Summary:
Carbone Lawyers has achieved a successful dependency claim for a young woman whose future was shattered by the workplace death of her fiancé.
Case Details:
The plaintiff, a young woman, suffered the tragic loss of her fiancé, a 19-year-old apprentice electrician, who died while working on a building site in Victoria. The young couple had been engaged for over a year, were planning their wedding, and had a joint bank account. Their lives were deeply intertwined, with close connections to each other’s families.
On the day of the accident, the apprentice was instructed to install an air conditioning unit on the roof of a dwelling. Later that day, he did not return home. His body was found on the roof—he had been electrocuted while working.
A coronial inquest into the death revealed multiple failings on the part of the young man’s employer, an electrical contractor. The inquest found that the employer had been negligent in providing inadequate supervision and training for the apprentice and had failed to implement a safe system of work. These failures directly contributed to the fatal accident.
Legal Action:
Carbone Lawyers lodged a dependency claim on behalf of the plaintiff, arguing that she was financially dependent on her fiancé. His untimely death not only robbed her of emotional companionship and the future they were planning together, but also deprived her of the financial stability they were building as a couple.
The dependency claim was based on the fact that the couple was saving for their wedding and had already established a joint financial life. The financial loss from her fiancé’s death, coupled with the emotional trauma, warranted significant compensation.
Outcome:
Carbone Lawyers obtained a generous damages settlement for the young woman. The financial compensation sought to address the significant impact of his death on the plaintiff’s life, both emotionally and financially, and the loss of their future together.
*Details of this case have been altered or omitted to protect the identity of the parties.
