NHS Misdiagnosis Cases
Visiting the doctor or hospital is no fun for anyone and in fact most of us dread it. but we trust the medical professionals we see and that the advice, diagnosis or treatment provided is correct. However, as in any other profession, mistakes can be made. You may have been misdiagnosed by a nurse, doctor or dentist if this is the case and you have suffered mentally or physically you could be entitled to bring a medical negligence compensation claim.
Some Types of Misdiagnosis in the NHS
INCORRECT DIAGNOSIS
This is when you have been diagnosed with the wrong illness or condition, potentially leading to the wrong treatment or more harm being caused.
FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE
Your illness is completely missed and no diagnosis is made. As a result you may not have received any treatment at all.
LATE DIAGNOSIS
You may have had your illness diagnosed a lot later than it should have been resulting in a need for more invasive treatment, a lower chance of survival or a longer recovery.
Top 5 Misdiagnosed Conditions in the NHS
- Fractures 29%
- Cancer 14%
- Tendons 6%
- Scaphoid 5%
- Hip 5%
We know this because the NHS Litigation Authority carried out a study recently. These are the latest figures for 2022/2023.
Consequences of Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis and can have a life changing impact on you or your family for example:-
1. You may need long term care from a nurse, a family member or a friend
2. Your life expectancy may be reduced
3. You may have long term chronic pain and suffering
4. You incur treatment or medication costs
5. You suffer loss of earnings or other financial losses
If a claim for misdiagnosis is successful the compensation you receive will vary depending on the extent of your injuries and the effect it has had upon you. You may have suffered all of the above consequences, a few, or something different but if you have suffered as a result of a negligent misdiagnosis then we can help.
Can I Claim Compensation From The NHS?
The NHS Litigation Authority uses two codes when carrying out its studies to describe claims arising out of problems with the diagnosis of conditions/injuries. The 2 codes are “failure/delay in diagnosis” and “wrong diagnosis”.
In 2014/2015, successful ‘failure/delay diagnosis’ claims came to 1,136, totalling £185,032,609.53. Successful ‘wrong diagnosis’ claims in the same period came to 150, totalling £12,232,785.26. That means that, together, misdiagnosis – whether it’s wrong, failed or late – cost NHS hospitals a staggering £197.2million in 2014/2015. Fast forward to 2022/2023 and successful cases are on the rise and most cases are settled without the need to issue proceedings against the NHS. Armstrong Foulkes understands that medical negligence and misdiagnosis claims can be stressful and upsetting for most people and that's why we are here to help.