Cathy Pares - Associate

Stacks/The Law Firm, Taree

Victoria St, Taree

Cathy specialises in medical negligence claims for individuals, acting for clients in NSW and interstate. She also handles disputes about claims for disability benefits under insurance policies and compensation claims for victims of sexual assault.

Cathy’s caring approach and straightforward advice is appreciated by her clients. Cathy is also respected by her colleagues for her expertise in medical negligence claims and is regularly referred new matters.

Cathy’s meticulous preparation of cases and sound research skills are critical to success in these types of claims. She has years of experience deciphering medical terminology and dealing with doctors and medical insurers.

Some recent examples of the types of claims Cathy handles are as follows:

• A claim for an adult who suffered a laceration to the foot and developed an infection. It was alleged that this was not diagnosed or treated upon attendance at hospital, ultimately leading to amputation of the leg below the knee. This case was settled by the insurer before the hearing.
• A claim for a child who received IV fluids in hospital. This was not properly monitored, resulting in fluid intake into the tissues of the arm, with the child requiring urgent surgery and left with extensive scarring. This case was settled by the insurer before the hearing.
• A claim for a young child who, it was alleged, suffered cerebral palsy and profound deafness as a result of a failure by hospital staff to treat increasing levels of Bilirubin in the blood after birth. After many years of preparation involving complex legal issues, this case was listed for hearing for four weeks and was settled at the end of the first week. In approving the settlement the court acknowledged the excellent result in what was a very difficult case.

Cathy takes great satisfaction in handling complex birth injury cases for children with catastrophic injuries and has achieved excellent monetary results for her clients. As a mother of two, Cathy has great empathy and admiration for the parents of those children.

Originally from Wagga, Cathy comes from a large family and values the country lifestyle. Outside of her day-to-day practice, you may find her trying to re-live her days as a runner, having run the City to Surf three times and the Sydney Half Marathon. Cathy also enjoys a wide range of sports, although claims to be on the sidelines far too often these days watching her children.

Cathy is a NSW Law Society Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury and a member of the Australian Lawyers Alliance with over 11 years experience as a practicing lawyer. She is passionate about her area of work and will leave no stone unturned to achieve a just result for her clients.

“It was extremely reassuring to be provided with such a dedicated solicitor who only wanted the best outcome for me. I will be forever grateful.” C. Gemmell.