Oral Cancer Claims

What is an oral cancer claim?

Oral cancer, also known as mouth cancer, is where a tumour develops in part of the mouth. When it is diagnosed early, oral cancer can often be treated effectively. But when diagnosis or treatment is delayed, the results can be devastating.

Left untreated, oral cancer can spread from the mouth to lymph nodes in the neck, as well as other organs such as the liver and lungs. This is why it’s so important for medical professionals to act quickly when diagnosing oral cancer.

But unfortunately this isn’t always the case. If you received sub-standard care at the time of your diagnosis or treatment, and your condition has worsened as a result, you could have an oral cancer claim.

Examples of negligence resulting in oral cancer claims include:

• Misdiagnosis
  Oral cancer is sometimes mistaken for less serious conditions such as toothache or mouth sores. If you’ve been misdiagnosed, you may have not received treatment as early as you should have. And if your cancer has developed or spread, you could have an oral cancer misdiagnosis claim.
• Delayed diagnosis
  Early diagnosis is vital for effectively treating oral cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, 19-59% of people will survive head and neck cancers, including oral cancer, in England. But the survival rate is largely determined by how soon the disease is diagnosed.
• Failure to refer to a specialist
  If your GP or dentist suspects you could have oral cancer, they should refer you to a specialist for further tests. Failure to do this could amount to negligence if you were showing symptoms of oral cancer during your initial examination.

If you think you might have an oral cancer claim, get in touch with our claims advisors. Our team has years of experience in helping people claim the compensation they deserve – and they can do the same for you.

Who will my oral cancer claim be made against?

We know that oral cancer claims are not always straightforward. And you may be feeling uncertain about who should be held accountable. This will ultimately depend on where the healthcare negligence took place.

For some people, this will be their local GP. For others, it could be a dental practice or a hospital where negligence occurred during treatment.

Part of your solicitor’s role is to determine who was responsible for the negligence you experienced. So you don’t need to worry if you’re not sure.

Your solicitor will gather evidence to prove that the negligence of an individual, practice or NHS trust caused your pain and suffering. And to do this, they may look at:

• Medical records
  Your solicitor may use medical records detailing your treatment as evidence to support your claim. These records will establish the basics of when and where you were treated, as well as revealing any medical errors that took place.
• Witness statements
  Witness statements could come from someone who attended your appointments with you, or from staff members who were present. These accounts can be extremely useful for supporting your own recollection of events.
• Your memory
  Your own account of the negligence you suffered and the impact it has had on you will form a central part of your claim. We would always recommend seeking legal advice as early as you can so that this information is fresher in your mind.

How can First4Lawyers help?

Discovering you have oral cancer is distressing enough. But knowing that you could have received better treatment can deliver an additional blow.

We can put you in touch with specialist medical negligence solicitors who will work on your behalf to secure you the compensation you deserve. Our solicitors are experienced in these types of claims and can provide expert advice at every stage of the claims process.

Your solicitor may also be able to help you navigate the NHS complaints process if you’d like to formally complain about the care you received. Many people find this reassuring as it can help to ensure the same mistakes aren’t repeated.

We offer a No Win No Fee service for oral cancer claims. This means you won’t have to worry about paying us anything upfront and there will be nothing to pay if your claim is unsuccessful.

Oral Cancer Claims FAQs

How much compensation could I get for an oral cancer claim?

It’s difficult to say exactly how much compensation you could receive without speaking to you about the circumstances surrounding your claim. But most settlements will be split into what’s known as general and special damages.

General damages will compensate you for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced as a result of negligence. This will include both the physical and psychological impact of the sub-standard care you received.

Special damages will take into account any financial losses associated with your claim. This could be lost or reduced earnings if you’ve had to take time off work, or the cost of further medical treatment.

For a rough estimate of how much your claim could be worth, try our free compensation calculator.

How long do I have to make an oral cancer claim?

You’ll generally have three years to make an oral cancer claim. This may seem like a long time, but we would recommend seeking legal advice as soon as you’re able to.

Starting the claims process early can make it easier for your solicitor to access important evidence. It may also be easier for you to recall the details of the negligence you suffered while it’s still fresh in your mind.

If you’re making a claim on behalf of someone who has passed away, you will usually have three years to start a claim from the date of their death. Your solicitor will support you through this and will be there to answer any questions you may have.

I think I have a claim – what should I do?

If you think you have an oral cancer claim, give our claims team a call. We offer a free initial consultation where we’ll listen to the details of your case and let you know if you have a strong claim.

We understand that the prospect of making an oral cancer claim can feel daunting. Our compassionate claims team will do all they can to make you feel comfortable and answer any questions you may have.

To find out more about our services, get in touch with us by calling the number at the top of screen or request a callback. We also have a quick and easy claims form on our website if you’d prefer to reach us online.