A man who was volunteering for a university when he was viciously attacked by a shark has claimed he was not offered any trauma support after the incident because he was not a payed worker.
Dr Mat Vickers says James Cook University offered support to the researchers he was with but not to him because he was a volunteer on the field trip to the Great Barrier Reef.
The university has denied this claim and maintains that they offered trauma support to the volunteer researcher, who was on a recreational snorkel, but said he knocked it back.
Dr Mat Vickers (pictured) was bitten by a shark while snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef
He was volunteering on a field trip for James Cook University when it happened
Dr Vickers was on a field trip with other marine science colleagues from the university when they decided to use their spare time snorkelling at the nearby Cod Hole, a popular tourist dive site about 80km offshore.
‘During the excitement, one bass took some food, and swam past me, using me as a shelter to evade other fish,’ he said.
‘It all happened very quickly: out of the corner of my eye a grey flash. A blur, really, and a two meter grey reef shark slammed into me.’
‘I pulled back, and the shark pulled back, and then I was surrounded by blood and fatty tissue floating in the water column.’
Dr Vickers was rescued by his colleagues and transferred to Lizard Island Resort where a Royal Flying Doctor Service plane arrived a few hours later to take him to Cairns Hospital.
He is now recovering in Wollongong and is accusing the university where he went to school, worked and volunteered for over 15 years, of dodging it’s duty of care.
Dr Vickers says he took this picture of the shark before the attack happened
Dr Vickers claims the university refused to offer trauma support after the attack
The university’s insurer has compensated him $555.44 towards physiotherapy, but Dr Vickers claims they refused to pay him any more.
‘I asked JCU and their insurer to help cover the medical costs while I recuperate.’
‘Unfortunately for me, a sealed, internal, investigation by JCU found that as I was a volunteer with JCU…’
‘Long story short, I am ineligible for typical protections afforded to salaried workers.’
Unable to work Dr Vickers, set up a GoFundMe page to raise the money to cover his medical costs. As of Monday, he had raised $35,000.
Dr Vickers was rescued by his colleagues and was transferred to Lizard Island Resort
In a statement to The Cairns Post, a JCU spokesperson said WorkCover had assessed the incident and found Dr Vickers was not an employee of the university, therefore not entitled to WorkCover.
‘Workplace Health and Safety Queensland were also notified of the incident, made inquiries, and found no further action was required,’ they said.
They went on to say that despite the attack occurring during a non-authorised university activity, JCU had provided support to Dr Vickers, including the option of trauma counselling.
Dr Vickers says they were merely preparing a defence case for the university rather than looking after his best interests.