(FAQ) What constitutes nursing home negligence in NSW?
When placed in a nursing home or aged care facility, the elderly are dependant on the staff who work there. However, reports of mistreated patients and misconduct within staff are all too common across Australia. Such examples, while appalling, also illustrate that aged care facilities sometimes breach that expected duty of care. This breach provides […]
Court sides with defendant in medical negligence case
In a court of law, it's not overly common for a plaintiff to leave with orders to pay the defendant's costs – after all, they were the one seeking the initial application. However, like the below case demonstrates, this outcome can occur, and often comes with surprising twists. Background of the case The plaintiff alleged […]
Dentist faces potential loss of licence in medical negligence battle
Medical negligence isn't just confined to an operating table. It can occur in a number of medical institutions, including the dentist's chair. Here we dissect a recent case brought before the NSW District Court. Background of the case The case centered around a dentist (the subject) who was working in the Broadmeadow region. After practising […]
New plastic surgery laws pass through NSW Parliament
NSW plastic surgery regulations are already the envy of many states in Australia, but new laws have recently passed that will give even more protection to patients going under the knife. The new legislation would mean anyone caught performing a high-risk procedure in an unlicensed facility could potentially be fined $55,000. Treatments such as breast […]
Woman awarded $1.6 million in medical negligence appeal
Emily Pierce has had epilepsy since she was six, though her fits didn't get bad until she was about 14. At the age of 19, Pierce was referred to a neurologist in Brisbane, and then in Victoria in order to pursue a surgery that would cure her epilepsy. In order to determine whether or not Pierce was […]
Families angry at nursing home negligence in Australia
The families of elderly people in Australian nursing homes have voiced their anger at the way aged care facilities are treating their loved ones. Reporters from "A Current Affair" spoke to relatives of residents and industry whistleblowers about the standard of care at nursing homes across the country, with one woman claiming her father was […]
Doctors appeal $3.8 million medical negligence decision
Two medical practitioners have appealed a NSW Supreme Court decision that ruled they were negligent during an operation that left a man paraplegic. The plaintiff suffered from Noonan Syndrome – a genetic disorder with various symptoms, such as facial disfigurement, heart problems and developmental delays. He required two operations to resolve breathing problems, but while […]
Nurses reprimanded after patient death misconduct
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal has ruled that two nurses were guilty of professional misconduct in relation to a patient's death in 2013. When a medical practitioner's behaviour falls below the expected standards of the profession, they may be deemed negligent. This can result in significant payouts for damages if their actions lead to […]
Nurse dismissed for negligence fails in application to be reinstated
A senior registered nurse who was fired for failing to follow procedural guidelines has been unable to convince the Industrial Relations Commission that she was unfairly dismissed. The woman was accused of negligence in her duty of care when an absconded patient was found dead in a toilet, several hours after first being reported missing. […]
Doctor loses negligence case following botched brain surgery
A doctor who performed brain surgery to remove a patient's tumour was negligent in his duty of care, according to a recent NSW Supreme Court judgement. The plaintiff suffered catastrophic complications after the endoscopic operation, which involved the medical practitioner going up through the nasal cavity to take out the tumour. Following the procedure, the […]
