Commission found that the employment conditions was a 'substantial contributing factor' to the accident
A healthcare worker in New South Wales has secured a victory at the Personal Injury Commission, which found that her employment conditions were a "substantial contributing factor" to a car accident during the Covid pandemic that left her with serious injuries.
The case involved a registered nurse who, while working for a mobile healthcare service, was injured in a motor vehicle accident in December 2021.
On the day of the incident, she was delivering medical equipment and collecting samples as part of her essential pandemic response duties. The nurse was wearing full personal protective equipment, including an N95 mask and a plastic gown, and was travelling between client sites on a hot and humid summer day.
According to the Commission's findings, the nurse began to feel lightheaded and unwell while driving, likely due to the physical strain of prolonged PPE use in challenging conditions.
She lost consciousness, a medical episode known as syncope, and crashed her vehicle, suffering significant spinal and neurological injuries.
The employer's insurer initially denied the compensation claim, arguing that the accident was not sufficiently connected to the nurse's employment and pointing to previous pre-syncopal episodes as evidence of a possible pre-existing condition.
However, the Commission found that the work environment played a...
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