Workers’ Compensation Claims – Report, Attend, & Lodge!
Workplace accidents account for a significant portion of personal injury law claims in Queensland. Statistics show that regardless of your job description, you are likely to have some exposure to a workplace accident in your working career or to indirectly know someone who has.
Whether you are a cleaner working part-time for the Government, a truck driver hauling loads over state boarders for your Queensland employer, or a nurse who suffers a back injury lifting a patient at a nursing home, it is important to understand what to do if you find yourself injured.
Any incident involving a workplace accident follows the same initial process: report the incident to your employer, attend on your doctor, and lodge a claim with WorkCover Queensland. It is important to note that in some cases your employer might be a registered self-insurer, in which case you will submit a claim through your employer directly. If you are unsure, you can either ask your employer, contact WorkCover Queensland before submitting your claim, or contact us for more information.
What is WorkCover Queensland?
WorkCover Queensland is a State Government owned and operated entity that provides administration and management of workers’ compensation claims. Primarily, the function of WorkCover Queensland is to assist injured workers to get back to work as soon as possible while often providing some cover for lost wages, medical treatment bills, and incidental ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses such as purchased medication.
When speaking to clients about their injuries, there is one common misconception – that is that WorkCover Queensland can provide injured workers with legal advice about how to claim compensation; however, that is not the case, as this service is provided to injured workers by compensation lawyers such as ourselves.
The 1st Step – Report, Attend, & Lodge!
So, you have been injured at work... what’s the 1st step?
Report your injury to your employer– This often takes the form of completing an incident report or an online form identifying who was involved in the incident, how the incident occurred, and what injuries were sustained as a result;
Attend your general practitioner and advise them of the incident;
Lodge the appropriate claim form with WorkCover Queensland or your employer if they are a self-insurer. Lodgement of the claim form will provide notification that you have sustained injuries and are seeking assistance with treatment, costs, and ultimately a return to full duties of employment.
The most common option for claim lodgement is via WorkCover Queensland’s online claim form process. However, if you are more comfortable, you can also make a claim in the following ways:
Telephone on 1300 362 128;
Download and complete the latest WorkCover Claim Form; or
Through your treating medical practitioner when seeing them to discuss your injuries.
The claim form is self-explanatory and easy to follow. You will need to provide your details, your employer’s details, particulars of the incident and injuries you sustained, and any salary information. Once submitted, a representative from WorkCover Queensland will be in touch with you to obtain any further information necessary to make a decision as to whether your claim is accepted or rejected.
There are strict time limits regarding the lodgement of a claim form, and you are encouraged to make arrangements to lodge your claim form on the day the incident occurred or as soon as possible thereafter.
What happens if my claim is accepted?
If your claim is accepted, you will be assisted through the ‘return to work’ process by your claims manager who will work with you and your employer to get you back to work in the shortest possible time in accordance with treatment options advised by a medical or allied health professional. Once medically cleared, WorkCover Queensland will close your claim file.
At this point, you may have an entitlement to seek compensation different to that already paid to you during the course of your statutory WorkCover claim. As this is a legal process, however, we strongly suggest you seek independent legal advice as to any rights you may have and to obtain an assessment of any potential claim.
What do I do if my claim is rejected?
In the event that your claim is rejected, it is important to seek legal advice as a matter of urgency as there are time limits on options available to you in this regard. Obviously each situation is different, which is why it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible after an accident. If you would like to discuss your particular circumstances, simply arrange your no-obligation initial consultation with one of our experts by completing the online enquiry form or getting in touch with our team us using the details on our Contact Us page.