Review left by John

Graham, my civil partner died from lower gut cancer in June 2016, and it took me the best part of a year to recover from the shock of it all before I selected Wake Smith randomly from the internet to advise me as I have little legal knowledge. It proved to be an excellent decision. I inquired and then instructed my solicitor to act for me in claiming clinical negligence. Graham had first complained of a lump in his lower gutl over 12 months earlier, a finding also reported by his GP and so he was sent for a sigmoidoscopy scan in July 2015, some 11 months earlier. The report from the sigmoidoscopy (which did not arrive until late September) stated “no sign at all of histological features”, “area has been fully assessed” and “I think we can be fully reassured”. Well, we were only fully reassured for another 5 months or so by which time Graham’s cancer had spread until he developed clear symptoms of illness. A second sigmoidoscopy revealed malignant tumour in the same position as the lump described by Graham and his GP previously. However, this diagnosis was now too late to plan any curative treatment and the palliative treatment did not significantly prolong his life. The defence admitted their error in not finding and diagnosing the tumour in the first instance; but even if they had, they argued that it would have been too late; the cancer was already too advanced. The opinions of expert witnesses became central to the case which fortunately was settled to the satisfaction of all sides before having to go to court. My solicitor (Scott Haslam) was very efficient at keeping me updated, receiving, and sending documents, finding first class expert witnesses, obtaining medical records etc. The delays in the case (it took 5 years to resolve) were due to the Covid pandemic, the complexity of the case and the defence asking for a number of extensions. My legal team (barrister, solicitor, expert witnesses, legal agents) were all 1st class and I would have no hesitation in using them again.