What happened
The officer served from 2001 until around 2019, experienced repeated traumatic incidents and ultimately could not continue working. He had also taken leave after a distinct episode of interpersonal workplace conflict and returned to general duties following several professional assessments.
The issues
The causal link between police service and PTSD was distinct from the causal link between an employer breach and the loss. The decisive issue was whether better education, records or monitoring would probably have led to treatment or redeployment that avoided or reduced the disabling outcome.
The court's decision
The Court emphasised the extensive assessments before the return to general duties and the clinicians' existing knowledge of repeated trauma exposure. It found no demonstrated error in rejecting the proposed counterfactual chain and dismissed the appeal with costs.
What this case shows
Work-related psychiatric injury and a deficient safety system do not, by themselves, complete a negligence claim. Evidence about what additional information would have prompted particular treatment or a change in duties can determine causation.
Why another case may differ
This was a work injury damages claim under Part 5 of the Workers Compensation Act 1987, not a rejection of statutory compensation entitlement. The Court did not resolve broader reformulations of duty raised by recent authorities, and its discussion of notional damages and contributory negligence did not produce an award.
Applying it to your claim
Different facts, evidence or procedures, an appeal, or a change in the law may affect how this decision applies. This is general information, not a report of a case handled by Park & Co Lawyers.
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