Areas of Practice: Medical Malpractice & Health Care Claims
Lawson Smith has accumulated relevant experience which places it at the forefront in terms of capable and robust legal advice, careful management of stakeholder relationships, representation and results for insurers and risk carriers in the medical and allied health care fields in South Australia.
Prompt Lawson Smith advice - succinct and authoritative - on policy coverage issues means that clients quickly and fully appreciate their rights and obligations.
Insureds will understand their prospects of success in an argument for cover.
We have successfully acted in and resolved claims involving:
- Allied health professionals
- Chiropractors
- Doctors
- Dentists
- Hospitals
- Medical clinics
- Pathologists
- Pharmacists
- Physiotherapists
- Psychologists and psychotherapists
- Psychiatrists
- Radiologists
- Veterinarians.
As courts expand the concept of “professional responsibility”, so the span of our claims experience grows. No professional relishes the prospect of a claim. Lawson Smith deftly navigates issues and relationships to achieve effective teamwork through the litigation process.
Because many medical malpractice matters involve detriment to the reputations of practitioners involved, extensive Lawson Smith experience in defamation proves beneficial to both insurers and insureds. Lawson Smith team members have vast experience in disciplinary matters gained through their appointments to Boards, Tribunals, and schemes including:
- SA Dental Board
- SA Veterinary Board
- Legal Disciplinary Tribunal
- Military Tribunal
- SA Property Institute Tribunal.
Relationships with insureds
Lawson Smith is adept at dealing with these important relationships. We understand that sound relationships with medical insureds and other key sector stakeholders are pivotal to continued success for insurers and risk carriers. We appreciate the intricate issues which may arise when their reputations and rights to practice are at stake.
Clients can be entirely confident that, while their interests will always be foremost in our minds, Lawson Smith is sensitive to the broader aspects of managing insureds and their relationships for long-term success in this market.
Robust experience demonstrates strong credentials.
Introducing our medical malpractice and heath care insurance team
Anna Williamson
Anna leads our Adelaide medical malpractice and heath care insurance team.
She has successfully represented and advised insurers, medicos, allied health professionals and hospitals in claims involving allegations of sexual misconduct, medical malpractice, failures of systems and devices, criminal negligence, and fraud.
Anna’s demonstrable credentials in media and defamation law are valuable in handling public interest and media scrutiny in medical malpractice claims.
She supports insured doctors and hospitals with sound advice and legal strategies to avoid or minimise reputational damage. Anna also offers adept representation and sympathetic legal support in coronial inquests and public inquiries.
Candida D'Arcy
Candida has excellent credentials in medical negligence and health care claims, having acted for both doctors and hospitals throughout her career, as well as sitting on professional discipline tribunals.
Given public interest and media attention to allegations of medical malpractice, Candida is well equipped to navigate these issues and deal with suppression orders.
David Johns
David has an excellent and impressive background as an insurance lawyer specialising in professional responsibilities, professional practices, medical and allied health care, and claims of negligence.
He has gained an intimate understanding of medico legal matters and has successfully managed claims related to informed consent, catastrophic injury, neurological injuries, failure of systems and devices, and infectious diseases.
Throughout his 25 year legal career, David has handled a variety of medical malpractice claims, including acting for AMP insurance from the mid 1980s to the early 2000s.
Richard Smith
Richard has been involved in many major claims including some of the largest and most complex in South Australia. He has developed a reputation for proactive management with a focus on early resolution and has earned an outstanding reputation for effectiveness for insurers.
In 1998, Richard was appointed as a panel solicitor by Lawguard, the professional indemnity insurers of the legal profession, and he ably deals with diverse claims.
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