THE family of a girl who suffered a catastrophic brain injury from a severe electric shock at a public housing property in Perth has not yet accepted a $1 million act-of-grace payment from the West Australian government.
Denishar Woods was shocked with up to 230 volts when she touched a garden tap at a Beldon property in March last year.
The WA government offered the ex-gratia payment in January, saying the Public Trustee would administer the money and deduct it from damages awarded in any civil claim.
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READ NOWDenishar’s mother Lacey Harrison says she has not signed off on it.
“You could say money isn’t going to change anything,” Ms Harrison told AAP on Monday.
Her large family is living rent-free in a specially modified but small Housing Authority property and expect to move into a house being constructed by the state government that will meet Denishar’s long-term needs in about three months.
Ms Harrison said Denishar was not speaking but vocalising along to country music, communicates “yes” by blinking once and has a smile on her face most of the time.
“She’s doing pretty good for a year and five months in. I think she’s achieving good things,” Ms Harrison said.
“She’s a champ, a joy to watch.”
While doctors say Denishar is effectively blind, seeing only light sources, her eyes follow her family around the room and she looks directly at whoever is talking to her.
“There’s something there – we think she’s seeing more,” Ms Harrison said.
It could come down to hearing, she added.
In between physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, Denishar has been attending a special needs school for the past year and may one day go back to a regular school.
“With encouragement, I believe anything is possible,” Ms Harrison said.
Denishar turns 13 in December.
The incident was investigated by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, which has completed its report revealing the failure in the electrical system.
But it needs consent from all parties involved to release the report publicly, a spokesman told AAP.