Remember I told you about how I got bashed outside a bar on Oxford Street? Read Part I of my story here
Well, I got compensation for the injuries. Most of this money (I think about $100,000) was invested in the bank for my future and because of my brain injury the NSW Trustee and Guardian managed this money. I could access this money only if two named responsible people, including the NSW Trustee and Guardian, signed a withdrawal form.
The NSW Trustee and Guardian gave me $200 a week out of this compensation account to live on, I couldn’t get the Disability Support Pension because I had got the compensation.
I really wanted to visit my friend in Sweden who I hadn’t seen for years, and I knew that I had the money in the bank.
I went to the local branch of my Bank and said I wanted to withdraw money from the investment account. The cashier, Simon, gave me a withdrawal slip to sign and I withdrew $20,000. Then I went back the next week, and withdrew another $20,000, because a friend of mine was having money troubles and he promised me he would pay me back. Altogether, I withdrew $95,000 over about 5 months. I’m not even sure what I spent the money on. I don’t drink or take drugs. I gave some money to friends, and an ex-boyfriend, but now they tell me they can’t pay me back.
I was really upset and in a panic because all the money was gone!
My solicitor at HALC said “but the Bank was not allowed to give you the money. That’s why it was controlled by the NSW Trustee and Guardian and needed their signatures”.
HALC took on my case, and eventually, the Bank admitted that Simon should never have allowed me to withdraw any money from the account without the NSW Trustee and Guardian signature. The Bank put back all the money into the account, with interest!
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