Professional negligence lawyers Launceston

When a professional you trusted gets it badly wrong, the fallout can be hard to make sense of. Maybe your solicitor dropped the ball on a property settlement and you’re now facing financial consequences you didn’t see coming. Maybe a specialist missed something that should have been caught much sooner, and your health has suffered because of it.

Whatever happened, you deserve a straight answer about whether you have a claim — and what your options are. Fair Go Australia provides specialist professional negligence legal assistance to people across Launceston and northern Tasmania. We work entirely on a no-win, no-fee basis, and because we operate Australia-wide, you won’t need to travel to get proper advice.

YOUR SITUATION

Professional negligence claims in Launceston

Launceston sits at the heart of northern Tasmania — a regional city where people rely on the same tight network of professionals for legal matters, medical care, financial guidance, and building work. When one of those professionals fails to meet the standard their role demands, the consequences can be significant. And the path to remedy isn’t always obvious.

Professional negligence, in plain terms, is what happens when a qualified professional causes you loss by falling below the standard of care their profession requires. It’s not about a bad outcome or a decision you disagree with — it’s about a failure to act with the skill, care, and diligence that a competent professional in that role would reasonably apply. That distinction matters, and it’s one the Civil Liability Act 2002 (TAS) and the courts take seriously.

Getting specialist legal help in regional Tasmania isn’t always straightforward. Fair Go Australia was built to change that. We handle professional negligence claims in Tasmania remotely, with no reduction in quality or communication, and no requirement for you to make the trip to Hobart.

WHAT WE HANDLE

Types of professional negligence claims we handle in Launceston

Professional negligence arises across a wide range of industries. These are the claim types we regularly assist with — each with a link to more detail on that specific area.

  • Solicitor negligence — Your lawyer missed a limitation period, gave incorrect advice on a conveyancing matter in Launceston, or failed to protect your interests in a commercial dispute, leaving you with a loss you shouldn’t be carrying.
  • Medical negligence — A GP, specialist, or surgical team at a Launceston or northern Tasmanian hospital missed a diagnosis, delayed treatment, or made an error that left your health in a worse position than it should have been.
  • Financial adviser negligence — An adviser placed you in investments that were clearly unsuitable for your circumstances, or failed to disclose risks that any competent adviser would have flagged — and your retirement savings or personal finances have taken the hit.
  • Accountant negligence — Your accountant made errors in your returns, gave you poor structuring advice, or failed to meet compliance obligations — and now you’re facing an ATO audit, penalties, or a tax debt that shouldn’t exist.
  • Engineer or building certifier negligence — A structural or design error crept into your Launceston property build or renovation because an engineer or certifier didn’t do their job properly, and the defects are costing you.

If your situation doesn’t fit neatly into one of these categories, that’s fine — speak to our team and we’ll tell you honestly whether it looks like a viable claim.

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS

Understanding your rights under Tasmanian law

To succeed in a professional negligence claim in Tasmania, you generally need to establish four things: that the professional owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty, that the breach caused your loss, and that the loss is real and quantifiable. Each element matters.

The duty of care question is often more settled than people expect. The High Court’s decision in Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 established clear principles around the standard of care professionals must meet — principles that Tasmanian courts apply consistently under the Civil Liability Act 2002 (TAS). The harder question is usually causation: did the professional’s failure actually cause the loss you suffered, or would the outcome have been similar regardless?

The Supreme Court of Tasmania has jurisdiction over substantial professional negligence matters. Professional conduct questions may also involve the Law Society of Tasmania, depending on the nature of your complaint and the profession involved.

Not every situation gives rise to a viable claim. We’ll give you an honest assessment of that at the outset, including realistic prospects and what the process looks like if you decide to proceed.

ACT NOW — TIME LIMITS APPLY

How long do you have to make a claim in Tasmania?

Tasmania’s limitation framework varies depending on the nature of your claim. General professional negligence claims must typically be commenced within 6 years under the Limitation Act 1974 (TAS). If your claim involves personal injury — including psychiatric injury — the period is 3 years from the date you became aware, or reasonably ought to have become aware, of the negligence and its connection to your loss.

That discoverability rule is important. It means the clock doesn’t necessarily start running from the date of the negligent act itself — it starts from when you had, or should have had, reasonable grounds to suspect something had gone wrong. In complex matters, like a missed diagnosis or a poorly drafted will, that date can be genuinely difficult to determine.

⚠️ Act before time runs out.

In Tasmania, professional negligence claims must generally be commenced within 6 years of the negligent act, or 3 years from when you became aware (or reasonably should have become aware) of the negligence — whichever is relevant to your situation under the Limitation Act 1974 (TAS). Missing this deadline can permanently extinguish your right to claim. If you are uncertain whether your limitation period is still open, contact our team for a free assessment as soon as possible.

HOW WE HELP

How Fair Go Australia can help Launceston residents

We specialise in professional negligence — it’s the only area of law we work in. That focus means our team understands these claims at a level that a generalist legal service simply can’t match, including how to assess them quickly and honestly at the outset.

For Launceston and regional Tasmanian clients, our process is fully remote. We handle everything by phone, email, and video — so you receive the same quality of advice and attention as a client walking into an office in a capital city. You won’t need to travel.

Our no-win, no-fee model is genuine. If your claim doesn’t succeed, you don’t pay our legal fees. We take on the financial risk of running your matter — and that means we’re selective about the cases we accept. If we agree to take yours on, it’s because we believe it has real merit.

Get a free case evaluation in Launceston

Tell us what happened. We’ll review your situation, give you an honest assessment of whether you may have a claim, and explain your options — at no cost and with no obligation. We respond to all enquiries within 1 business day.

We respond to all enquiries within 1 business day.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Fair Go Australia operates Australia-wide and serves clients in Launceston and across northern Tasmania remotely. There is no requirement to travel. The fact that you’re in a regional area does not affect the strength of your claim or the quality of legal assistance you receive.

In most cases, 6 years from the date of the negligent act under the Limitation Act 1974 (TAS), or 3 years from when you became aware of the negligence if it’s a personal injury matter. Because these timeframes can be difficult to calculate — particularly where the harm wasn’t immediately obvious — we recommend getting advice as early as possible rather than waiting to be certain.
It means you don’t pay our legal fees if your claim is unsuccessful. The financial risk of running your matter sits with us. You may still be responsible for some third-party costs depending on the outcome, and we’ll explain those clearly before you make any decision.
Any qualified professional who owes a duty of care to their client may be liable if they breach that duty and cause loss. This includes — but isn’t limited to — solicitors, barristers, doctors, surgeons, financial advisers, accountants, engineers, architects, and building certifiers. The key question is whether the professional fell below the standard a reasonably competent person in their role would have maintained.

Have a question that isn’t covered here? Contact our team for a free case evaluation — we’ll give you a straight answer about your situation.

Our goal is to help people in the best way possible. this is a basic principle in every case and cause for success. contact us today for a free consultation. 

Practice Areas

Newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter