Business losses after a motor accident

What happened

A rear-seat passenger was injured in a 2014 NSW rollover. The driver's liability was admitted. The full published title is George Varvatselis by his tutor Suzanna Varvatselis v William Varvatselis.

The claimant's two businesses were relatively new. The claim was assessed under the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999.

The issues

Incomplete earnings records made a precise assessment difficult. The court considered the businesses' prospects, the claimant's remaining work capacity and the possibility of improvement.

It assessed past and future earnings losses as lump sums, rather than projecting a fixed annual income across his working life.

The court's decision

The award included $180,000 for past earnings loss and $250,000 for future loss. Other damages and funds-management costs brought the gross total to $883,123. The orders expressly allowed a $86,928.94 deduction for past treatment paid by the Victorian TAC.

Understanding the figures

The $883,123 total is before the treatment repayment deduction. Treating it as net proceeds, or adding the treatment expenses a second time, would overstate the amount. All figures are in Australian dollars at the time of judgment.

What this case shows

For a business owner, reviewing earnings loss means separating revenue from profit and examining the work they performed, their pre-injury records and their plans. A settlement explanation should also identify any deductions or repayments.

Why another case may differ

The earlier motor scheme governed this 2014 accident. Its rules and thresholds cannot simply be applied to a current accident. The official judgment was checked on 8 November 2026. This is not a Park & Co result or an estimate for another claim.

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.