Coronial
VICother

Finding into death of Natasha Stojkoski

Deceased

Natasha Stojkoski

Demographics

38y, female

Coroner

Coroner Audrey Jamieson

Date of death

2021-05-02

Finding date

2026-04-22

Cause of death

Multiple injuries sustained when struck by a train

AI-generated summary

Natasha Stojkoski, a 38-year-old sales assistant at The Good Guys, sustained a workplace injury in October 2018 involving a Work Assisted Vehicle incident affecting her back, shoulders and neck. Subsequently, she reported being bullied and isolated by colleagues, with management failing to conduct a proper investigation. Her complaints were handled informally at departmental level rather than escalated to HR despite being a multi-person bullying complaint. This mishandling, combined with ongoing physical pain and workplace distress, contributed to severe major depression. Despite attendance at emergency department in March 2021, no adequate psychiatric assessment occurred. She died by suicide in May 2021. Clinically, the coroner found clear causal connection between her workplace injury, perceived bullying, employer's inadequate response, and mental deterioration. Key lessons: bullying complaints involving multiple perpetrators require immediate HR escalation; informal resolution is inappropriate when the complainant is distressed and unsupported; emergency departments should conduct proper psychiatric assessment for depressed patients; workplace mental health support must be proactive and credible.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.

Specialties

psychiatryoccupational and environmental healthgeneral practiceemergency medicinepsychologyforensic medicine

Error types

systemcommunicationdelay

Drugs involved

escitaloprambaclofen

Clinical conditions

workplace injury (cervical and lumbar spine injury, shoulder injury)chronic pain syndromeadjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed moodmajor depressive disorder (severe)somatic symptom disorder

Contributing factors

  • Workplace injury (WAV incident) on 9 October 2018
  • Perceived workplace bullying by team members from June 2019 onwards
  • Failure of employer to conduct fair and impartial investigation into bullying complaints
  • Inadequate escalation to HR despite complaints by multiple perpetrators
  • Informal departmental approach when group bullying involved
  • Employer's apparent lack of belief in complaint and blame of complainant
  • Persistent denial and trivialisation of bullying allegations
  • Chronic pain and physical disability following workplace injury
  • Development of adjustment disorder progressing to major depressive disorder
  • Loss of family home in January 2021
  • Inadequate psychiatric assessment at emergency department in March 2021
  • Lack of proactive mental health support from employer

Coroner's recommendations

  1. The Good Guys should develop detailed policies and procedures addressing circumstances where there is an allegation of group bullying or complaints from both accuser and accused, with consistent and unambiguous steps for management when bullying complaints are raised
  2. The Good Guys should incorporate into newly developed policies and procedures additional guidance on what constitutes 'at an early stage' in the form of examples and scenarios to managers regarding when Human Resources ought to be involved or informed about allegations of bullying
Full text
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