KEY POINTS:
A woman who was denied coverage for counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder, after finding out her partner had deliberately exposed her to HIV, has won a nine-year fight for compensation.
The woman's former partner, Darryl Peter Kilpatrick, was jailed for criminal nuisance in 1999 for having unprotected sex with her when he knew he was HIV-positive.
The woman first made a claim that year to ACC for post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from being exposed to HIV.
But she was turned down after ACC said it only covered mental injuries if they resulted from a sex crime or physical injury - the woman had not been infected with the disease.
The woman's lawyer, John Miller, unsuccessfully appealed ACC's decision to the District and High Courts and the case was heading for the Court of Appeal when ACC decided to settle, The Dominion Post reported.
Mr Miller said the landmark decision could open up doors for more people who had been exposed to HIV.
ACC chief operating officer Gerard McGreevy told the paper each claim was considered individually and it was not possible to claim this case set a precedent.
He said ACC had decided to provide cover because there was little benefit in continuing to defend the matter.
- NZPA
