Ms EF was a 53-year-old woman who was the victim of an armed robbery at the TAB agency where she worked.
Ms EF claimed Psychological or psychiatric disorder that is severely disabling (category 2) and obtained a report from an Authorised Report Writer.
The police interviewed suspects in the robbery but the investigation was suspended and no charges were laid in relation to the robbery.
The assessor awarded $15,000 for chronic psychological or psychiatric disorder that is moderately disabling (category 1). The assessor, in his determination commented: “The applicant has suffered a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the authorised report mentions that the applicant has suffered trauma and disability in a number of ways – by avoidance symptoms, being unable to return to work at the TAB, suffering severe panic attacks etc. Given the severity of the effect of the incident on the applicant and the fact that she has made valid attempts to rehabilitate herself with ongoing counselling and treatment, I am prepared to award the applicant $15,000 as compensation for injury in this matter.”
No award was made for financial loss as the workers compensation payments received by the applicant covered this.
As the claim was less that $20,001 a s19A deduction of $750 was made. In addition solicitor costs of $825 and $550 disbursements (plus GST for the ARW report) were awarded.
