Woman with wrong diagnosis sues for professional negligence

Published on 25 Jun 2010 under category: legal

A woman who was not given a correct diagnosis of breast cancer has failed in her claim for professional negligence compensation.

Cheryl Carter, who was seen by a doctor at Cookham Wood prison, originally made a successful claim for profession and medical negligence in 2005.

The 34-year old woman was found to have breast cancer after leaving prison and was forced to undergo a mastectomy the following year.

However, Ms Carter has been told by the high court that the charge of professional negligence is not sustainable as the doctors had no obligation to refer the woman for specialist treatment.

The prison doctors had found no abnormality, with the court concluding Ms Carter's previous history of complaints to the prison service about her health put her complaints in doubt.

Ms Carter's claim was overturned after the court concluded that her first claim of professional and medical negligence had been upheld because of the judge's sympathy for her case.

If you require advice on Professional Negligence please call us on +44 (0)20 7831 0101 and ask for Peter Mellett.