General Practices Negligence Claims
Suing a Doctor for Medical Malpractice
General Practice is the ‘coalface’ of modern medicine. Claims have and do arise often due to delay in referral or investigation of serious medical concerns, resulting in a negligence case where a patient may sue the doctor.
We have handled repeated breast cancer cases against GPs for failing to follow accepted principles for investigating breast concerns, including application of the well-known ‘triple test.’
Because of the scale of numbers of patients being seen, doctors in a modern general practice must have clear and robust systems for following up patient test results and ensuring patient review/referral. In recent times we have noted a growth in ‘systems failure’ claims, relating essentially to clerical or administrative errors leading to inaccurate advice as to test results, follow up recommendations or counselling, sometimes with very serious consequences (and in several cases, tragically life-ending consequences).
Patients can sue a doctor for various claims, these include:
- Negligent failure to inform patient of presence of breast cancer on FNA;
- Failure to advise a patient of elevated markers, indicating a higher risk for various cancers (for example PSA for prostate cancer);
- Failure to investigate persistent headaches (due to undiagnosed coloid cyst);
- Failure to perform careful clinical examination of patient’s concerning breast lump;
- Negligent management of Warfarin medication + monitoring of INR levels;
- Negligent failure to investigate coughing of blood, due to undiagnosed dvt and pulmonary emboli;
- Negligent failure to investigate and diagnose heart attack, including the management of elevated cholesterol and blood pressure.
IF YOU’RE WANTING TO SUE THE DOCTOR, ALIGN YOURSELF WITH AN EXPERIENCED MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE LAWYER
Our specialised medical negligence lawyers are committed to handling your case with the utmost sensitivity, care, and respect. If you’re wanting to sue the doctor, and need to rely on attorneys for representation or advice, you’ll have peace of mind in knowing our highly accredited team bring with them a wealth of medical law experience and knowledge to every case, ensuring accountability and responsibility when things go wrong.
Our team has taken matters through to trial in the District Court and Court of Appeal. You’ll be in safe hands whether you’re seeking advice or compensation regarding the topic of medical negligence. Read more about us here or contact our Perth office today on (08) 6380 0700.
About Julian Johnson
Julian Johnson was the founder of Julian Johnson Lawyers. He graduated in Law from the University of Western Australia in 1988 and became a partner at Ilbery Barblett and O’Dea, before establishing his own firm in 2001. Recently, Julian joined the independent Bar, where he now continues to assist the firm as counsel.
The firm is now run by long-term members of the Julian Johnson Lawyers team, Kimberley Bavin and Anna Sundararajan who are maintaining the exceptional level of service which the firm has been known for many years.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I sue a doctor for medical malpractice?
What should I do if I believe I have a medical malpractice case?
How long does a general practice lawsuit take?
THE FIRST STEP: CONTACT US
Suing The Doctor For Medical Negligence
Under the legal system in Australia, a doctor can be sued if a breach in duty of care resulting in harm or injury has occurred. We understand that often deciding to investigate a claim is a very big first step to take. Most people are frightened of or at least apprehensive of the legal system, lawyers, or at the thought of suing a doctor or ‘the medical profession.’
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
At Julian John Lawyers, we understand that pursuing a claim against your doctor can be a daunting task. We have successfully helped clients bring claims against their medical provider and can help you investigate your case and navigate the legal system. To make it as easy as possible, just fill out the form and we will contact you to let you know whether we think investigating a claim is something you should think about. There’s no obligation and no fee involved.
If you’d prefer, we can even just send you an email answering your question (if it is simple enough) or pointing you in the right direction. To find out whether you can pursue a medical negligence claim and sue the doctor, contact Julian Johnson Lawyers today. If we think a claim is worth investigating, we’ll arrange to meet for a coffee and a chat.
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