Prior to the commencement of proceedings in a personal injury or medical negligence matter, a solicitor usually requests the claimants general practitioners and any other allied health professionals notes i.e. physiotherapists, ambulance etc. Apart from the notes being useful when the Barrister prepares a preliminary advice, whats the purpose of having clinical notes on hand, early in the proceedings? How can clinical notes best be utilised in the claimant's case? … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2016
9 Tips On How To Get Paid [Seriously]……..!
As lawyers we are in the business of providing professional services to our clients, with variances in hourly and daily rates (daily rates; if a barrister). There are some schools of thought that law is a profession and as a result it may be considered 'tacky' to chase accounts or speak about money with clients (if you are a solicitor this will mean actual clients or if a barrister solicitors as clients)? Others think law is a business and like any other business, lawyers have to be mindful and understand the basics of 'how to run and manage' a business. I would like to know how many employed lawyers, equity partners or owners of law firms, think law is a profession when they don't make monthly/yearly budgets? :-) However, business management doesn't form part of an undergraduate legal degree, which often means lawyers have technical legal knowledge but may not possess the necessary business acumen to manage and run their files, accounts and businesses, to ensure 'bad debt' is … [Read more...]
NEWS: Nervous Shock Claim Following Birth: $1.7 million + In Damages
Are you representing a client or clients who have lost a child at birth (or some other trauma) due to negligence and as a result suffered a psychiatric injury? In the recent case of McManus v Murrumbidgee Local Health District Health Network [2016] NSWSC 1347 the mother sued for damages for nervous shock after the defendant failed to properly monitor her labour or manage her antenatal period and delivery with the result her newborn son died soon after birth in circumstances that could and should have been avoided by an earlier Caesarean section. What are some practical tips we can learn from this case, to assist when running psychiatric injury cases? … [Read more...]