Highlights:

• Mother of two traumatised by day-time jewellery heist wins compensation.

Summary:

Carbone Lawyers wins a complex case for a jewellery store employee who was traumatised by a robbery.

Case Details:

A woman aged in her 50s was with two colleagues working at a branch of a well-known jewellery chain in a shopping centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Late one afternoon, two people went into the store, one carrying a gun. They threatened staff, smashed the glass display cabinets and stole a large amount of jewellery from the cabinets before fleeing the scene unchallenged by any centre security. 

The experience left the woman severely traumatised. 

Carbone Lawyers lodged a WorkCover Common Law claim supported by medical evidence that the mother of two suffered from severe PTSD and that she was unlikely to work again. 

It’s worth noting that it is generally difficult for employees who are victims of hold-ups to claim against their employer. 

Carbone Lawyers argued that as the business was a high-value target in an area with an above-average crime rate, the employer had a duty of care to provide a higher level of security for their staff. 

It could also be shown that the jewellery store owners had received complaints from other staff members concerned about their safety. Carbone Lawyers conducted extensive investigations which included speaking to four other employees who had previously raised issues surrounding security.

Outcome:

The case was settled three weeks prior to the commencement of trial. The woman received payments to compensate her for pain and suffering and loss of income.

*The details of the settlement are confidential.