Last updated 30th April 2025. Following a cervical cancer misdiagnosis, you may be asking, ‘can I claim compensation?’. If your situation applies to the specific eligibility criteria discussed in this guide, you may be able to make a medical negligence misdiagnosis claim.
Key Points
- Cervical cancer could be foyund anywhere in the cervix and may require extensive treatment if caught late.
- If a medical professional failed to diagnose you with cervical cancer, you may be able to make a medical negligence claim if the specific criteria apply to you.
- The amount of compensation you may be awarded is determined by the extent of your losses and suffering.
- Generally, you have three years to start a claim; however, there are some exceptions to this.
- Our solicitors may help you claim compensation through a No Win No Fee contract.
If your misdiagnosis caused you to suffer, contact our helpful advisors today:
- Visit our contact page
- Give our advisors a call on 0800 073 8804
- Message our advisors using the live chat window
Jump To A Section
- What Is Cervical Cancer?
- How Do Doctors Test For Cervical Cancer?
- Can I Make A Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Claim?
- Why Is Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosed?
- How Can Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Impact You?
- Time Limits In Medical Misdiagnosis Claims
- How Much Compensation Could You Get For Cancer Misdiagnosis?
- Make A Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Claim With Legal Expert
- Learn More
What Is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer most commonly occurs in women between the ages of 30 and 35 and may be found anywhere in the cervix. Although it typically grows at a slow rate, it may spread to other parts of your body. Your chances of developing cervical cancer can be reduced by attending cervical screening. This is a common assessment and aims to find changes to cells before they turn into cancer.
Symptoms And Treatment
The most common symptoms of cervical cancer you may experience include:
- Vaginal bleeding – such as during or after sex, between periods and after menopause
- Pain in your lower back, pelvis or lower stomach
- Pain during sex
- Vaginal discharge changes
If you received a cervical cancer diagnosis, medical professionals will discuss a particular treatment plan with you. The main forms of treatment for cervical cancer include:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Targeted medicines and immunotherapy
If your case of cervical cancer has been misdiagnosed, you may be eligible to make a medical negligence claim. Contact our team of advisors to find out more about this.
How Do Doctors Test For Cervical Cancer?
Medical professionals often find signs of cervical cancer during cervical screenings. These are routine checks that the NHS recommends for all women between the ages of 25 and 64.
During this procedure, a doctor or nurse will take a sample of cells from the cervix. These cells will then be checked for human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer.
If abnormal cells are found in any area of the cervix, the primary test to follow up is a colposcopy. This allows a medical professional to take a closer look at your cervix. They may take another sample of cells or remove the abnormal cells.
You could be eligible to start a cervical cancer misdiagnosis claim if a medical professional fails to follow up any findings of abnormal cells during a cervical screening with an appropriate test. We look at other examples of misdiagnosis later in the guide.
Contact our team of advisors, they can assess the circumstances of your claim and whether you may be eligible to start a claim for compensation. We understand that you may be under a lot of stress due to your misdiagnosis, but our advisors are highly trained and have dealt with similar cervical cancer claims.
Can I Make A Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Claim?
All medical professionals owe their patients a duty of care. As such, they must provide the correct level of care and avoid causing unnecessary harm to their patients.
If you were in the care of a medical professional who misdiagnosed your cervical cancer, causing further suffering, you may be eligible to start a medical negligence claim and be entitled to compensation.
Below is a list of the requirements you must meet to have good grounds to claim medical negligence compensation:
- A medical professional must have owed a duty of care to you
- They must have failed to provide the correct standard of care, breaching this duty
- This must have resulted in you suffering avoidable harm
If you meet these criteria, you may be eligible to start a medical negligence claim.
Contact our helpful advisors for a free consultation and to start your claim today.
Why Is Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosed?
Most cases of cervical cancer are preventable, and if caught early, it can often be treated with minimally invasive treatment. However, if a misdiagnosis occurs, it can cause a person to sustain further harm.
Some examples of how medical professionals could misdiagnose cervical cancer include:
- Failure to record accurate results of a Pap smear test
- Failure to check or report laboratory results
- Failure to investigate abnormal cells
- Failing to transfer the patient to a specialist practitioner
What Can Cervical Cancer Be Mistaken For?
In some circumstances, a medical professional may misdiagnose cervical cancer by mistaking it for another condition. If this happened to you and caused you to suffer more, you could be able to make a claim for compensation.
Some examples of conditions that could be mistaken for cervical cancer include:
- Endometriosis
- Genital infections (STDs)
- Endocervical glandular hyperplasia
- Vaginal amebiasis
If a medical professional has misdiagnosed your condition for another condition and this has caused avoidable suffering, you may be eligible to start a claim for compensation.
Call our friendly advisors today for more information on whether you are eligible to claim compensation.
How Can Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Impact You?
Understandably, a cervical cancer misdiagnosis can impact your general health. This is because a misdiagnosis may cause avoidable harm or require more invasive treatment that could prolong your suffering or recovery.
This type of misdiagnosis may also have a psychological impact on you. For example, it may increase your stress levels or cause you to worry about your health, recovery, family commitments or even your ability to work.
If your medical negligence claim is successful, you may be compensated for how your misdiagnosis has impacted you. Contact our helpful advisors today for further information.
Time Limits In Medical Misdiagnosis Claims
Under the Limitation Act 1980, there is generally a three-year time limit for starting a medical misdiagnosis claim. Typically, this time limit may run from either:
- The date the medical negligence happened or;
- The date you received the knowledge of your misdiagnosis
However, in some cases, there may be exceptions to this rule, such as:
- If a minor suffers from a medical misdiagnosis, the three-year time limit will commence on the date they turn eighteen years old and will run until they turn twenty-one years old.
- If a person suffering from a misdiagnosis lacks mental capacity, they may be unable to claim. Therefore, the three-year limitation period will be paused. However, if the claimant regains this capacity, the time limit of three years will begin from this date.
Under such circumstances, when the time limit is delayed or indefinitely paused, a litigation friend may file a medical misdiagnosis claim on behalf of the claimant.
Contact our helpful advisors to start your compensation claim today or to talk about your specific time limit.
How Much Compensation Could You Get For Cancer Misdiagnosis?
If you are eligible to make a cervical cancer claim and you succeed, you may receive a compensation award. Settlements may be given under two heads of claim: general damages and special damages.
If general damages have been awarded, this means that you have been compensated for any physical pain or psychological suffering you experienced as a result of your misdiagnosis.
General damages will likely be calculated using documents such as an independent medical assessor report or guidelines presented by the Judicial College (JCG). This document contains a list of injuries and conditions alongside their suggestive compensation brackets.
The figures in the below table was taken from the JCG (except from the top bracket) to illustrate how compensation could be calculated for general damages following a successful claim.
| Injury | Compensation Guideline Figure |
|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries and Significant Financial Losses | Up to £1 million plus |
| Female Reproductive Injuries (a) | £140,210 to £207,260 |
| Female Reproductive Injuries (b) | £52,490 to £124,620 |
| Female Reproductive Injuries (c) | £68,440 to £87,070 |
| Female Reproductive Injuries (d) | £21,920 to £44,840 |
| Female Reproductive Injuries (e) | £8,060 to £22,800 |
| Female Reproductive Injuries (f) | £4,140 to £24,930 |
| Female Reproductive Injuries (g) | In the region of £12,450 |
| Bowel Injuries (b) | Up to £183,190 |
| One Scar That Is Disfiguring Or Multiple Laceration Scars | £9,560 to £27,740 |
Can I Claim For The Financial Effects Of Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis?
In some cases, a cancer misdiagnosis may result in you incurring financial losses. You could be able to claim compensation for this under the second head of claim, special damages. However, you can only claim for this if you are claiming for general damages.
Some examples of the financial losses you may claim back include:
- Missed wages
- Lost work privileges such as bonuses
- Travel and medical expenses
- Home adjustments or special equipment – these may be necessary to support your treatment or recovery
When claiming financial losses, you must provide evidence. Some examples of this include:
- Payslips
- Bank statements
- Medical bills
- Receipts
If you are struggling to obtain evidence, our medical negligence solicitors may help you collect it. They may then begin to calculate your potential compensation and build your case.
To find out if you may be compensated for your cervical cancer misdiagnosis, contact our friendly advisors today.
Make A Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Claim With Legal Expert
If you are eligible to claim compensation for a cervical cancer misdiagnosis for your suffering, our solicitors want to support you. They are experienced in medical negligence claims and can use their expertise to:
- Guide you through the process of making a claim
- Explain any key terminology or documents
- Help gather evidence
- Build your case
- Negotiate settlements on your behalf
We understand that you may be worried about paying for legal representation. However, our solicitors operate on the basis of No Win No Fee. This means you may sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) before starting your claim to offer you financial security for legal representation. Some examples of why this may benefit you are:
- You do not have to pay costs before the start of the claim for our solicitor’s work on your claim.
- If you gain compensation from your claim, our solicitors will take a legally capped minimal percentage of the compensation you are awarded to cover their success fees.
- If your claim is unsuccessful, our solicitors will not request any payments for the work they have completed on your case.
Contact Us
If you were impacted by a cervical cancer misdiagnosis, contact our helpful advisors today:
- Visit our contact page
- Give our advisors a call on 0800 073 8804
- Message our advisors using the live chat pop-up
Learn More
For more information on medical misdiagnosis claims, visit the links below:
- Read about the average payout for cancer misdiagnosis claims
- Read about medical negligence private hospital claims
- Read about how you can prove hospital negligence
References:
- Find help and support for cervical cancer, NHS.UK
- Learn about statutory sick pay, GOV.UK
- Information about good medical practice standards, GMC.UK
We appreciate the time you have taken to read our guide on claims for cervical cancer misdiagnosis and hope that you have the information you need to move forward.
