Australian Executor Trustees is a health and personal injury sector specialist

A devastating car accident almost claimed Cathy’s life but a trusted relationship helped her rebuild a new one.

Cathy’s* life changed forever when she and her father sustained life-threatening injuries in a car accident. Months of difficult rehabilitation followed but the physical and mental scars ran deep.

“I was suffering tremendously from survivor’s guilt, anger, depression, and all round self-hatred from my father’s injuries which were more exacerbated than mine because he had risked his own safety and life to attempt saving mine,” she says.

When the Insurance Commission of Western Australia eventually awarded Cathy compensation, the last thing she wanted was a court-appointed trustee – Australian Executor Trustees – to oversee her finances.

Those self-destructive feelings inadvertently flowed into Cathy’s relationship with Claire Kenny, AET’s Regional Manager Compensation Trusts (WA).

But the turning point came when Cathy overheard a carer mention that one of Claire’s other clients had been acting aggressively towards, as she thought, “my trust officer”.

“Suddenly it occurred to me that I wasn’t Claire’s only client or responsibility, in the very least resulting in a sharp slap of reality and sickening feeling as the truth of my self-hating pity and rage became clear to me. I wasted no time to call Claire to confirm it all and apologise with all my heart for being so blinded.

“Claire instantly not only forgave me but consoled me and did everything she possibly could to help me with all of the issues I was suffering.”

From there, the relationship began to grow and Cathy began re-building her life. Over time, she built strong financial skills and developed a passion for personal fitness. AET helped her find secure long-term housing, where she lives with her three children.

“We're here because we genuinely care about her and want the best for her and her financial future,” Claire says.

Today, Cathy counts Claire as one of her most trusted friends and advisers – someone who was there for her after the “horrific and traumatic” fallout from the accident.

“Claire constantly and consistently enquires about myself and my children’s happiness and wellbeing. She also, in my times of anxiety and overwhelmed strain, spends extra time on the phone remaining calm and explaining everything in detail until I am comforted and confident that I understand all of the information completely, or simply just listening to me venting.”

AET, which is part of Equity Trustees, is a health and personal injury sector specialist. It has built its reputation through staff who can manage the technical aspects of administering trusts, as well as showing empathy to people who are in need, often following devastating accidents.

AET manages $2.8 billion across the health and personal injury sector from a total of $4.6 billion in funds under administration, administration and supervision.

* Name changed to protect privacy.

More information about Australian Executor Trustees compensation trusts services is available on our website.