Prostate Cancer Claims

Prostate cancer can affect any man at any age and lead to long-term health issues. According to Cancer Research UK:

• 55,093 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year.
• 12,039 men will sadly die from prostate cancer each year; that’s 33 every day.
• The outlook is good with early detection. Almost 8 in 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive their disease for 10 years or more.
• Prostate cancer survival has tripled in the last 50 years, largely due to better blood testing resulting in earlier diagnosis and treatment.

However, despite the positive impact of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) screening, mistakes and delays still happen leaving many men with a worse prognosis than they should have had.

Osbornes Law has been securing compensation in cancer misdiagnosis cases for decades. Whether you received a late diagnosis or were diagnosed with a different condition entirely, we will help you get the compensation and answers you’re owed.

What can prostate cancer be mistaken for?

The first symptoms of prostate cancer are often urinary, when the cancer grows large enough to press on the urethra. These might include:

• Weak or interrupted urine flow
• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Feeling the bladder isn’t fully empty after urinating
• Blood in the urine or semen

There are several conditions that have similar symptoms to these. For example, urinary tract infections, an enlarged prostate, and prostatitis share the same markers. However, even if your GP thinks another condition is more likely to be causing your symptoms, they should still rule out prostate cancer.

The medical professional should examine your prostate with a digital rectal examination and take a urine or blood sample to check for any abnormalities.

What is a prostate cancer misdiagnosis claim?

A prostate cancer misdiagnosis claim arises when a medical professional (doctor, nurse, urologist, oncologist, radiographer etc):

• Diagnoses your prostate cancer as something else, or
• Diagnoses you with a less-serious stage of cancer than you actually have (e.g. they say you have Stage 2 when you actually have Stage 4), or
• Fails to diagnose your prostate cancer at all.

It might also take the form of a delayed diagnosis, where the correct diagnosis is made eventually, but later than it should have been.

This could be due to reasons including:

• Failing to refer for prostate cancer testing, despite symptoms
• Ordering the wrong tests
• Not following up on abnormal test results (e.g. failing to order a biopsy if the PSA blood test is high)
• Not considering prostate cancer as a potential diagnosis, even if risk factors are present
• Incorrect interpretation of results

A prostate cancer misdiagnosis can have a range of devastating consequences. Early-stage prostate cancer (confined to the prostate gland) is highly treatable, and may only involve active surveillance or localised surgery. Cancer that remains undiscovered until its later stages is significantly harder to treat and has lower survival rates.

Making a claim for prostate cancer compensation can help you to access vital funds to pay for your care and cover any loss of earnings if you are unable to work. If your cancer is terminal, a compensation claim can help cover the cost of your care and provide financial security for any loved ones who depend on you.

How do I make a prostate cancer claim?

The first step is speaking to a solicitor who specialises in cancer misdiagnosis claims.

Even if you are unsure whether you have a claim, please contact us for a free consultation. During this assessment, you can tell us about your medical history and the details of your diagnosis and treatment. We will then determine if you have grounds for a claim.

Every medical professional has a duty of care to their patients. This means that you are entitled to receive an acceptable standard of care. The NHS has clear guidelines and protocols in place for the diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of prostate cancer patients. A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is considered to be medical negligence if those standards are not met.

However, on its own, poor practice is not enough to prove claim. We also need to show that the negligent medical care caused you harm or worsened your condition in some way. For example, we might show that a missed or late diagnosis allowed your cancer to progress and spread, affecting your prognosis, or you need more invasive treatment to eliminate your cancer, which can have major side effects.

As with any medical negligence claim, you have three years following the date you became aware of the negligence to make a claim. It’s best to contact us as soon as you can. That way, we can properly investigate your case while the evidence is still fresh and obtainable.

How much compensation am I entitled to?

It’s hard to give an exact amount as it can vary from case to case. Each claim is different because the circumstances of your prostate cancer misdiagnosis will not be the same as someone else’s. The compensation amount you could be entitled to depends on factors such as:

• The severity and stage of your prostate cancer
• How the misdiagnosis affected your health and treatment
• Any emotional or psychological distress caused by the misdiagnosis
• Earnings you lost if you were unable to work due to your illness
• Costs for travelling to medical appointments
• Rehabilitation expenses or additional care needs after the misdiagnosis

For example, we helped a client receive a payout of £300,000 following a delayed cancer diagnosis. To find out how much you might be entitled to, contact our team today.

How Osbornes can help

To give your claim the best chance of success, it is important to work with a specialist cancer misdiagnosis solicitor. The team at Osbornes has decades of experience dealing with claims like yours, and members of our team have medical qualifications. We use our experience and expertise to build the strongest legal argument for your claim.

• We work on a no win no fee basis, so you are never at risk financially when making a prostate cancer compensation claim.
• We always look to collect early compensation (interim payment) where possible, helping with any immediate financial concerns you may have.
• We can visit you at home or in hospital if you are unable to travel.
• Our team is five-star rated on Trustpilot and recognised for our compassionate client service. We are always available to answer any questions you may have throughout the process.

To start your prostate cancer compensation claim, contact us for a free claim review by:

• Filling in our online enquiry form; or
• Calling us on 020 7485 8811