Lost: loss of chance
Bird, S.
Australian Family Physician 39(9): 683-684
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-8495 PMID: 20877776 Document Number: 644986
Loss of chance claims involve an allegation that a patient has lost the chance of a better medical outcome, in terms of treatment and/or prognosis, as a result of the negligence of the medical practitioner. A recent High Court of Australia judgment confirmed that monetary damages are not available for the loss of a chance of a better medical outcome. This article discusses the judgment and its implications for medical practitioners in Australia.