In May 2008, Sarah Lorraine Wattam was at the intersection of Mouat and Brigalow streets in Lyneham when a car ran into the back of her vehicle. Ms Wattam sued for damages, taking the matter to the ACT Supreme Court. The driver of the other car admitted liability, but disputed the extent of her injuries.

In a judgment handed down yesterday Justice John Burns accepted Ms Wattam suffered ongoing neck pain and headaches, limiting her ability to work.

At the time of the crash the mother-of-two, with a third on the way, was working as a logistics warehouse manager - a role involving significant physical activity.

After the collision, however, she was forced on to lighter duties by her symptoms and eventually had to stop playing netball.

The judge said it was highly probably that, barring the crash, she would have been promoted to a higher position at her workplace.

He awarded her total damages of $275,837, including $65,000 for ''loss of opportunity''.

Ms Wattam's lawyer, Andy Finlay, of Maurice Blackburn, said his client was still dealing with the after-effects of the crash.

''She had a strong work ethic and very good career prospects but her capacity to do many every day things has been severely curtailed because of the collision,'' Mr Finlay said.

The defendant's lawyers relied, in part, on a report prepared by a consultant surgeon who said it was possible Ms Wattam exaggerated or fabricated the nature of her pain.