We looked at nine Sydney firms that run claims against doctors and hospitals, the lawyers who do the work, and how each one handles a first consultation.
Google ratings checked 24 October 2026 · Updated 24 October 2026
Free case review. The site doesn't set out its fee arrangements, so ask about costs at the first meeting.
Office
Level 18, 201 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
BPC Lawyers is a Sydney CBD compensation firm with roots in a practice Barry Beilby started in 1975. Senior partner Courtenay Poulden leads a team where all four partners are accredited specialists in personal injury law, according to the firm. It says it has run medical negligence claims for more than 30 years, against public and private hospitals and doctors across NSW. Partner Kate Henderson has a particular interest in birth injury claims. It suits families facing serious injury or a death after medical care. The firm offers a free case review.
Roots go back to 1975
Also worth knowing
Its lawyers appear at coronial inquests in fatal medical negligence cases.
Lawyers
Courtenay Poulden, Senior Partner Accredited personal injury law specialist
Scott Hall-Johnston, Partner Accredited personal injury law specialist
Mark Nelson, Partner Accredited personal injury law specialist
Kate Henderson, Partner Accredited personal injury law specialist
Free, no obligation first consultation. No win, no fee for medical negligence claims. Home and hospital visits available.
Office
Level 29, Liberty Place, 161 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Maurice Blackburn has a dedicated medical injury team at Liberty Place in the Sydney CBD. Principal lawyer Libby Brookes has worked only on medical law claims in NSW and the ACT for over 20 years, the firm says, and she is an accredited specialist in personal injury law with the Law Society of NSW, according to the firm. The team handles birth injury, surgical error, misdiagnosis and medication claims, and its lawyers will visit clients at home or in hospital. First consultations are free and claims run on a no win, no fee basis.
Also worth knowing
Lawyers will visit clients at home or in hospital and travel across NSW.
Lawyers
Libby Brookes, Principal Lawyer, Medical Injury Accredited personal injury law specialist
Nikki Whiting, Special Counsel, Medical Injury
Jenica Lim-Young, Senior Associate, Medical Injury
Naomi Spigelman, Associate, Medical Injury
Areas of medical negligence law handled
Birth injury claims
Cerebral palsy and Erb's palsy
Stillbirth claims
Surgical error claims
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis
Medication errors
Gynaecological care claims
Dermatology claims
Brain injury claims for adults and children
Office
Level 29, Liberty Place, 161 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Other details
Other offices
National firm with offices in other NSW centres and every state
Free of obligation first meeting with a partner or lawyer, who will tell you if you don't have a case. The page doesn't set out fee terms.
Office
Level 18, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Carroll & O'Dea is a NSW firm with a compensation team on Elizabeth Street in the CBD and offices in Parramatta, Newcastle and Canberra. Its medical negligence work involves senior legal counsel Bill Madden, an experienced civil liability lawyer with an interest in medical litigation, and partner David Tarrant, who trained as a clinical nurse specialist. Special Counsel Paul Ohm has been an accredited specialist in personal injury law since 2002, the firm says. Claims cover obstetrics, surgery, cancer misdiagnosis, dental and cosmetic work. The first meeting carries no obligation and is with a partner or lawyer.
Also worth knowing
Best Lawyers lists Bill Madden for medical negligence in Sydney.
Lawyers
The medical negligence page lists these lawyers without labelling them medical negligence specialists; roles come from their bios.
Bill Madden, Senior Legal Counsel
David Tarrant, Partner, Compensation Law
Rebecca Tidswell, Special Counsel
Paul Ohm, Special Counsel Accredited personal injury law specialist
Areas of medical negligence law handled
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis
Cancer diagnosis claims
Surgical malpractice
Obstetric and birth claims
Emergency medicine claims
Anaesthesia and radiology errors
Dental negligence
Cosmetic and plastic surgery claims
Informed consent claims
Drug interaction claims
Office
Level 18, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Other details
Other offices
Parramatta, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Canberra and Melbourne
Free first consultation. No win, no fee with no upfront costs. The firm says it doesn't charge contingency fees and offers a fee reduction if its service falls short.
Office
Level 5, 109 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Gerard Malouf & Partners is a large NSW compensation firm with a Pitt Street office and many branches. Its medical negligence team is led by Sydney partners Julie Baqleh, who joined the firm in 2001 and has acted in birth injury claims, and Ray Abbas, who joined in 2000. Both are accredited specialists in personal injury law, according to the firm. It handles birth injury, hospital and doctor negligence, dental, cosmetic surgery and iron infusion stain claims. First consultations are free and claims run on a no win, no fee basis.
Also worth knowing
It takes less common claims such as iron infusion staining and cosmetic surgery negligence.
Lawyers
Julie Baqleh, Partner Accredited personal injury law specialist
Ray Abbas, Partner Accredited personal injury law specialist
Andrew Rudzki, Senior Associate
Ahmad Awarki, Associate
Areas of medical negligence law handled
Birth injury claims
Doctor negligence and misdiagnosis
Hospital negligence
Surgical errors
Infection control failures
Emergency and inpatient care claims
Dental negligence
Cosmetic and plastic surgery claims
Iron infusion stain claims
Failure to refer or follow up
Office
Level 5, 109 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Other details
Other offices
Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Bondi Junction, Campbelltown, Chatswood, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith, Rockdale, Ryde, Central Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong and regional NSW, plus Brisbane and Melbourne
No obligation first consultation. No win, no fee on eligible claims with no upfront fees, and the firm says it funds the running of the case.
Office
Level 8, 183-185 Clarence St, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Turner Freeman is a plaintiff firm that says it has helped Australians for more than 70 years. Its Sydney office on Clarence Street lists partners Nathan Edwards Bonello and Joelle Matar and senior associate Daniela Rubino-Panucci for medical negligence, inside a larger national medical law group. Claims include misdiagnosis, birth injuries, bowel perforation, surgical infections, anaesthesia errors and cosmetic surgery injuries. The firm says Doyle's Guide lists it as a recommended firm for 2026. The first consultation carries no obligation and eligible claims run on a no win, no fee basis.
Also worth knowing
The firm says Doyle's Guide lists it as recommended for 2026.
Lawyers
The medical law page lists a larger national team without offices; these three are the ones the Sydney office page lists for medical negligence.
Free, no obligation first consultation and case assessment. No win, no fee, subject to conditions.
Office
6/299 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Shine Lawyers has a NSW medical law team working from its Elizabeth Street office in the Sydney CBD and from Wollongong. In Sydney, senior associate Alix Shanahan, who holds a nursing degree, works alongside senior solicitor Ashleigh Vettier, with senior associate Brielle Straney based mainly in Wollongong. The team runs claims for missed diagnoses, poor treatment, failure to warn of risks, inadequate monitoring and test result errors, and it acts for relatives with nervous shock claims after a death. The first consultation and case assessment are free, and claims run on a no win, no fee basis.
Also worth knowing
The firm says it has 50 years of experience.
Lawyers
The NSW medical law page names Natalie Merunovich as practice leader, but her profile places her in Brisbane.
Alix Shanahan, Senior Associate (Sydney CBD and Wollongong)
Ashleigh Vettier, Senior Solicitor (Sydney CBD)
Brielle Straney, Senior Associate (Wollongong, sometimes Sydney CBD)
Yasmin Khsara, Solicitor
Areas of medical negligence law handled
Missed and delayed diagnosis
Improper treatment claims
Surgical and procedural errors
Failure to warn of risks
Inadequate monitoring
Imaging and test result errors
Failure to disclose results
Nervous shock claims
Office
6/299 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Other details
Other offices
Wollongong and other NSW offices (five in NSW, the firm says), plus other states
Free phone advice and free case assessment by a senior lawyer, including second opinions. No win, no fee with a no disbursements guarantee; the firm funds expert medical reports.
Office
Level 23, 270 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Law Partners calls itself Australia's largest specialist personal injury firm, and its Sydney office is on Pitt Street. Partners Shane Butcher and Gillian Potts are named as its medical negligence lawyers, with practice group leader Elizabeth Utting and general counsel James McAuley also on the NSW team. It takes doctor, hospital and surgical negligence, misdiagnosis, birth injuries, cosmetic surgery and dental claims. A senior lawyer assesses claims for free, including second opinions where another firm said no. It runs no win, no fee terms and pays for expert medical reports, the firm says.
Also worth knowing
It has more than a dozen NSW offices beyond the CBD.
Lawyers
Shane Butcher, Partner (NSW and VIC)
Gillian Potts, Partner
Elizabeth Utting, Practice Group Leader
James McAuley, General Counsel
Bianca Cross, Solicitor
Erica D'Cruz, Solicitor
Areas of medical negligence law handled
Doctor negligence
Hospital negligence
Surgical negligence
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis
Birth injuries to mothers
Birth injuries to babies
Cosmetic surgery negligence
Dental negligence
Nervous shock claims
Second opinions on rejected claims
Office
Level 23, 270 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Other details
Other offices
Parramatta, Penrith, Bondi Junction, Campbelltown, Chatswood, Liverpool, North Ryde, Norwest, Rockdale, Central Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong, Port Macquarie, plus Victoria and Canberra
Free claim check. No win, no fee, with terms agreed before work starts, the firm says.
Office
Level 20, 227 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Stacks Goudkamp is the Sydney arm of the Stacks national group, run by managing director Tom Goudkamp OAM from Elizabeth Street in the CBD. It is a compensation practice covering motor accidents, workers compensation, travel accidents, public liability and medical negligence. Its medical negligence page covers claims against hospitals, doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and allied health providers, and claims by relatives. It offers a free claim check and no win, no fee terms.
Incorporated in 2003
Also worth knowing
It offers a free claim check and no win, no fee terms.
Lawyers
These are the Sydney CBD lawyers; the site doesn't say which of them handle medical negligence.
Tom Goudkamp OAM, Managing Director
Anna Tavianatos, Practice Group Leader
Karina Goodall, Practice Group Leader (Sydney CBD and Liverpool)
Sally Gleeson, General Counsel
Mark Port, Special Counsel
Krystal Parisis, Special Counsel
Julia Camus, Senior Associate
Alessandra Pettit, Senior Associate
Areas of medical negligence law handled
Hospital negligence claims
Doctor negligence claims
Dental negligence
Nursing and pharmacy errors
Allied health claims
Death claims
Claims by relatives
Office
Level 20, 227 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Other details
Other offices
Liverpool and Newcastle, plus other Stacks offices across NSW and Queensland
First 15 minutes of the first meeting free, no obligation. Professional costs on a no win, no pay basis, payable at the end if the claim succeeds.
Office
Suite 1, First Floor, 154 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Marsdens Law Group is a NSW firm established in 1968, based in south west Sydney with a CBD office on Elizabeth Street. Its injury compensation group runs medical negligence claims against doctors, hospitals and allied health providers, including missed cancer diagnoses and fatal cases where family members claim. The first 15 minutes of the first meeting are free and fees are on a no win, no pay basis.
Established in 1968
Also worth knowing
The first 15 minutes of the first meeting are free, and fees are on a no win, no pay basis.
Areas of medical negligence law handled
Delayed or missed cancer diagnosis
Doctor negligence
Hospital negligence
Allied health claims
Inadequate treatment or advice
Fatal claims
Dependency claims
Psychological injury claims for family members
Office
Suite 1, First Floor, 154 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000
Firm details come from each firm's own website. Google ratings are shown as published on Google and don't set the order. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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How we compiled this list
We include firms with a Sydney office that run medical negligence claims for patients and families as a main part of their injury work. For each firm we read its own website in October 2026, looked for the lawyers it names for medical claims, and wrote the description ourselves. Where a firm says a lawyer is an accredited specialist in personal injury law we say so, but the Law Society of NSW register wasn't available for us to check. Consultation and fee terms are as the firm describes them, so confirm them in your costs agreement. We show Google ratings with the date we checked them.
Firms can pay for a featured listing on some of our pages, which affects where they appear. No firm on this page pays. Payment doesn't buy the write-up. We write those ourselves, and firms don't get to edit them. If something here is out of date, let us know. There's more detail on how we rank law firms.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules are as published by the Judicial Commission of NSW, NSW Health, the Health Care Complaints Commission, the Coroners Court of NSW, Ahpra and Legal Aid NSW in October 2026.
What counts as medical negligence in NSW
A medical negligence claim says a doctor, hospital or other health provider didn't take the care they should have, and that this caused you harm. Both parts matter. A treatment can go badly without anyone being at fault, and a mistake that made no difference to your outcome won't support a claim. These claims fall under the Civil Liability Act 2002, the same law that covers injuries in shops and public places.
Common claims involve a missed or late diagnosis, surgical errors, birth injuries, medication mistakes and poor follow up of test results. Failing to tell you about the risks of a procedure can also be a breach. NSW Health's own consent manual says a failure to warn of material risks could breach the duty of care, and a risk is material if a reasonable person in your position would be likely to think it significant, or if the practitioner knew or should have known that you would.
NSW law gives health professionals a defence if what they did was widely accepted in Australia by peer professional opinion as competent practice at the time. The court can reject that opinion if it thinks it irrational, and the defence doesn't apply to claims about a failure to warn you of risks. Independent expert opinion from a doctor in the same field sits at the centre of most claims.
Claims against NSW public hospitals are covered by the government's Treasury Managed Fund, run by icare. The hospital may be represented by the Crown Solicitor's Office, which says it handles more than 250 Treasury Managed Fund claims a year, or by one of the private firms on icare's medical negligence panel.
Time limits and what you can claim
You generally have 3 years from when you knew, or should have known, that you'd been injured, that it was caused by someone's fault and that it was serious enough to sue over. There's also an outer limit of 12 years from the treatment itself. With medical harm you may not find out for some time, which is why the clock runs from what you knew. For a child, the clock can start running from what a parent knew or should have known, so get advice early.
What you can claim
The NSW rule
Pain and suffering (non economic loss)
Only if your injury is at least 15% of a most extreme case
Past and future lost earnings
Calculated on no more than three times average weekly earnings
Medical, care and other costs
Claimed with evidence from your doctors and independent experts
The 15% threshold means many smaller injuries recover nothing for pain and suffering, even when the claim for lost income and treatment costs succeeds. A lawyer can tell you early whether your injury is likely to pass it.
Most claims settle without a hearing. Those that go to court are usually in the District Court at John Maddison Tower, 86 Goulburn Street, or for the largest claims, the Supreme Court in the Law Courts Building, 184 Phillip Street.
Complaints and claims are different things
A complaint is about the health provider's conduct and patient safety. A claim is how you get compensation. You can do both, but a complaint won't get you money. The Health Care Complaints Commission says it can't award damages or compensation or order a refund, and it suggests getting legal advice if compensation is what you want.
Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC): complaints must be in writing, usually through its online portal, and it aims to assess them within 60 days. It may not assess a complaint about something more than five years ago unless there's a good reason for the delay. Outcomes include an investigation, referral to the relevant professional council, its Resolution Service or local resolution, or no further action. If you disagree with the assessment, ask for a review in writing within 28 days of the decision letter. Call 1800 043 159 or (02) 9219 7444
Health Professional Councils Authority: in NSW, concerns about registered practitioners go to this authority and the HCCC. Call 1300 197 177
Ahpra: the national regulator deals with individual registered practitioners, not hospitals or clinics. In NSW, concerns about practitioners go to the HCCC and the councils instead, though mandatory notifications still go to Ahpra. Call 1300 419 495
If what happened involves a crime, such as sexual assault, report it to police as well. A complaint and a claim run on their own timelines, so speak to a lawyer about the claim time limit while any complaint is open.
Getting your medical records
Your records are the starting point for any claim. In NSW, access to health records is covered by the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. For a public hospital, ask that hospital's Health Information Service. Fees and processing times differ between local health districts. Northern Sydney Local Health District, for example, doesn't charge to view records, charges a fee for copies, and aims to process a valid request within 28 days.
For a private hospital, clinic or GP, ask the practice directly. If a provider won't give you access, the HCCC can't order it to. For a public hospital, ask for an internal review and then go to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal if needed. For a private hospital, clinic or GP, complain to the NSW Privacy Commissioner through the Information and Privacy Commission, 1800 472 679. Your lawyer will usually request the full file for you once you've signed an authority, including records from every provider involved.
When someone dies after medical care
A death during or after a health related procedure must be reported to the coroner if it may be linked to the procedure and a doctor wouldn't reasonably have expected it immediately before the procedure. A health related procedure includes medical, surgical and dental procedures, and giving anaesthetics, sedatives and other drugs.
If you think a death should have been reported: family members can ask the coroner to look into a death that wasn't reported
Post mortems: the senior next of kin can object in writing. If the coroner still decides one is needed, the senior next of kin can apply to the Supreme Court within 48 hours of the notice
Inquests: Legal Aid NSW gives advice about coronial inquests, and some firms on this list also represent families at them
An inquest looks at how and why a person died. It's separate from any compensation claim by the family, though the evidence it gathers can matter to one. Ask a lawyer early about any claim the family may have.
Choosing a Sydney medical negligence lawyer
A useful marker is an accredited specialist in personal injury law, a solicitor who has passed extra assessment through the Law Society of NSW. It isn't required to practise, and you can search for specialists with the Law Society's Find a Lawyer service. Beyond that, ask who will run your file day to day, how many claims like yours they've handled, and how they get independent expert reports.
Most firms here offer no win, no fee terms, which means you pay professional fees only if the claim succeeds. Points to check:
Uplift fees: a lawyer can charge an uplift for taking on the risk, capped by law at 25% of the legal costs, not counting disbursements
No percentage fees: NSW lawyers can't charge a percentage of your compensation as their fee
Disbursements: expert medical reports are a big cost in these claims. Ask who pays them if the claim fails
The other side's costs: if you lose in court, you may be ordered to pay them
Small claims: if you recover $100,000 or less, the law caps your lawyer's costs at 20% of the amount or $10,000, whichever is greater, unless you've signed a costs agreement that says otherwise
Your lawyer must give you a written costs disclosure when you engage them. Legal aid isn't available for medical negligence matters in NSW, so most people use a private firm, often on no win, no fee terms. LawAccess NSW, 1300 888 529, gives free legal information and referrals.
Sydney medical negligence law: common questions
How long do I have to make a medical negligence claim in NSW?
Generally 3 years from when you knew, or should have known, that you'd been injured, that someone's fault caused it and that it was serious enough to sue over, with an outer limit of 12 years from the treatment. Because the clock can start before you've worked out what went wrong, get advice as soon as you suspect a problem. For a child, the clock can run from what a parent knew, so get advice early.
Can a complaint to the HCCC get me compensation?
No. The Health Care Complaints Commission deals with the conduct of health providers and patient safety. It says it can't award damages or compensation or order a refund. To get compensation you need to make a claim, usually with a lawyer's help.
Is a bad result from surgery or treatment always negligence?
No. You need to show the care fell below the standard expected and that this caused your injury. Some treatments carry risks even when done well. That's why lawyers get an independent expert in the same field to review your records before a claim goes far.
What is the 15% threshold for pain and suffering?
In NSW you can only claim damages for pain and suffering if your injury is at least 15% of a most extreme case. Below that, you get nothing for pain and suffering, though you may still claim lost earnings and medical and care costs.
Does Legal Aid NSW help with medical negligence claims?
Not with the claim. Legal aid isn't available for matters involving medical negligence. Legal Aid NSW does give advice about coronial inquests, and LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 offers free information and referrals. Most firms on this list offer no win, no fee terms.
What is an accredited specialist in personal injury law?
A solicitor who has passed extra assessment in personal injury law through the Law Society of NSW. Medical negligence claims fall within personal injury law. Accreditation isn't required to practise, but it's a sign of depth. You can search for one on the Law Society's Find a Lawyer service.
What happens if a family member died after medical treatment?
If the death may be linked to a procedure and wasn't expected, it must be reported to the coroner, and family members can ask the coroner to look into a death that wasn't reported. Family members may also have their own claims, so speak to a lawyer early.
