Having just started my 4th month off, due to an injury sustained at work, I've had a recent crash course in how workers comp and your legal options, work.
A few posters have said he may have issues proving the injury was sustained at work, however for him to be out on workers comp, Virgin's insurance company
will already have accepted the injury was sustained at work and agreed to the claim.
In order to win damages, all he has to prove is that the injury will/has stopped him from meeting his future financial expectations or that he will have future medical bills due to the injury.
The reality of the situation, is that in Australia you can't just sue your employer for being injured at work or even any other entity or person that contributed to the injury being sustained. If this was the States I would be sitting on a fairly large pile of cash. Because its Australia, nothing.
I will say, from my own personal experience, that Virgin will have looked after him very well. I'm sure it wasn't a decision he's taken lightly.