Cindy Tucker
Cindy.Tucker@kennedyslaw.com
+61 3 8456 6206
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Profile
Cindy is lead partner of Kennedys’ Melbourne office and Australian healthcare team. Dual qualified in law and science (with a particular focus on health science) Cindy has over 20 years’ experience in medical defence litigation and professional indemnity claims.
Cindy has worked with international and domestic insurers and re-insurers across a wide range of matters, particularly high value infant claims, wrongful birth and catastrophic brain injury cases. Cindy’s recommendations on quantum are comprehensive and, based on extensive experience in this area, provided early in the life of a file to allow for stable reserving.
A significant part of Cindy's practice is advising and representing medical professionals and hospitals who are the subject of negligence claims, disciplinary proceedings and coronial inquests. Cindy has experience across a range of medico-legal issues including medical negligence, Drugs and Poisons investigations and prosecution, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescribing and investigations, alleged breaches of the medical records acts, privacy breaches, medical registration issues, College appeals and breaches of advertising guidelines.
Cindy also assists hospital clients in developing or amending by-laws, managing disputes arising out of breaches or alleged breaches of hospital by-laws and other general employment/disciplinary disputes arising for hospitals and health service providers.
Cindy's qualifications and experience enable her to provide prompt, practical assistance to corporate and individual health clients alike. By understanding the business of insurers and medical defence organisations Cindy is able to provide well balanced advice and has access to up to date industry information and a broad range of experts.
Cindy contributed to the writing of Kennedys' 'Global forecast 2024: Evolving insurance risks' report, published in January 2024.
Market recognition
2023
- Recommended Lawyer for 'Medical Negligence (Defendant) (Victoria)'
Doyle's Guide 2023
Work highlights
- Medical malpractice claims in a variety of jurisdictions, including highly complex Supreme Court matters in both Victoria and Tasmania
- Advising on ACCC, AHPRA and HCC complaints, investigations and prosecutions.
- Numerous litigated matters against health care facilities arising out of falls, deaths, medication errors, surgical error, palliative care, equipment failure and pressure area management.
- Advising on a wide variety of non-litigated claims stemming from alleged medication errors, equipment failure, negligent care by staff, pressure care, family disputes and breaches of confidentiality/privacy.
- Coronial inquiries into the manner and cause of patient or residents’ deaths and police investigations.
- Litigated and unlitigated claims for nervous shock by family members arising out the death of patients.
- Advising in relation to patient suicides and attempted suicides and related police investigations and coronial inquests.
- Police investigation/prosecutions and AHPRA proceedings arising from alleged assault/boundary transgressions.
Healthcare