Massive compensation payout for ‘falling up stairs’

Amelia Anne Covey was a physiotherapist working for Charters Towers Hospital in regional north Queensland.  She was walking up stairs when she lost her balance.  She told the court, “I grabbed the rail, and my balance was all put off”.  She added, “I just kept travelling awkwardly up the stairs, and then fell.

“But I had my hand on the rail, and my arm was yanked, basically to the side, backwards.”

Since the time of the accident, Ms Covey has continued to have headaches and had a failed surgery on her arm.  The ordeal has forced her to changes professions as she was unable to continue in physiotherapy.  Today the Townsville Supreme Court has awarded $1.6million to be paid out by the State of Queensland for loss of income as a physiotherapist and damages.

The court also found that the Charters Towers Hospital was not at fault with one Justice saying “There is no evidence the employer, through its servants or agents, turned its mind to the safety of the stairway or sought advice”. Engineers did find that the stairs had inconsistent gaps between stairs which led to the incident.

What do you think of the payout? Do you think that it’s a fair payout or excessive?