Hegarty v Queensland Ambulance Service

The plaintiff in this case worked as an operational ambulance officer for fifteen years. During his employment, he was exposed to numerous traumatic events. The plaintiff subsequently developed post traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. The plaintiff presented with signs of dysfunction. The employer, Queensland Ambulance Service, provided some training to the plaintiff directed at self-recognition of symptoms of stress disorders and self-referral. The plaintiff did not recognise his signs of dysfunction. The employer provided some training in recognising signs of dysfunction in others to some supervisors. The plaintiff’s supervisors did not recognise signs of dysfunction in the plaintiff. The employer had a system of counsellors and peer supporters available to its employees. The plaintiff sued the employer for negligence. The plaintiff claimed that the employer provided inadequate training to supervisors and that this was negligent. The plaintiff further claimed that the employer’s negligence caused the plaintiff’s mental disorder.

The court considered whether the employer provided adequate training to supervisors and whether the employer was negligent. The court also considered whether the employer’s negligence caused the plaintiff’s mental disorder. The court found that the employer had provided some training to the plaintiff in recognising symptoms of stress disorders and self-referral. However, the plaintiff’s failure to recognise his signs of dysfunction was not unreasonable. The court found that the employer had provided some training in recognising signs of dysfunction in others to some supervisors. However, the plaintiff’s supervisors did not recognise signs of dysfunction in the plaintiff. The court found that the employer had a system of counsellors and peer supporters available to its employees. The court found that the employer did not provide adequate training to supervisors. The court found that the employer was negligent. The court found that the employer’s negligence caused the plaintiff’s mental disorder.

The court ordered that the limitation period prescribed by section 11 of the Limitation of Actions Act 1974 for the commencement of the proceeding be extended to 13 April 2000. The court did not make any further orders.