£1.19m Settlement Secured in Delayed Diagnosis Breast Cancer Claim

02/02/2026

Matthew Brunning secured a £1.19 million settlement on behalf of a 51-year-old woman with recurrent, terminal breast cancer following admissions of a delayed diagnosis.

The claimant (“C”) was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. A later review of an earlier mammogram showed that the responsible NHS trust should have detected the cancer at a much earlier stage. The trust admitted that, had the cancer been identified when it should have been, C would have undergone breast-conserving surgery and the disease would not have spread to her lymph nodes.

Instead, as a result of the delay, C required significantly more extensive treatment, including a mastectomy, axillary clearance and radiotherapy. Despite this, she remained employed full time in a demanding role.

In 2024, metastatic disease was detected and C was informed that her cancer was terminal. She continued to work full time following the diagnosis, although it was expected that she would have to cease work in the near future.

Matthew was instructed after a change in C’s legal team in late summer 2025. Key issues in the case included C’s likely career trajectory but for the delayed diagnosis, together with her future care and support needs as her condition deteriorated. The claim was pursued as a “lost years” claim rather than under the Fatal Accidents Act.

Matthew was instructed by Sophie McGarry and Darren Tamplin-Compton of Fletchers.