Prostate Cancer Claims

When can you make a prostate cancer claim?

According to Prostate Cancer UK, around one in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

When prostate cancer is diagnosed early, treatment can be extremely effective and survival rates have improved significantly over the last few decades. But if your diagnosis was delayed by the negligence of a medical professional, you could have grounds to make a prostate cancer claim.

Examples of negligence that could lead to late diagnosis of prostate cancer include:

• Failure to carry out relevant tests
  There is currently no national screening programme for prostate cancer. But if you come to your GP with prostate cancer symptoms, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests should be carried out.
• Failure to refer you to a specialist
  Although PSA tests have been proven to improve survival rates amongst people with prostate cancer, they can be unreliable. If you receive a positive result from a PSA test, your GP should refer you for an MRI scan for further confirmation.
• Misdiagnosing you with another illness
  Prostate cancer is sometimes mistaken for a urinary tract infection or prostatis (swelling of the prostate gland). If your GP has overlooked your symptoms and diagnosed you incorrectly, you could have a misdiagnosis claim.

Any delay in the diagnosis or treatment of prostate cancer can have life-changing consequences - especially if you have an aggressive form of prostate cancer. If your condition has worsened due to an incorrect or delayed diagnosis, our claims team can help.

Why should I make a prostate cancer claim?

Coming to terms with a prostate cancer diagnosis is difficult enough. But finding out you could have been diagnosed earlier can make things even more upsetting.

You may have had to undergo more aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy as a result of a late diagnosis. And it can be frustrating to know that this could have been avoided.

Making a prostate cancer claim won’t undo the negligence you’ve suffered. But it could bring you a sense of justice and closure.

Any compensation you’re awarded will take into account the suffering that was caused by the sub-standard care you received. It will also consider the financial losses associated with your claim – such as the cost of travelling to and from hospital, or the expense of further medical treatment.

How can First4Lawyers help?

If you’ve been affected by a prostate cancer misdiagnosis or a delay in treatment, we could help you bring forward a claim. We work with specialist medical negligence solicitors who have a wealth of experience of helping people in situations similar to yours.

Your solicitor will gather evidence on your behalf to strengthen your claim and secure you the best outcome possible. So you don’t need to worry about going through the process alone. Your solicitor will be there to provide support and answer any questions you may have.

For these types of claims, we work on a No Win No Fee basis. This means there will be no upfront fees to pay and there will be no cost to you if your claim is unsuccessful.

Prostate cancer claims FAQs

How much compensation will I receive for a prostate cancer claim?

If your claim is successful, the amount of compensation you’re awarded will largely depend on the circumstances surrounding your individual case. So it’s difficult to say exactly how much you could receive.

But settlements will generally be split into what’s known as general and special damages:

• General damages – consider the pain and suffering caused by the prostate cancer negligence you experienced
• Special damages – cover any financial losses such as reduced earnings if you’ve had to take time off work

After gathering the details of your case, your solicitor will be able to advise you on how much compensation they think your claim could be worth.

For a rough estimate of how much you could receive in general damages, try our free compensation calculator.

Is there a time limit on making a claim?

You’ll usually have three years to make a prostate cancer claim. This could be three years from the date the negligence took place, or from when you first became aware of it. If you have any questions about whether you can make a claim, just get in touch. We’ll help you work out if you can take action and what the best option for you is.

Three years may seem like a long time but we would always encourage seeking legal advice as soon as you’re able to. Starting the claims process early can make it easier for your solicitor to access relevant evidence. And it may also be easier for you to recall the details of what happened.

It’s also possible to bring a claim on behalf of a loved one who has passed away. In these cases, there is a three-year time limit applied from the date of death or from when you first became aware of the negligence. Your solicitor will help you to determine which of these apply to you.

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

If you think you could have a prostate cancer claim, get in touch with our understanding and experienced claims team for a free initial consultation. We’ll listen to the details of what happened and let you know if we think you have a strong claim.

There will be no obligation to go forward after speaking to us and we’ll never pressure you. Instead, we’ll do our best to answer any questions you may have so that you can make a fully informed decision.

You can reach us by calling the number at the top of the screen or by requesting a callback. We also have a quick and easy claims form on our website if you’d prefer to contact us online.