syndrome, without recognising these as bowel cancer symptoms. 
• Failing to refer patients for tests. For example, a patient may visit a walk-in centre due to severe rectal bleeding. However, they provide treatment for haemorrhoids, failing to refer them for tests to find or diagnose bowel cancer. 
• Misreading test results. For example, a patient may be sent for a colonoscopy for suspected bowel cancer. However, the gastroenterologist misreads the results, failing to detect abnormal cells in the biopsy, delaying a correct diagnosis. 

If a medical professional’s substandard care resulted in you or a loved one suffering from a bowel cancer misdiagnosis, discuss your next steps with our advisors.

What Compensation Could Be Awarded For Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis?

You may be awarded up to £224,790 in compensation for total loss of natural bowel and bladder functioning, if this resulted from bowel cancer misdiagnosis. 

This figure was taken from the Judicial College guidelines, a document containing suggestive compensation figures for injuries. This is used by solicitors to ensure compensation awards are fair and accurate.

For the physical or psychological harm you suffered as a result of bowel cancer misdiagnosis, you may be awarded general damages. Your solicitor will value this using an independent medical assessor’s report of your harm alongside the JCG. 

The list below contains examples of harm associated with bowel cancer misdiagnosis and their compensation guidelines from the JCG. Please use this for guidance only as the figures are not guaranteed, and the first figure is not from the JCG. 

• Multiple Serious Injuries and Significant Financial Losses – Up to £500,000 plus – For multiple injuries of a serious nature that incur significant financial losses. 
• Total Incontinence – Up to £224,790 – Suggested for loss of natural bowel and bladder functioning and other medical problems. 
• Bowel Injuries (b) – Up to £183,190 – Suggested for loss of natural bowel functioning. Dependence on colostomy and age determines this bracket. 
• Bowel Injuries (c) – In the region of £97,530 – Suggested for faecal urgency and passive incontinence following surgery, emotional harm and birth problems are also considered. 
• Bowel Injuries (d) – £54,420 to £85,100 – Suggested for severe abdominal injuries impairing bowel function and requiring colostomy causing permanent scarring and restricting employment and diet. 
• Bowel Injuries  – £15,370 to £29,870 – Suggested for penetrating bowel injuries that cause permanent damage but natural function may return. 
• Severe Psychiatric Damage – £66,920 to £141,240 – Factors considered for such brackets include the claimant’s overall ability to cope with life, whether treatment is successful, their future vulnerability and prognosis. 
• Moderately Severe Psychiatric Damage – £23,270 to £66,920 – These brackets consider the above factors however, the prognosis is more optimistic. 
• Scarring With No Severe Internal Injury – In the region of £10,550 – Suggested if an exploratory laparotomy was performed but no significant internal injuries were found. 

Can Bowel Cancer Misdiagnosis Compensation Cover Other Damages?

Yes, bowel cancer misdiagnosis compensation may also cover special damage. This is so you can be reimbursed for any financial losses you incurred as a result of the harm suffered.

Some examples of the losses you may be compensated for under this head of claim include:

• Lost earnings and employment benefits such as holiday entitlement 
• Payments for medical treatment, prescriptions and mental health services 
• Travel costs for travelling to and from appointments 
• Special equipment costs such as stoma and colostomy supplies 
• Home modification costs such as stairlifts and hospital beds

You must collect evidence of your monetary losses, such as bank statements, payslips and receipts, to support your claim. 

Contact our advisors today for more specific examples of how much compensation you may be entitled to claim for. 

What Might Bowel Cancer Be Misdiagnosed With?

There are various conditions that bowel cancer may be misdiagnosed with as the symptoms associated with this type of cancer often overlap with other illnesses. Some examples of these include:

• Irritable bowel syndrome 
• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Haemorrhoids (piles)
• Diverticulitis 

As such, it is important for medical professionals to perform the appropriate tests to ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis. This prevents unnecessary harm and delayed diagnosis or treatment, which may cause the cancer cells to grow or spread. 

If you or a loved one’s bowel cancer was misdiagnosed, contact us today to determine your eligibility to pursue a claim. 

What Are The Symptoms Of Bowel Cancer?

Symptoms of bowel cancer include: 

• Rectal bleeding 
• Unexplained weight loss
• Red or black blood in your stool 
• Stomach pain or lumps 
• Changes in stool, such as diarrhoea or constipation 
• Feeling shortness of breath or tiredness 

If you or a loved one are suffering from any of these symptoms, it is important to have them examined by a medical professional. 

If the medical professional failed to examine you sufficiently, or take your concerns seriously, causing you avoidable harm or misdiagnosing your bowel cancer, contact our advisors.

How Should Bowel Cancer Be Diagnosed?

Bowel cancer should be diagnosed through routine tests and examinations. 

So, if you are suffering from the symptoms listed above, you should firstly be refered to a specialist. From here, you will likely need to undergo a colonoscopy. For this procedure, a thin and flexible camera is inserted into your rectum to detect cancerous cells. A biopsy may be taken at this time. 

You then may undergo further scans such as a CT, PET or MRI as well as blood tests and genetic testing. 

If a medical professional was negligent while diagnosing your bowel cancer, contact an advisor to find out if you are entitled to compensation. 

The Impact Of Misdiagnosed Bowel Cancer

Misdiagnosed bowel cancer may impact your life in various ways. For example, it may have profound consequences on your:

• General health, causing pain, discomfort and suffering
• Independence, limiting your ability to complete activities you once enjoyed
• Mental health such as causing fear, anxiety, stress or depression 
• Financial stability due to monetary losses you may incur 

Regardless of how a bowel cancer misdiagnosis impacted you, discuss this with our advisors as you may be entitled to compensation.  

Misdiagnosed Bowel Cancer Claims With Advice

Pursue a bowel cancer misdiagnosis claim with our professional solicitors at Advice. They are specialists in medical negligence claims and can provide expert legal advice and support to help you claim the compensation you deserve. 

Understandably, you may be concerned about paying for legal representation. However, our solicitors operate on a No Win No Fee basis, so you do not have to worry about upfront or ongoing legal costs. 

By signing a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) with them, you will have to pay a small success fee if your claim is successful. Additionally, it will be taken as a legally capped percentage of your compensation, so you won’t have to worry about it and can concentrate on getting better. Due to the legal cap, you will also keep the majority of your compensation. 

Some other benefits to pursuing a claim with us are that our solicitors will:

• Utilise their legal skills and combined years of experience
• Walk you through the claim, explaining all of the legal jargon 
• Help you gather medical evidence to support your claim
• Fairly and accurately calculate how much compensation you are entitled to
• Help you access an independent medical assessment and mental health support 
• Assist you in obtaining interim payments to cover medical costs 

At Advice, we understand how suffering from a bowel cancer misdiagnosis may impact your health and life. However, our solicitors are here to help you seek the justice you deserve and a sufficient compensation payout to support you and your recovery. 

Contact Us

Contact us today for a free bowel misdiagnosis claims consultation with our friendly advisors by:

• Calling them on 0161 509 2856 to discuss the circumstances of your bowel misdiagnosis 
• Asking them questions regarding your claim on a free and private live chat 
• Filling out our contact us form for a call back

You may contact us anytime as our helpline is open 24 hours a day.

More Information

For more information about medical negligence claims, please read the guides below. 

• Learn how to claim for poor hospital care  
• Information about delayed diagnosis claims 
• Find out what is classed as medical negligence
• Read about gastroenteritis compensation claim

References

• Learn about cancer, NHS.UK 
• Information about bowel cancer, NHS.UK 
• Access mental health services, NHS.UK 

Thank you for reading this guide which explains how to pursue a compensation claim for a bowel cancer misdiagnosis.