Mother offered ‘insulting’ $35K compo after truck hit her son

A grieving mother has told how her agony turned to anger after being offered $35,000 compensation for the death of her son in a tragic road incident.

A grieving mother has told how her agony turned to anger after being offered $35,000 compensation for the death of her son in a tragic road incident.

Elizabeth Young said insurer QBE’s “insulting” compulsory third party offer was made two years after her son’s horrific death in May 2020.

Aaron Young died after being hit by a hired Isuzu truck being driven down a quiet Beenleigh street where he was loading a car on to a trailer, days after his 30th birthday in May 2020.

Shane Crofts, 48, pleaded guilty to dangerously operating a vehicle causing death in Beenleigh District Court in April and is due to face sentencing next month.

Harrowing: The family checks Aaron's corpse before the funeral.

Mrs Young said she was “tortured” every day remembering the hours of anguish she spent at the tragedy on the footpath in Sunshine St, Beenleigh, waiting to identify her son’s body.

She rejected insurer QBE’s final offer of $35,000 and filed a counterclaim of $600,000 last month.

“We had to be at the scene for hours looking at Aaron’s body on the road covered with a sheet,” she said.

“Rather than going to the John Tonge forensic centre in Kessels Rd to formally identify the body once the blood had been cleaned off his face, police said we had to identify the body on the roadside due to Covid restrictions closing the Forensic centre to the public.

“My life has been changed irreparably – Aaron helped out in this household and contributed to the household rent, food and other expenses.

“My lawyers said it was a disgraceful offer and should not be entertained.”

Mrs Young said to add insult to injury, QBE offered her daughter, Aaron’s sister, $40,000 but the family’s lawyers at Cranston McEachern have asked for $300,000.

Cars on a trailer where Aaron Young was killed days after his 30th birthday in May 2020.

Last week, the family repainted the car Aaron bought three days before he died.

“It was his dream car and this was something he had been saving up for,” Mrs Young said.

Aaron’s love of cars was fulfilled working at the family business Dyno Hire service at Logan Village.

His friends held a skid tribute to mark his passing.

Mrs Young’s brother-in-law, Rick Williams, said the family was still waiting on the outcome from a settlement conference with QBE over the amount.

“Every vehicle on the road pays third party insurance in their registration for this type of event,” he said.

“Aaron’s death has driven Elizabeth to the brink and it has taken a major toll on her mental and physical health.

“QBE accepted liability early on and even sent a very experienced claim assessor to the site and to talk to the family.

“It’s a terrible indictment of society when the insurer’s main objective is to pay out as little as possible to victims even though Queenslanders have been forced to invest heavily in this type of insurance.”

A letter of offer from insurer QBE to Elizabeth Young for $35,000.

In Queensland, the third party insurance component (CTP) of every four cylinder vehicle is $351.80, more than the actual registration fee of $340.20.

QBE refused to say what the next step in the compensation claim would be but said the Queensland CTP insurance scheme had thresholds and ranges for damages which were applied before determining a claim.

Elizabeth Young and her son Aaron Young.

“QBE extends our sympathies to the Young family who have experienced the loss of a family member in tragic circumstances,” QBE said in a statement.

“Each claim is independently assessed considering the unique circumstances of the accident, the injury sustained and the terms of the insurance policy.

“As the matter relates to an active legal process we are limited in what we can say.”

In Queensland, four insurance companies are licensed to offer CTP insurance: Allianz, QBE, RACQ and Suncorp.

A review of the General Insurance Code of Practice in 2018, found that where an insurer has an obligation, it must pay claims and “treat customers with respect and compassion”.

The insurer must also inform consumers in writing for reasons for delays and the consumer’s right to take their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Aaron Young died after being hit by a hired Isuzu truck while loading a car on to a trailer in a quiet Beenleigh street, days after his 30th birthday in May 2020.

Originally published as Mother offered ‘insulting’ $35K compo after truck hit her son