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.
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When a professional you trusted makes a serious mistake — and that mistake costs you — it can feel like the ground has shifted. Maybe a solicitor let a deadline slip and your case was lost before it began. Maybe a doctor dismissed symptoms that turned out to be something serious. Maybe a financial adviser put your retirement savings into products that were never right for you.
Finding specialist legal help from the Sunshine Coast can feel harder than it should. Fair Go Australia works with clients across Queensland — including the Sunshine Coast — entirely remotely. No travel to Brisbane. Just specialist advice from lawyers who focus exclusively on professional negligence claims.
Professional Negligence — Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast has grown into one of Queensland’s most significant regional centres. With a substantial residential population, a booming property market, expanding healthcare services, and a thriving small business community, the region has all the professional services activity of a mid-sized city.
That also means things go wrong here at the same rate they do anywhere else. Conveyancing errors in a fast-moving property market. Financial advice that doesn’t hold up when the market turns. Medical misdiagnoses from GPs or specialists under pressure. Solicitor mistakes in estate disputes or family law matters.
When those things happen, the Civil Liability Act 2003 (QLD) provides the framework for holding professionals accountable — regardless of whether you’re in Maroochydore, Noosa, Caloundra, or anywhere in between. The standard expected of a professional here is exactly the same as it is in Brisbane or Sydney.
Claim Types
We assist Sunshine Coast clients with claims across a wide range of professions:
If your situation involves a profession not listed here, it’s still worth getting an assessment. Professional negligence is broader than most people realise.
Your Legal Rights
In Queensland, professional negligence claims are primarily governed by the Civil Liability Act 2003 (QLD), alongside the common law principles that Australian courts have developed over many decades.
The core question is whether the professional met the standard of care expected of a reasonably competent practitioner in their field. The High Court’s decision in Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 remains the anchor point — professionals are not judged against perfection, but against what a competent peer would have done in the same circumstances. Where they fall short of that standard, and that shortfall causes real loss, there is a basis for a claim.
It’s worth noting that Queensland operates under its own legal profession framework. Legal practitioners are regulated under the Legal Profession Act 2007 (QLD) and overseen by the Queensland Law Society — Queensland is not subject to the Legal Profession Uniform Law that applies in NSW and Victoria. For health professionals, AHPRA sets registration standards nationally. Financial advisers are regulated by ASIC.
Depending on the size of the claim, proceedings may be brought in the District Court of Queensland or the Supreme Court of Queensland. Our team handles the procedural side — your job is to decide whether to act.
Time Limits
This question matters more than almost any other — and it’s one people often leave too long before asking.
Under the Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (QLD), professional negligence claims must generally be commenced within 3 years of the date you discovered — or reasonably ought to have discovered — the negligence. That discovery-based rule means the clock doesn’t always start at the moment the professional made the mistake. But it does start running at some point, and once time runs out, it typically runs out for good.
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 Help
We work with clients across Queensland — including the Sunshine Coast — on a fully remote basis. Phone consultations, video calls, and secure online document submission. No trip to Brisbane. No time taken off work to sit in a waiting room.
Our focus is narrow by design. We handle professional negligence claims only. That specialisation means our team understands the evidence, the arguments, and the litigation strategy these claims require — which is different from what a general practice brings to the table
The process is straightforward:
If you’ve been let down by a professional on the Sunshine Coast, a free evaluation is the right place to start. No cost, no obligation — we respond within one business day.
FAQ
Yes. Fair Go Australia handles Sunshine Coast clients entirely remotely. Consultations are by phone or video, documents are submitted online, and there is no requirement to attend any Brisbane office. Distance doesn’t affect the quality of the advice or the strength of your claim.
Generally 3 years from the date you discovered — or reasonably should have discovered — the negligence, under the Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (QLD). Because that discovery date isn’t always obvious, it’s worth getting advice sooner rather than later. If the limitation period has expired, your options become very limited.
Nothing upfront. We work on a no-win, no-fee basis — if your claim doesn’t succeed, you pay nothing. The initial evaluation is completely free. If your claim proceeds and succeeds, our fees are deducted from the compensation recovered.
Four things generally need to be established: the professional owed you a duty of care; they breached the standard expected of a competent practitioner; that breach caused your loss (not just coincided with it); and the loss is real and quantifiable. Our evaluation assesses each of these elements in your specific situation.
Yes. GPs and specialists in Queensland are regulated by AHPRA and held to the standard established under the Civil Liability Act 2003 (QLD) and the principles in Rogers v Whitaker. If a health professional failed to meet that standard and caused you harm — through misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, or inadequate care — there may be a valid claim.
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.
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