Delay in diagnosing Breast Cancer results in pulmonary embolism
The injury
Our client Ms B had a family history of breast cancer. Her mother and aunt (on her mother’s side) had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and a maternal was being monitored for breast symptoms.
In January, she complained to her GP about right hip pain. She was referred for an x-ray of the pelvis, which was normal. She was given painkillers. She saw another GP in February who thought that the pain seemed much worse than would be expected for a minor injury, but our client was told to carry on taking painkillers.
She reported that the pain had spread to her left hip, abdomen, and chest in March. She was told that it was muscular pain and was referred for physio. She had physiotherapy in May, but it did not help. She developed pain in her left shoulder.
Our client saw her GP again later in May, and again in June because she was in agony. She was told that it might be fibromyalgia and was referred to rheumatology.
A couple of weeks later, Ms B had a minor bump to her left arm, but it was so painful that she went to A&E. She was told that she had fractured her left humerus (bone between the shoulder and elbow). The fracture was caused by cancer growing in the bone.
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We can help you investigate your case and help recover compensation for your physical and psychological injury together with the cost of future treatment, rehabilitation, loss of earnings (if unable to work as a result of the injury), vital aids and equipment and for any care or support that is required as long as it can be attributed to the negligence.
What happened to our client?
Further investigations confirmed that Ms B had breast cancer, which had spread to the bone in her left arm, her chest, and the right hip and femur (bone between the hip and the knee).
She had treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but the stage of the cancer when she was diagnosed meant that it was not curable. She also had to have surgery to pin her right femur because the cancer had weakened it.
Our Investigation
We were instructed to investigate the case on behalf of our client. Investigations revealed that Ms B’s GPs should have referred her for further investigation of the right hip pain after the x-ray in January was reported as normal. This caused a delay in diagnosing breast cancer, and it was negligent. We identified two GP Defendants.
Our evidence confirmed that the spread of the cancer could not have been prevented with earlier diagnosis, but she would have avoided the fractured arm, surgery to her right leg and increased pain if there had been no delay.
Our investigations also identified that there were delays in starting chemotherapy after our client was diagnosed, and that she was given the wrong drugs, which caused her to have a pulmonary embolism.
Concerned about a delay in diagnosis of cancer
While no amount of compensation will ever be enough for your or a family member’s suffering or loss, if you or a loved one has been affected by healthcare negligence, we can help you through the legal process for investigating your concerns against a healthcare professional and your negligence claim if there is one.
We will do this by providing legal representation on a no-win-no-fee basis to investigate what happened, help you get some answers, help you secure compensation, help seek justice for you and help to secure your or your loved one’s future.
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The Outcome
The hospital admitted that the delay in chemotherapy and prescribing the wrong drugs was negligent. The GP Defendants did not admit liability for failing to refer Ms B, but we negotiated settlement of the whole claim for our client for a significant sum.
The failures in care in this case were numerous and were easily avoidable. Ms B was ignored and dismissed when she complained of pain, and this meant that her suffering was prolonged.
We hope that lessons have been learned so that the same failures are not repeated.
Disclaimer
Whilst our case studies are designed to give an indication of the outcomes that can be achieved in these circumstances, the compensation awarded in individual cases can vary significantly due to a range of factors, including the severity of injury, effects on life expectancy and financial impact, for example. For more information, contact us today.
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If you are concerned about the medical treatment that you or a loved one has received, please contact us and one of our specialist team will assist you.
