Diagnosing errors and delays are the amongst the most common cases in which we are involved, covering both the failure to diagnose a chronic condition present over many years to mis-diagnosis in accident and emergency departments of acute conditions. Cases involving the delay in diagnosis of cancer are particularly common.

The range of experience within the clinical negligence department means that we will often have investigated similar cases previously. This allows our clinical negligence solicitors to focus on the important medical and evidential issues from the beginning of the claim.

We have settled many cases involving failure to diagnose and mis-diagnosis. Examples are as follows:

• Failing to diagnose breast cancer where it should have been clear to the doctor that the breast lump had changed in appearance and had started to ooze.
• Wrongly diagnosing that a lady had cancer of the bowel leading to her life and marriage falling apart. She was told 2 years later that the interpretation of the relevant CT scan had been incorrect and rather than a cancerous mass it had actually shown impacted faeces!
• Failing to diagnose a hip fracture and discharging the patient with advice to weight-bear on it. Unfortunately the hip became ischaemic and the patient required a full hip replacement rather than just a pin inserting.
• Failing to diagnose an aortic aneurism which is a life-threatening condition and after discharge from the hospital the gentleman was dead within 48 hours.