Thank you very much, it's been a relief to have it ended and you have been a rock for me
. Tammy
Thank you so much for your assistance. Thank you for getting the extra money and for making what we thought would be a difficult task, easy! JA
I am very pleased at the result, and the way the whole claim was processed by all of you. I will have no hesitation whatsoever in the future to recommending ALC Lawyers to anyone I know who may become injured during work, or to anyone in general conversation if they are looking for a decent firm to represent them in any Personal Injury claim. Again, thank you very much. John
Thank you for your diligence and expertise in this matter, it is great to finally have closure in this area. I would also like to especially thank Heather for help patience and understanding through the whole process, I believe she is a real asset to your company. Thanks again and I hope your business prospers beyond your wildest expectations. Greg
Queensland Workcover Compensation Claims
When you visit the WorkCover website you will read these words: "WorkCover recommends that an injured worker lodging a common law claim seek advice from a solicitor".
While some claims are rejected, most claims are successful. The success of a workplace claim depends on a number of often complex factors, therefore the recommendation by WorkCover to contact a solicitor who is skilled in WorkCover cases, who understands your rights and entitlements and can ensure you receive the full compensation available including considering any potential common law (negligence) claim. Call Aussie Law on 1300 136 726 for free legal advice today.
It is necessary to lodge a WorkCover injury report within a specified period of time, depending on the type of claim. Lodging a work related injury claim with WorkCover, and ensuring you receive your due entitlements, can be stressful if you don't understand your rights and have little or no support. Your ALC Lawyers are based on the Gold Coast, and cover the whole of Queensland, have in-depth knowledge of the Queensland WorkCover injury system. This is important as injury law does vary from State to State.
For free legal advice on WorkCover Claims contact Aussie Law Consultants on 1300 136 726 or complete the free case reviewRemember time limits apply so get the compensation you legally and rightfully deserve by seeking free legal advice TODAY
WorkCover claims are still valid even if you have not taken time off work but have paid out medical or other expenses related to a workplace injury. While a back injury is possibly the most common work accident, broken limbs, head and neck injuries and amputation are often viewed as the only valid types of WorkCover injuries, conditions such as repetitive strain injury and stress can also be covered by Queensland Workers Compensation Laws, therefore, it is always best not to assume but to seek professional, reliable advice.
Not all claims end up in court, and the majority is settled out of court. Still, some employees are unsure about claiming in the belief future employers may hesitate to employ them if they have made a WorkCover claim. However, Both the Equal Opportunity Act and WorkCover Australia have legislation in place to safeguard against this possibility. In addition, as part of the WorkCover settlement and conditions of returning to work, an employer can be required to fix any unsafe issues.
When completing a WorkCover form and undertaking a WorkCover assessment, aspects such as the severity and possible long-term outcome of the workplace injury, plus duration away from the workplace are taken into account and will have an impact on the final WorkCover payout. Once again, it is highly advisable to contact a skilled workcover lawyer as soon as possible to be sure your best interests are secured.
WorkCover claims can be lodged online. Also, the WorkCover Authority provides vital information and forms for employees and employers alike, and watches over the rights of all parties. Your ALC Injury Lawyers watch over only your rights.
What is a Notice of Assessment?
If you have had an injury at work and are on workers compensation benefits you may be wondering what a ‘Notice of Assessment’ (NOA) from WorkCover actually is? A Notice of Assessment is issued at the end of a WorkCover claim (statutory claim). To obtain a Notice of Assessment you need to follow WorkCovers guidelines until you reach a ‘stable and stationary’ point with your injury. This means you are not going to get any better or worse or a maximum medical improvement is reached. This also means that WorkCover will cease payments (wages), and treatment. For a Notice of assessment to be issued you must attend a ‘Permanent Impairment Examination’ with a specialist medical practitioner of WorkCovers choice.
It is extremely important to discuss your WorkCover claim with a personal injury lawyer. This doesn’t have to cost you anything and by seeking legal advice you will become fully aware of all your options and entitlements to claiming compensation. At Aussie Law we offer free legal advice on WorkCover claims.
The Rehabilitation Period: Once you have lodged a WorkCover claim after having an injury at work, you will usually go through a rehabilitation period. For physical injuries most claimants are required to attend medical appointments with their treating general practitioner and sometimes specialists to assess the injury and locate what needs to be done and whether you require surgery or some sort of therapy or physiotherapy. Some claimants require surgery for particular injuries and this can cause the rehabilitation to go on for some time.
Workers who have suffered psychological injuries also need to comply with WorkCovers process and attend, depending on the severity of the injury some sort of counselling, or a psychiatrist for treatment. Once the injured worker has met the criteria for being ‘stable and stationery’ WorkCover will have you assessed. The assessments are made by the General Medical Assessment Tribunal (Psychiatric) which is administered by QCOMP the workers’ compensation regulatory authority.
What is permanent impairment? Permanent impairment is an assessment to find out to what point your body has recovered from the injury. This is called WRI – ‘Work related impairment’. Work related impairment is worked out on a percentage basis. Once this has been assessed WorkCover may make a ‘lump sum offer’. This offer is to compensate the injured worker. The outcome of the permanent impairment assessment percentage and lump sum offer is located on the Notice of Assessment. Even if the percentage is 0% this does NOT affect your rights at common law stage. At this point (providing the employer is liable for full or part negligence) you have the right to agree or disagree with the assessment and pursue a claim for damages (Common Law Claim). You may agree or disagree with the assessment but you must NOT sign the Notice of Assessment without discussing it with a Personal Injury solicitor first to discuss your rights and entitlements. By signing the NOA you will end all your future rights to claim further compensation.
Your rights: Some injured workers do not know their full rights and WorkCover ‘close’ the claim after meeting the ‘stable and stationary’ guidelines. If this has happened to you then you need to call WorkCover with your claim number and request the Notice of Assessment. If you have rights for further compensation (common law claim) then you need to contact Aussie Law on 1300 136 726 to be advised of the next step. Aussie Law offer FREE legal advice, investigate the claim further and run on the no win – no fee scheme.
Contact Aussie Law today for an initial FREE CONSULTATION to find out your potential compensation entitlements. Remember time limits may apply so contact us TODAY on 1300 13 67 26 or complete the FREE CASE REVIEW on this web page.
Nothing in this website should be construed as legal advice and is simply general introductory information. Please contact ALC Lawyers for advice specific to your circumstances.
GET FREE ADVICE
Please supply details of when, where (including State or Territory) and how the accident occurred, including the extent of the injury sustained.
Note full privacy is assured.
View our Privacy Policy.
Our Mission
We aim to provide a personalised legal service on a no win - no fee basis that obtains the results our injured clients' deserve. We strive to maintain low costs, overheads and fees so we can deliver our clients the maximum compensation amount. ALC Lawyers
Helping those often in unfortunate circumstances truly is rewarding; the interests of our client always remains our priority. Jake
One of the rewards is being able to help people obtain the payout they deserve regardless of their financial circumstances. Vivenne
We explain everything there is to know in the clearest possible way. Erin