Latest news with #ShineLawyers
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- News.com.au
Photos reveal bloody aftermath of $100k Sydney staffy attack
Graphic photos have revealed the extent of a 'violent and terrifying' staffy attack involving a woman and her 11-year-old Shih Tzu in Sydney's south. Bridal shop owner Mary Ioannidis, 54, was awarded more than $100,000 in damages this week in the NSW District Court after her dog Lexi was attacked in April 2020 by a greyhound Staffordshire bull terrier. The court heard how the terrier was unrestrained when it launched at Ms Ioannidis and her dog, who was on a retractable leash, while on a walk on a suburban street in Mortdale. Photos provided to by Ms Ioannidis's legal team show the extent of the attack, which left Lexi with an amputated left leg. One photo shows Ms Ioannidis sitting down after the attack, covered in blood. Shine Lawyers associate Brittany Vella said her client had suffered 'profound consequences as a result' with the court finding Ms Ioannidis had been left with PTSD as a result of the attack. The staffy's owner, owned by Melissa Carretero, was ordered to pay a total $101,788.63 in damages plus Ms Ioannidis' legal costs. 'There's not just the physical injuries, but long-term psychological trauma as well,' Ms Vella told 'Mary and Lexi were simply out for a walk when they were set upon by an unrestrained dog- an animal which dwarfed Lexi and which would have easily killed her had it not been for Mary's desperate efforts to save her. 'This was a truly horrifying attack and I hope [Tuesday's] judgment serves as a warning for dog owners to make sure their pets are always restrained and under control.' The attack Ms Ioannidis told the court she was left bloodied as she tried to save Lexi during the attack. She said the large dog kept throwing Lexi from 'side to side' and ripped her 'whole paw' off at the joint. 'He kept running back and launching at me and he just kept attacking, and he just didn't stop. He didn't stop, and I was falling over and trying to get on my feet,' she said. Ms Ioannidis also told the court she had her fingernails 'completely ripped off' in the chaos of the attack. The court heard how there was luckily a vet nearby that provided Lexi with emergency treatment, including amputation of the leg at the shoulder. Lexi has since died due to unrelated causes. Ms Ioannidis told the court the trauma left her with crippling anxiety and said she has lost 10 kilograms since the attack. Her partner said Ms Ioannidis now 'locks herself in the house' and said it was 'very hard to persuade her to leave.' 'Mentally, I don't cope with very much at the moment or since,' Ms Ioannidis told the court. 'Just my anxiety, being outside, having to run into any dogs. I didn't want to have to deal with any people.' 'I don't do anything. I don't want to go anywhere. It doesn't leave my head. I can't sleep. If I go for a walk, it has to be with someone, and I'm constantly looking over my shoulder.' Staffy owner's defence Ms Carretero admitted her dog attacked Lexi but denied it attacked Ms Ioannidis. She argued to the court that Ms Ioannidis should not be entitled to recover damages for psychiatric injury suffered 'as a result of what happened to Lexi'. She also argued Ms Ioannidis continued to work and often went to the gym since the attack. District Court Judge John Catsanos SC found Ms Ioannidis had suffered economic loss and would continue to do so due to her PTSD. 'On balance, I find that the dog attack caused the plaintiff to suffer psychiatric injury in the form of PTSD,' Judge Catsanos said in his decision. '[Ms Ioannidis] suffers a genuine psychiatric condition as a result of the attack.' Judge Catsanos ruled damages for $49,500 for non-economic losses to the mental harm caused, as well as $15,000 for future mental health treatments and $35,000 due to past and future lost income. He also ruled an amount of $2,288.63 for medication and mental health costs, which Ms Ioannidis had paid since the attack, with the total damages coming to $101,788.63.
7NEWS
12-07-2025
- 7NEWS
Parents' horror after learning their daughter went to childcare where alleged abuser Joshua Brown worked in Melbourne
The public was outraged, an alleged child abuser was charged, and Melody and Hayden Glaister suddenly faced the unthinkable. Their daughter's former 'favourite educator' had been charged by police. His alleged offending against other children, at the same time their now six-year-old was in his care. The only child is one of the thousands of Melbourne children forced to be tested for sexually transmitted infections as a child who attended the Point Cook childcare centre. 'We had to sit her down and ask her if she recalls anyone at that centre ever touching her in an inappropriate way,' said Mrs Glaister. Brown, 26, was charged by Victoria Police earlier this month with more than 70 offences, including the sexual penetration of a child, and the production of child abuse material. His alleged victims have been identified in videos allegedly filmed by Brown, some, as young as five months old. When Hayden Glaister received a text message and email from authorities, he did an online search. Countless media articles and images of their daughter's educator popped up. 'He said, 'it's Josh',' said Mrs Glaister. 'He always wanted to be around the children, he was very bubbly, always smiling, always sort of gravitated towards the children.' Their daughter first attended the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook at six months old. In 2021 and 2022, Joshua Brown was her educator. 'He had offered to provide private babysitting services to us as well. It's something that will always haunt us now,' Mrs Glaister said. With two working parents, the then-three-year-old was booked at childcare from 8am until 6.30pm and was often the last child to be picked up. Mrs Glaister said she and her husband 'had issues with that centre, from a long way back'. They allege, on one occasion, they found their daughter unsupervised. 'When she started school we were incredibly grateful to get her out of that centre,' she said. Mrs Glaister said her daughter can't remember any inappropriate behaviour from the alleged offender. 'She's so innocent, kids are innocent,' Mrs Glaister said. Now, the family sit in a state of limbo, awaiting the results of her STI test. They plan to join a class action lawsuit lead by Shine Lawyers. 'These centres, hiding behind their policies and procedures, that they did the right thing. for so many parents right now, that's not enough, it's not enough' she said. Police have so far identified eight alleged victims. Jodie Willey, chief operating officer of Shine Lawyers, said the class action lawsuit will provide another avenue for 'indirect victims'. 'The heartbreaking reality is that there is a larger cohort of parents who will forever live with this uncertainty around what may or may not have occurred to their children' she said.
7NEWS
17-06-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Family of young Queensland girl with brain injury claims school is not doing enough to support her
A school says it has not blocked a young girl's access to a carer after her grandmother claimed the eight-year-old had been left to sit in soiled nappies in the classroom. Amateil Speers was left with brain and spinal injuries after she was involved in a head-on car crash while going to get ice cream with her family in Mt Isa in 2019. Her mother Natasha Wilson was killed and her brother suffered a broken neck. The now eight-year-old is in grade three at Raceview State School in Ipswich and wants to be like all the other kids despite her disabilities. 'I just want to play with my friends but I can't,' she said. Amateil can use the toilet at home with assistance but is unable to do so at school without support, so she wears pull-up nappies which staff change during the day. Her grandmother claimed the National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland offered to fund a full-time carer to help Amateil to the bathroom during class but the school turned it down. 'No matter what Amateil has been through, 'Oh she'll be OK, just put her in a corner and forget about her',' grandmother Sharon Wilson said. 'You can't do that. Her injuries are part of her, that's what makes her, so just take her seriously.' But the Department of Education has refuted claims Amateil is left to sit in a soiled nappy at school. 'The school has no record of the alleged incident and has not declined a support worker,' a spokesperson said. 'Teacher aides are always available to assist if needed and the school has recently upgraded the bathroom to cater exclusively for this student's needs.' The spokesperson said the school was working with Amateil's family and a team of health workers to review the toileting plan. 'The department will not provide any further information to respect the dignity of this student,' the department said. Wilson said Amateil has come home on several occasions with different clothes on because her nappy wasn't changed before it soaked through her pants. She also fears the young girl will have to undergo unnecessary bladder surgery if she is unable to use the toilet at school. 'It's so frustrating, just trying to get someone to listen and understand what we're going through,' she said. Shine Lawyers is representing the family in a Compulsory Third Party insurance claim from the crash in 2019. There has been no civil claim launched against the school but Shine Lawyers solicitor Madeleine Routley hopes Amateil will receive the care she needs. 'It would really empower her in terms of her recovery, because using the toilet is something doctors thought she'd never be able to do,' she said.
New York Post
18-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Disability worker loses voice for six years due to filthy conditions
A former disability support worker who alleges she was sent into urine and feces-covered homes by her employer has been left unable to speak for six years. In late 2019, the 44-year-old, who asked not be identified, was working as a support worker for Woodbine, a not-for-profit that assists people with intellectual disabilities based in Warracknabeal in Victoria's wheatbelt, about 205 miles northwest of Melbourne. Advertisement The disability support worker of two decades took a client to Warracknabeal Hospital for treatment and had to stay with him for several days as it wasn't equipped to properly cater for their needs. A 44-year-old mother working in disability support for Woodbine, a not-for-profit that helps those with intellectual disabilities, alleges being sent to urine and feces-covered homes, leaving her unable to speak for six years. Google Maps A number of other patients there had respiratory illnesses, and she came down with a similar illness as a result of her time there. The mom-of-two spent three weeks off sick, and when she returned she alleges she was put to work in unsafe conditions. Advertisement 'Unfortunately [the clients] weren't able to keep their house clean, it would be filthy… urine, faeces, and mum would have to go there quite a bit,' her 21-year-old daughter said. 'Mum didn't want to be rude. Woodbine was aware of the circumstances but there was nothing put in place to protect mum at all.' As a result of her exposure to that environment, her respiratory condition worsened and she was diagnosed with a chest infection and pleurisy — inflammation of the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. Her condition continued to deteriorate before she was eventually hospitalized in March 2020, losing her voice completely. Advertisement 'She never came back and it developed into this vocal cord dysfunction from the recurrent infections,' her daughter said. '[The doctors said] mycoplasma pneumoniae is really hard to treat.' Six years later, she can't speak for more than a few minutes. She lives in constant pain and has to take heavy muscle relaxants just to keep her vocal cord at peace. She moved to the Gold Coast in 2022, and has been unable to work since her injury. Advertisement Her daughter said the impact on her mom and their family had been 'devastating'. 'Day-to-day is pretty up and down,' she said. 'Prior to this injury mum was quite a fit and healthy person, mum would do swimming with me, exercise has all come to a halt. She has to be on medication to get through the day. The financial implications have been [significant].' 'It's a very bizarre and unique situation,' said Shine Lawyers senior associate Nehad Elmassry, who is representing the worker. 'She contracts this viral disease — this is in the pre-Covid days — then she loses her voice chronically for the rest of her life. There's no surgery, no therapy, no kind of treatment that's going to get her to be able to speak the same way.' Shine alleges Woodbine breached its duty of care by failing to provide her with personal protective equipment. 'There was no risk assessment when they sent her to the hospital,' said Elmassry. 'She complained about the environment the patients were in and they still sent her. She complained the patients were unwell, they told her 'go do your job'. Her condition continued to get worse. No one expects to go to work and lose your voice for the rest of your life. [Being] unable to work, that's the least of your problems. Her daily activities are impacted — she can't go to the shops, speak to other people, all of the things we take for granted.' 'Prior to this injury mum was quite a fit and healthy person,' her daughter said. 'She has to be on medication to get through the day. The financial implications have been [significant].' Advertisement She has been receiving WorkCover payments at 80 per cent of her previous salary for more than five years, but now intends to lodge an application for a serious injury certificate with the insurer in the coming months. 'She met the threshold to get compensation for losing her voice, now to get further compensation you have to sue the Victorian WorkCover Authority, which steps into shoes of the employer,' said Elmassry. The claim has not been finalized but is expected to be 'hundreds of thousands for pain and suffering and economic loss'. Advertisement 'Certainly if she can't work again, the WorkCover insurer would have to compensate her for the economic loss she would have suffered up until the age of 67,' he said. Shine is hopeful the claim will reach settlement without having to go to court. 'If there's a dispute and we can't come to agreement on who's at fault, it could land in court,' said Elmassry. 'Woodbine [are] going to be under the gun. They'll be responding because they'll be asked a lot of questions.' Advertisement The woman's daughter said her mom felt let down by her employer of more than 20 years. 'They forced her to resign on pretty bad terms, it ended pretty nasty,' she said. 'Mentally it was just so draining. Mum was so passionate and caring for her clients, they were always treated as so much more than a job. They were mum's world, she loved her job. It's just been really tough.' She added that the goal of the claim 'more to be recognised, to be shown that what happened wasn't fair'. Advertisement 'This has been a really lengthy process and ultimately she just really wants it to come to an end,' she said. Woodbine has been contacted for comment.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Compensation push for helicopter crash scars and pain
A helicopter operator has been implored to come to the table over compensation claims for life-long scarring and anguish suffered in a deadly collision. After a final report was released into the crash between two aircraft on the Gold Coast, counsel for Shine Lawyers urged Sea World Helicopters to resolve the claims as soon as possible. Four people were killed and nine injured when two of the company's choppers collided above the Queensland city's Broadwater in January 2023. Pilot Ashley Jenkinson, 40, British couple Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, died in the crash. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau handed down its final report on Wednesday, finding limitation in visibility, failed radio transmissions and competing priorities all contributed to the crash. Many of the victims suffered serious injuries, lifelong scarring and life-changing anguish, Shine's national litigation specialist Roger Singh said. "No amount of money will give back what was taken from the victims of this crash, however we will ensure those responsible are held to account to the fullest extent," he said. "This was such a profoundly unnecessary loss of life which must be prosecuted fully to ensure it never happens again." Shine Lawyers had already filed a number of claims in the Brisbane Supreme Court for damages against Sea World Helicopters totalling millions of dollars, and are now determining whether the safety bureau's final report warrants additional claims. Claims for the helicopter passengers have been filed under the Civil Aviation (Carriers Liability) Act that caps damages at $925,000 per claimant. Mr Singh called on Sea World Helicopters to resolve the claims as soon as possible, following the report's findings. AAP has sought comment from Sea World Helicopters. The safety bureau's report noted the operator had rectified a number of issues identified with more work to be done, but Mr Singh hopes civil proceedings will further ensure the operator doubles down on safety protocols.
