Two former Liberal Party staffers at the centre of a discontinued rape trial are expected to seek compensation worth millions of dollars.

Brittany Higgins plans to sue her former employers and pursue a multimillion-dollar claim from the Commonwealth.

Her claim is expected to be worth about $3 million, including $2.5 million for future economic loss, past economic loss approaching $100,000 and general damages of $100,000.

The man Ms Higgins alleges raped her, former colleague Bruce Lehrmann, is also considering an insurance claim and defamation action.

Lawyers for Ms Higgins are pursuing a civil claim against senators Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds, both former ministers who Ms Higgins worked for between 2019 and 2021.

Senator Reynolds confirmed to the ABC on Monday morning that Ms Higgins’ lawyers had launched civil action “against her and other parties”.

“I confirm that I was advised in March this year by Blumers law firm, who act for Brittany Higgins, of a civil claim by Ms Higgins against me and other parties,” she said in a short statement.

“However, proceedings have yet to be filed. Blumers advised me on Friday that their client intends to progress the civil claim this month.”

Late on Friday afternoon, the Australian Financial Review was reporting that Senator Reynolds intended to fight Ms Higgins’ claim. A source told the paper that the Commonwealth was inclined towards settling any claim via mediation “before any evidence is tendered and can be tested”.

The civil claims came days after criminal charges against Mr Lehrmann were dropped.

ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold said he would not pursue the sexual assault charges against Mr Lehrmann in a retrial because of the “unacceptable” impact it would have on Ms Higgins’ mental health.

He said it was no longer in the public interest to continue with the proceedings because of the risk it posed to Ms Higgins’ life.

• Two clear lessons from abandoned Lehrmann trial

Mr Lehrmann’s first trial in the ACT Supreme Court was derailed by juror misconduct.

Ms Higgins alleges Mr Lehrmann raped her in 2019 inside Senator Reynolds’ ministerial office, for whom they both worked as staffers.

Following the 2019 federal election, Ms Higgins moved to the office of then-employment minister Michaelia Cash to work as a media adviser.

Mr Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegation. With no retrial, and no prospect of one, he retains the presumption of innocence – and remains innocent of any alleged rape of Ms Higgins.

Ms Higgins intends to pursue civil court action this month.

The respondents named in legal correspondence sent by Ms Higgins’ lawyers were senators Reynolds and Cash, and the Commonwealth.

The documents set out Ms Higgins’ intention to sue for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, disability discrimination, negligence, and victimisation.

Blumers law firm – which is representing Ms Higgins in her civil claim – said it would not comment on any aspect of what would be a confidential matter.

On Sunday, in her first public comments since the case was abandoned last week, Ms Higgins said the justice system was a “national shame”.

“This is the reality of how complainants in sexual assault cases are treated,” she wrote in an Instagram post.

“Their lives are torn apart, their families and friends called to the witness stand and the accused has the legal right to say absolutely nothing.”

Ms Higgins said the criminal justice system failed to deliver outcomes for victims of sexual assault, citing that in the ACT during 2020, only 16 per cent of sexual offences reported to police resulted in a charge.

Only half of those resulted in a conviction.

“I knew the odds were stacked against me from the outset. That is to our national shame,” she said.

“I want to thank the other women who came forward and shared their own experiences.

“I believe you. You were with me every day I walked into that court room and faced him.”

Mr Lehrmann has not yet made any public comments.

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-with AAP