Giving a Financial Lifeline to a First Responder
May 17th 2023
Sean Wardman * worked as a first responder for over 30 years. As is so often the case for first responders, his career exposed him to many tragic, violent and traumatic events. Sean suffers from PTSD. The injury resulted in medical retirement from his long-term career and continues to impact his ability to work.
Finding the Right People
In stepping away from decades of dedicated service, Sean had assumed that securing the funds he was entitled to would be a smooth process. He looked forward to having the financial freedom to seek the best treatment available and move on with his life. Unfortunately, the long and drawn-out process of trying to retrieve compensation through lawyers and a financial adviser only led to disillusionment. For months no progress was made, and Sean was getting increasingly anxious. Without access to his TPD payment and other benefits, Sean was financially crippled. At wit’s end, he searched online for someone in financial services who could possibly help.
A phone call to Financial Planner Andrew Dinsdale-Scanlon in early 2022 ‘changed everything.’
Beginning the Healing Process
According to Sean, connecting with Andrew marks the beginning of his healing process. Whilst the pair had to go back to the very beginning and jump through the necessary financial hoops to retrieve the money owed to Wardman, they were on the journey together. Andrew understood that his client’s financial independence was vital in moving forward. Sean had his full support. Fortunately, Sean’s experiences of dealing with unresponsive ‘experts’ who achieved little and failed to fulfil their obligations were behind him.
“All I wanted was someone who was honest and professional who could help me,” he says. “From the get-go, Andrew was willing to listen to what I had to say. He was brilliant, easy to deal with, communicative, respectful, courteous, professional and most of all, he was ethical. Andrew has all the qualities I value in others.”
Moral Integrity Carries Weight
Andrew’s moral integrity carried a lot of weight for Sean. For example, there were some aspects of the TPD claim that were new to Andrew and he was upfront about that. Sean explains. “Andrew was prepared to go out of his way to understand the system. We were learning it together in many ways, navigating and resolving issues as we went along. If he were ever uncertain on something, he’d look into it and come back to me with clarification. It’s never a one-way street with Andrew.”
Before finding Andrew, Sean had spent the better part of a year trying to access his money – all to no avail. It took just a matter of weeks for Andrew to achieve recovery of these funds. Sean welcomed that long awaited phone call advising him that his TPD application had been accepted, and processed and a lump sum was now accessible.
Advice Worth Every Penny
There is much emotion in Sean’s voice as he references that phone call. “I worked incredibly hard for 30 years. I gave my all – blood, sweats and tears. I almost lost my life in the first few years of service, and I feel that the money is compensation for doing what I did for 30 years; for all that I went through. I believe I earnt every penny of it.”
For someone who has often felt let down by others, it’s restorative to find people out there who genuinely want to help. People like Andrew. “It means everything to me to have Andrew on my side, to have someone I trust. I’m extremely fortunate to have found him and we will continue to work together.”
Able to Focus on His Recovery
Now in his mid-50s and with those financial pressures alleviated, Sean can focus on his recovery.
“I’m now able to pursue the things that make me happy and to ensure that I’m getting the best treatment. My aim is to recover from the injury I was subjected to and be part of mainstream society again – to get back to the happy-go-lucky person I once was.”
For Sean, rebuilding the foundations of who he is will involve time in nature and exploring our wonderful country. Wardman is passionate about the outdoors and remains wistful about choosing the career he did over life on the land. He loves 4wding and fishing and looks forward to short adventures within NSW in the months ahead. He’ll head off in his custom made 4WD vehicle and trailer before embarking on a nationwide trip next year that he expects will take at least 12 months. We hope that for someone who spent much of his life dedicated to helping others, these travels provide Sean with the opportunity to take great care of himself – that they bring solace and healing to a man yearning for a fresh start.
* Names have been changed for privacy reasons
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What you need to know: This information is provided by Invest Blue Pty Ltd (ABN 91 100 874 744). The information contained in this article is of general nature only and does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. Therefore, before making any decision, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice with regards to those matters and seek personal financial, tax and/or legal advice prior to acting on this information. Read our Financial Services Guide for information about our services, including the fees and other benefits that AMP companies and their representatives may receive in relation to products and services provided to you.These clients have agreed to share their stories. Everyone’s situation is different, so their choices and outcomes will be different to yours. Consider your circumstances before deciding what’s right for you.
