MDA

- Season 2

(2003)

The MDA team must deal with the painful aftermath of the attempted murder of Ella, Jamie and Tony. Despite eight hours in the operating theatre, Tony dies and the effect on the survivors is far-reaching and profound.

Caitlin is on the other side of the line when Richard gives her her first brief at Kato and Pittman: a potential million-dollar claim from a permanently injured plaintiff against a doctor who admits negligence. An open and shut case?

Ella and Happy face a hard fight defending a doctor, who trusted a pathology report and thus missed a cancer in a nine-year-old boy. The biopsy slides and the pathologist are missing.

Richard and Caitlin represent a nun who has had a complete mastectomy of a perfectly healthy breast. Happy and Amanda defend the surgeon who mixed up the biopsy results. Amanda's defence is inventive, to say the least.

Ella, unhappy at Happy and Amanda's legal tactics over representing a deceased MDA member, tells Happy that she's been offered a fulltime job at St Albans Hospital.

Surgeon Simon Lloyd has his first day as a case manager at MDA, as Ella sadly packs up to leave. Layla prepares a farewell, but Happy buries himself in work to avoid Ella.

Layla tries to help an old school friend whose sister is brain damaged after a pethidine overdose. Before long, Happy and Jamie are dealing with a writ naming five defendants, who cannot agree on damages or tactics.

Layla feels helpless, guilty and then angry as the pethidine overdose case heads for court and a "victim friendly" judge. Everyone seems to want something from her, and she only wanted to help.

The Press takes an interest as Happy and Amanda gear up for an appeal hearing in the Supreme Court. On the plaintiff side, Caitlin is doing all the work and Richard is taking all the credit, as usual.

Richard's in the middle of a tough mediation when his larrikin Dad arrives from retirement in Tasmania to tell Richard he's remarrying. Dad was a tram driver and things are a little tense with his high-flier son.

Richard's Dad regains consciousness in hospital, but the two still have trouble communicating about the past.

Happy and Simon are dismayed when the MDA Board refuses to indemnify a neurosurgeon for experimental spinal surgery. While the paraplegic patient waits hopefully in hospital, Happy, Simon and Mark work to overturn the decision.

Happy Henderson has a very busy day. Negotiating with Richard Savage to contain a potentially huge damages claim, Happy also tries to avoid being sacked while lobbying to keep Mark Matthews as President of MDA.

Simon Lloyd is very taken with an attractive GP, who amputated a farmer's arm to save him from a burning truck. But is she all she seems?

Happy Henderson is trapped into representing a rude and egotistical surgeon, suspected of euthanasia, at a coronial inquest. Happy needs Simon Lloyd's help, but the two are at odds when Simon returns from Germany and resigns.

Happy Henderson's ordeal at the coronial inquest continues, but cracks appear in his surgeon client's facade. To Happy's chagrin, Simon Lloyd becomes indispensable. Richard Savage sues for "wrongful birth".

Happy's son Jason tells Happy he's seeing a psychiatrist and wants Happy to come to his next therapy session.

Happy is amazed and dismayed when his son's psychiatrist is accused of sexual misconduct.

Richard Savage is determined to secure the biggest damages claim in Australian history when he represents a top tennis star whose career may be over after shoulder surgery.

Simon and Amanda represent a well-meaning GP whose teenage anorexic patient died under his experimental treatment.

Ella becomes involved with an unqualified and anarchic Russian doctor Mikhail Voronin.

Richard turns to Happy for help when his old mentor, whom he is representing, threatens to expose his sometimes dubious practices.