Ex-New South Wales Police Worker Receives $2.3m in Court for Arm Loss in Car Accident | Law Enforcement in Australia

A former police officer has been awarded $2.3 million after a car accident during a cannabis clearing operation in Sydney, which led to the amputation of her arm and complete loss of earning capacity. Acting Judge Leonard Levy SC ruled in the district court that the state of New South Wales had breached its duty of care to Jillian Oliver, a senior constable, and that its negligence resulted in the accident, her injuries, and her “catastrophic” physical and psychological situation. Oliver, aged 34 at the time, had been collecting cannabis plants from an illicit plantation in Dingo Tops state forest when her heavily loaded, off-tyre-less Ford Ranger 4WD lost traction, crashed, and ended up 175 meters below the road. She suffered multiple physical injuries, including to her head, neck, right shoulder, and wrist, as well as psychological injuries and chronic complex regional pain syndrome, which led to her arm being amputated below the elbow and the onset of major depressive disorder, preventing her from working. The vehicles’ load had not been weighed and there were no provisions for calculating the weight and size of the plants. The court rejected the state’s claims that Oliver was driving too fast or unsafely and concluded that the police force’s risk assessment did not address the risks inherent in the cannabis eradication program. The judge awarded Oliver $1.12 million for lost future earnings, alongside costs, noting her significant incapacity for any meaningful employment after the accident.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/30/former-nsw-police-officer-who-lost-her-arm-after-a-car-accident-awarded-23m-by-the-court