THE wife of an injured hunter who fell to his death while being winched to an air ambulance is suing Ambulance Victoria for damages.
Robert Davis plunged 30m to his death after passing out and slipping from the harness while being rescued after a mishap on a hunting trip.
Fellow hunters called for help after the 65-year-old lost his footing and broke his ankle while walking in dense bush at Macs Cove, near Lake Eildon in August 2013.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report last year found the Sydney man was winched using an unsuitable “rescue strop”, which straps around a person’s torso.
As he reached the helicopter, he became “limp and unresponsive” and was “making no apparent attempt to hold on” as he slipped from the strop.
A paramedic tried desperately to grab his shoulder and arm, but he fell out and crashed to his death.
“The patient probably lost consciousness due to the compressive nature of the rescue strop around their chest,” the report said.
Mr Davis’s wife, Emi, says Ambulance Victoria failed in its duty of care to winch and treat her husband with reasonable skill, care and diligence.
In a writ lodged in the Supreme Court, she claims AV’s negligence included failing to: select an adequate extraction method; adequately assess the risk of using the harness; use a suitable harness; have appropriate equipment available; adequately assess Mr Davis’s condition, health and weight and their effect on winching him in the harness; and lower him when the winch was affected by the tree canopy.
Ms Davis, 62, says she was a dependant of Mr Davis, who, at the time of his death, worked part-time for Tradelink and ran his own business selling plumbing supplies.
The ATSB noted a rescue strop could harm even a healthy person’s heart and lung capacity. Mr Davis weighed 138kg and suffered from medical conditions, including chronic heart failure.
AV has since introduced a new seat-style harness and more education and training.
The ATSB said its findings were not designed to apportion blame.
Lawyer Barrie Woollacott of Slater & Gordon said the Davis family was still coming to terms with their loss.
“The Davis family hopes lessons can be learned from Robert’s untimely death to prevent any other family having to endure such grief,” Mr Woollacott said.
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