As has been widely reported we recently acted on behalf of the family of Julienne McKay-Hall the woman who tragically died following weight loss surgery. As reported, the Coroner’s findings are a scathing condemnation of both the relevant surgeon Dr Ahmad’s care and that of nursing staff at St John of God Hospital in Murdoch.

A recent NSW case Dean v Phung [2012] NSWCA 223 raises interesting issues in a case of over-servicing/recommending unnecessary treatment. This seems an increasingly common suspicion/temptation with some areas of ‘elective’ medicine/dental treatment.

The facts in the case were awful!! The defendant left no stone or ‘tooth’ unturned – performing treatment on every single tooth

Maintaining the sobering record of Plaintiff claims based on informed consent, is a recent South Australian case, Coombes v Katsaros [2011] SADC 93.

The claim concerned alleged complex regional pain syndrome ("CRPS") said to have arisen following hand surgery.

The key to the Plaintiff’s claim was his assertion that he ought to have been warned