Urology Awareness and Negligence

Urology Awareness Month takes place every September to raise the profile of urology health and this year the focus is on men’s health - from prostate cancer, testicular cancer and all urology cancers, to bladder issues, erectile dysfunction and kidney stones.

At Pearson, our medical negligence solicitors welcome anything to bring this topic out into the open, encourage conversations around men’s health, and urge potential patients to come forward.

Urology Awareness Month

The aim of Urology Awareness Month is to highlight symptoms associated with diseases and various urological cancers and the impact they have on all aspects of an individual’s life.

Medical Negligence Solicitor, Daniel Phelps, says it’s important to break down the stigma around urology health.

“Claims around urology can be complex and negligence in this area, whether surgical, delayed or misdiagnosis can have serious consequences,”

“In one recent case we had, over 18months from his initial hospital visit our client was told he had metastatic prostate cancer, had a PSA test been carried out earlier he would have avoided months of discomfort and treatment would have commenced earlier and hopefully awareness and more talk around the topic will help,” said Danie Phelps.

What is a Prostate Specific Antigen Test?

A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test measures the level of PSA in a man's blood to help detect prostate cancer.

“Here our client would always have had a prostate cancer diagnosis, but it may have been caught at an earlier stage and his metastatic symptoms of bone and joint pain, fatigue, malaise and weight loss could have been avoided,” added Daniel.

Catching a urology disease early is crucial to get the right treatment quicker and awareness is always welcomed.

Urology covers medical issues related to the urinary tract and male reproductive organs, and negligence in this area can result in serious health consequences.

Urology Negligence

Urology medical negligence claims arise when a healthcare provider fails to deliver an acceptable standard of care in treating urological conditions, leading to patient harm.

• Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis: Failing to diagnose conditions like prostate cancer, kidney stones, or urinary tract infections can lead to severe complications. Delayed treatment can lead to worsened health outcomes and limited treatment options.
• Surgical Errors: Mistakes during urological surgeries, such as prostatectomies, can result in damage to surrounding organs, excessive bleeding, or infections.
• Failure to Inform: Not adequately informing patients about the risks of procedures or alternative treatments can also be grounds for a claim.
• Medication Errors: Prescribing the wrong medication or dosage for urological conditions can cause harm.
• Inadequate Post-Operative Care: Failing to provide proper care and monitoring after a urological procedure can lead to infections or other complications.

Urology Claims

If you have a claim for urology negligence one of our team will chat with you to assess whether you have a valid claim.  We can then begin gathering evidence, obtaining medical records, expert opinions, and other relevant documentation to prove that negligence occurred.

Many cases are settled out of court, but if a settlement cannot be reached the case may go to trial and Pearson will provide the right representation.

If successful, compensation may cover medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and any additional costs incurred due to the negligence.

Clients typically have three years from the date of the negligent act or from when they became aware of the harm to file a claim, so if you believe you have experienced negligence in urological care taking timely legal advice is essential.

“Patients should not be afraid to question their healthcare provider, whether that’s the NHS or a private medical carer as mistakes do happen and only by challenging the system can mistakes be dealt with and lessons learnt.

“Awareness days and months do bring cases into the spotlight and help patents be more alert to the signs and symptoms when things are not quite right,” added Daniel.

How can we help?

In the recent delayed diagnosis case, Pearson Medical negligence Solicitors secured a settlement of £15,000 from The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.

For legal advice on medical negligence cases contact Pearson Solicitors on 0161 785 3500 or email  enquiries@pearsonlegal.co.uk

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Please note that the information and opinions contained in this article are not intended to be comprehensive, nor to provide legal advice. No responsibility for its accuracy or correctness is assumed by Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers Ltd or any of its members or employees. Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking, or refraining from taking, any action as a result of this article.