Location Hub — Queensland
If you trusted a professional in Brisbane and they let you down — a solicitor who missed a critical deadline, a financial planner who put your savings into unsuitable products, or a specialist who took too long to reach the right diagnosis — you may have real legal options.
Fair Go Australia handles professional negligence claims only. We work with clients in Brisbane and across Queensland on a no-win, no-fee basis. Getting proper legal advice won’t cost you anything upfront.
PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE IN BRISBANE
Brisbane has grown into one of Australia’s most commercially active cities, home to a large and diverse professional services sector — legal firms, medical practices, financial planning businesses, engineering consultancies, and accounting practices. With that breadth comes exposure. When professionals get it wrong, the consequences for their clients can be significant.
Professional negligence occurs when a licensed professional fails to meet the standard of care expected of a competent person in their field, and that failure causes a real, measurable loss. It isn’t about a bad outcome or a difficult situation — it’s about a failure to do the job properly.
The primary framework governing professional negligence claims in Queensland is the Civil Liability Act 2003 (QLD). This legislation sets out the duty of care that professionals owe their clients, and the standards against which their conduct is measured when something goes wrong.
CLAIM TYPES WE HANDLE
Each claim type carries its own legal tests and evidentiary requirements. The following areas represent the professional negligence work we handle for Brisbane and Queensland clients.
YOUR RIGHTS UNDER QUEENSLAND LAW
The Civil Liability Act 2003 (QLD) is the cornerstone of professional negligence law in Queensland. It governs the standard of care professionals must meet, how breach is established, and how courts assess causation and damages when a claim is pursued.
To succeed in a professional negligence claim in Queensland, four elements generally need to be established: the professional owed you a duty of care; they fell short of the standard expected of a competent person in that field; that breach directly caused your loss; and the loss itself was real and measurable. The test is objective — it is not about what the individual professional believed was good enough, but what a reasonably competent professional in the same position would have done.
The High Court set the benchmark for professional negligence standards in Rogers v Whitaker (1992), establishing that a professional must exercise the degree of care and skill expected of an ordinary skilled person exercising the same speciality — not simply what their peers consider acceptable. That principle continues to apply to claims assessed under Queensland law.
In Queensland, the Queensland Law Society and the Legal Services Commission (QLD) are the relevant regulatory bodies for legal professionals. For medical practitioners, AHPRA performs a comparable role. Significant claims are heard in the Supreme Court of Queensland. A complaint to a regulatory body and a civil negligence claim are separate matters — one does not replace or prevent the other.
LIMITATION PERIODS
Under the Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (QLD), professional negligence claims must generally be commenced within three years from the date you became aware — or ought reasonably to have become aware — of the negligence. This is the discovery rule, and it is not a soft target.
Some situations are not immediately obvious. A conveyancing error may not surface until years after settlement. A structural defect may take time to manifest. In those cases, the limitation period begins when the damage becomes reasonably apparent — but once it starts running, it runs hard. If you think you may have been affected by professional negligence, the safest thing you can do is find out where you stand as soon as possible.
Act before time runs out.
In Queensland, professional negligence claims must generally be commenced within 3 years of the date you became aware — or should reasonably have become aware — of the negligence, under the Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (QLD). Missing this deadline can permanently extinguish your right to claim. If you are unsure whether your limitation period is still open, contact our team for a free assessment as soon as possible.
HOW WE CAN HELP
We handle professional negligence claims exclusively. That means every resource, every process, and every precedent in our practice is built around this specific area of law. You will not be managed by a generalist firm that treats your matter as one of fifty different practice areas.
Our no-win, no-fee model is genuine. If your claim does not succeed, you do not pay us. We carry the financial risk so you can pursue a legitimate claim without the pressure of accumulating legal costs while you are already dealing with the aftermath of someone else's failure.
Whether you are in inner Brisbane, the outer suburbs, or a regional centre hours from the CBD, the process is exactly the same. Most of our work is handled remotely, with no reduction in quality or communication. You do not need to travel anywhere to get proper advice.
Most professional negligence claims resolve through negotiation or mediation — but outcomes improve significantly when the other side knows you are prepared to go further. Every file we open is built as though it is heading to the Supreme Court of Queensland, which gives our clients a stronger position from the outset.
GET STARTED
Taking the first step is often the hardest part, particularly when you are already dealing with the fallout from something that went wrong. Our free case evaluation is exactly what it says — free, confidential, and with no obligation to proceed.
We will assess whether your situation is likely to constitute professional negligence under Queensland law, where your limitation period currently stands, and what your realistic options are from here.
We respond to all enquiries within 1 business day.
BRISBANE AND QUEENSLAND COVERAGE
Fair Go Australia assists clients throughout Queensland. Brisbane is where many of our clients are based, but our coverage extends to every corner of the state. If you are in a regional centre, a coastal town, or anywhere in between, we can assist — and you do not need to come to us in person.
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COMMON QUESTIONS