Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, three out of four of Victoria’s COVID-related class actions are still ongoing, including one involving families of residents who died in an outbreak at St Basil’s aged care facility in Fawkner.
In July and August 2020, 50 residents at St Basil’s Fawkner and 38 at Heritage Care Epping Gardens died amid the second wave of COVID-19.
According to The Herald Sun, families are now continuing their fight for compensation, with John Karantzis from Carbone Lawyers representing about 80 clients.
He said their claims for psychiatric nervous shock were referred to the medical panel for review late last year, which has caused strain on the system.
“We look forward to our clients’ day before the medical panel so they can tell their story on how the loss of their loved ones has severely affected them,” Karantzis told the Herald Sun.
The class actions also include families of surviving residents, many of whom suffered neglect and mistreatment, as regular staff were replaced with inexperienced nurses during the outbreak.
These cases are expected to be heard in the Supreme Court next year.
Source: Herald Sun.
