The claimant sought entitlement to accident benefits after witnessing a fatal collision on October 13, 2019. He claimed that he had been involved in the accident and was an “insured person” as defined in the SABS. The claimant had been sitting on the porch of his aunt’s home when two vehicles struck one another in a head-on collision, killing two occupants in one of the vehicles. He claimed that he had witnessed the deceased pair being extracted from their vehicle and covered with white cloth. He argued that he had been involved in the accident because he had developed psychological injuries as a result of witnessing the accident. Adjudicator Norris found that the claimant was not involved in the accident and was therefore not an “insured person” under the SABS. He noted that witnessing the accident and its aftermath did not constitute being involved in an accident. In addition, Adjudicator Norris found that the claimant was not entitled to claim for “nervous shock” under the SABS because he had not been related to anyone involved in the accident. The claimant’s application for benefits was dismissed.
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