A plaintiff's personal belief about the cause of injury, without supporting expert medical opinion, does not constitute knowledge of a material fact of a decisive character for the purposes of s 31 of the Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (Qld). Where the available medical opinion is adverse or inconclusive, the obtaining of a supportive specialist opinion can itself be the material fact of a decisive character, and the limitation period may be extended from the date that opinion became available. A plaintiff who promptly seeks medical advice after the onset of substantial symptoms and undergoes recommended tests has taken all reasonable steps to ascertain the facts.
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