Son who lost 92-year-old mother becomes first to take legal action against Epping Gardens aged-care facility

·

A man who lost his 92-year-old mother due to an outbreak at a Melbourne aged-care facility has been the first to take legal action with a top-tier personal injury law firm.

Sebastian Agnello will be the lead plaintiff in a class action being brought by Carbone Lawyers, which is representing about 30 families with relatives who have either died at the home or who were living there until recently.

Sebastian’s mother, Carmela Agnello, moved to Epping Gardens in September 2018. During her residence, she was exposed to a COVID-19 positive staff member. Carmela tragically lost her life on July 28 after suffering severe Covid symptoms.

Read More: Nursing home CEO expects ‘Golden Age’ to be over for Epping Gardens co-owners

The Epping Gardens aged-care facility has so far been responsible for 205 infections and multiple deaths.

Jack Karantzis, head of personal injury law and litigation for Carbone Lawyers, said: “We fight for the rights of the vulnerable who have been affected by mismanagement, greed and incompetence. Such conduct is abhorrent and unacceptable in a civilised society.”

Mr Agnello claimed in his writ that Epping Gardens had allowed staff and residents to not wear personal protective equipment even though aware there was a pandemic.

Heritage Care owners Tony Antonopoulos and Peter Arvanitis. Photo: Instagram

The aged care home had also allowed workers and residents to “move freely within Epping Gardens when there was a risk of spreading contamination and contracting a COVID-19 infection”.

John Karantzis said the families his company represented had suffered “stress and anxiety as a result of the actions of the management of Epping Gardens. This should not happen again,” Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Epping Gardens’ parent company, Heritage Care Pty Ltd, which has nine for-profit aged-care homes across Sydney and Melbourne, is directed and owned by multi-millionaire aged-care moguls Tony Antonopoulos and Peter Arvanitis.

Heritage Care chief executive Greg Reeve previously insisted that Epping Gardens had been “absolutely, categorically prepared” for the pandemic, with enough training and equipment.

greek film festival melbourne

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

The man for all jobs: How a Greek migrant turned setbacks into 7-figure success

When Christof Mantzanas stepped off the plane in Melbourne on 10 March 2015, he had just $1,000 in his pocket.

Jimmy’s Kitchen brings authentic Greek hospitality to The Rocks

Sydney diners can now experience the warmth, flavour, and soul of a traditional Greek taverna without the flight to Greece.

Greek Community of Melbourne enhances safety with defibrillator training seminar

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) took a notable step towards enhancing community safety by organising a defibrillator training seminar.

Wills without the Trojan War

After nearly 15 years in the legal industry, I’ve lost track of how many matters I’ve worked on involving family disputes over estates.

From tech to health: Greek Australians driving innovation in 2025

Australia’s Top 100 Innovators celebrate those who turn setbacks into breakthroughs. This year, three Greek Australians are among them.

You May Also Like

MGTAV hosts Professional Development Day in collaboration with Little Anna

On April 8, the Modern Greek Teachers Association of Victoria (MGTAV) held a successful Professional Development Day at Oakleigh Grammar.

The family story behind the legendary tsoureki of Lido in Athens

Residents of Pagrati and Athens wait a while to get the famous tsourekia from Istanbul's traditional pastry shop, "Lido".

Five of Greece’s largest museums shut down in protest against new law

Five of Greece's largest museums were shut down on Monday in protest against a new draft law passed to make the museums more autonomous.