Redlich's Work Injury Lawyers has appointed a new head of its Traffic Accident Commission (TAC) claims division, it was announced today.
Appointed to the high profile role was special counsel Genna Angelowitsch – a Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) accredited specialist in personal injury law who has been working in the field for more than 10 years.
Genna had most recently been responsible for representing the families of the deceased victims of the Bourke Street attack.
Excited to take on this new role, Genna was committed to assisting families impacted by road TAC Claims and ensuring they have access to the best legal support possible.
She said despite what had appeared to be a downward trend in traffic-related accidents, the number of people being injured on the roads has increased significantly recently.
"In 2019 we saw a dramatic increase in the number of lives lost on Victorian roads compared to the previous year," Genna said.
"This leads to so much trauma for those involved – both physically and emotionally.
"During my time as head of the TAC division I am determined to ensure that individuals who have been subjected to road trauma and their families have access to the services they need to manage their recovery quickly and with dignity."
Genna said this area of law is currently under the spotlight due to the significantly higher number of lives lost on Victorian roads in 2019, with 263 people dying in transport accidents over the past 12 months – an increase of 23.5 per cent from 2018.
A significant number of these have been attributed to distracted drivers using mobile phones while driving, and 11 per cent of those killed on Victorian roads were not wearing seatbelts.
A significant portion of the fatalities on Victorian roads occurred in rural and regional communities. There was a 69 per cent increase of fatalities in country Victoria between 2018 and 2019, with 27 people dying through road trauma compared to 16 the previous year.
The recent implementation of new expedited common law protocols – a joint initiative of the TAC, the Australian Lawyers Alliance and the LIV – demonstrates the TAC's intention to resolve cases quickly as part of their 2020 strategy, Genna said.
"The new protocols provide streamlined processes for accessing compensation for individuals who have clearly suffered a serious injury, and aims to reduce lengthy delays that have previously hampered access to benefits."
Redlich's Work Injury Lawyers has been key in the development of these new streamlined processes and were one of the first firms to engage in the expedited application process during the initial trial process.
Genna said that she is pleased these processes have now been formalised through the new protocols, and looks forward to continued collaborative efforts between the legal profession and the TAC to help clients get their lives back on track sooner.
