Workplace injuries include physical or psychological injuries or a combination of both. If you sustain an injury at work, or on your way to or from work, you are likely to be entitled to claim for statutory workers’ compensation benefits which include weekly income payments, medical expense payments and a lump sum for the actual injury itself.
Whether your injury is a muscle strain, a back injury, broken bones, torn ligaments in your arms or legs, or a psychological injury like anxiety or depression, you are entitled to claim these entitlements from your employer’s insurer, usually WorkCover Queensland.
Additionally, if your injury was caused in some way by the negligence of your employer, you may be entitled to make a common law workers’ compensation claim and seek damages for your future losses as well.
Our expert workers’ compensation lawyers are here to guide you through the process of lodging a workers’ compensation claim and to provide you with sound, honest and realistic advice throughout.
If you have been injured during the course of your normal employment or while travelling to and from work, you are entitled to make a statutory worker’s compensation claim.
Statutory workers’ compensation claims are available to all Queensland workers and once your claim is approved, you will receive weekly benefits when off work due to your injury, payment of all your reasonable and necessary medical expenses and a lump sum for the actual injury itself.
Any actual injury sustained during the course of your normal employment or on your way to and from work will give rise to a workers’ compensation claim, such as:
- Office injuries like carpal tunnel or RSI
- Fall related injuries
- Electrocution
- Back injuries
- Shoulder or elbow injuries
- Knee or ankle injuries
- Amputations
- Psychological injuries such as anxiety or depression
This list isn’t exhaustive but indicates the wide scope of accidents and injuries covered by the workers’ compensation scheme in Queensland. It is important to note that all claims are assessed on an individual basis and there is no guarantee your claim will be accepted by the insurer. However, with Beach2Bush Injury Lawyers advocating for you from the outset, your claim is more likely to be accepted and statutory benefits paid to you without delay.
The best place to start is by contacting Beach2Bush Injury Lawyers for a consultation. We take the time to get to know you and your circumstances, allowing us to provide the best advice moving forward.
Our lawyers will guide you through the process of lodging a claim, starting with the Statutory Compensation stage. This is where you can claim for things like medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and lost wages.
Yes. There is a strict 6 month time limit for making a statutory workers’ compensation claim in Queensland. That is, 6 months from the date you were injured.
Given your health is the number one priority you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible after suffering the workplace injury. The next important step is to report the injury to your employer.
Once you have obtained a Workcover medical certificate from your doctor, the third step is to lodge a claim with your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer, usually Workcover Queensland or your employer’s self-insurer if they are a big company.
We recommend you take these 3 steps as soon after the injury as possible so that your wages will be covered while you are unable to work and your medical expenses will be paid without you having to worry about those expenses.
Beach2Bush Injury lawyers are here to help guide you through this process and contacting us at an early stage is a good idea. We are happy to speak with you to explain the process and steps you need to take to protect yourself and your family from the hardship that not being able to earn your normal income can cause and we are here to help.
During the statutory phase of your workers’ compensation claim you are entitled to weekly income payments equating to 85%, and then 75% of your normal wage if your injury persists for longer than 6 months. Throughout the claim you also are entitled to have all your reasonable and necessary medical expenses paid for by the insurer.
You are also entitled to be assessed for a lump sum payment for the injury itself and if your injury has not completely healed to 100%, you are likely to be offered a tax free lump sum amount for having suffered an injury.
The second phase of a workers’ compensation claim is called a Common Law claim. Only workers injured through some fault on the part of their employer are entitled to make a common law claim and if that is you, then you are eligible to claim for your past and future economic losses at full value as well as your future medical expenses.
How much you would receive from a common law claim is different for every individual based on your particular circumstances such as your age, your job, your pre-injury wage, the seriousness of your injury, how well you have recovered and a host of other factors. It is in this stage of your claim that Beach2Bush Injury Lawyers can be vital to you obtaining the maximum damages award that the law allows. We will carefully assess your circumstances, the liability on the part of your employer, and provide you with honest and reliable advice on what your common law claim is worth based on the evidence you provide us and what we have been able to obtain.
This is a difficult question to answer as each case will be different. A lot depends on how long you require treatment for and how long it takes for your injury to reach ‘maximum medical improvement’. Once this occurs, you can be assessed for your statutory lump sum award and once that offer has been made you need to elect to either take the offer or proceed to Common Law.
At that point in time, it is essential that you obtain proper, honest and reliable advice. Beach2Bush Injury Lawyers are here to provide you with that advice in an easy to understand way so that you can weigh up the pros and cons of your options and make the best decision for you and your family.
After having that advice, if you proceed to making a common law claim, your claim will generally reach the settlement conference stage within 6 to 9 months of lodging your common law claim.
There are many reasons to choose Beach2Bush Injury Lawyers. Firstly, we are experts in the field and have specialist workers’ compensation lawyers ready to help you in our firm. We understand the legal landscape of WorkCover statutory and common law claims and have vast experience helping people through the workers’ compensation claims processes.
Most importantly, we work closely with you to understand your needs. It’s not just about winning a case, but rather about helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome. We communicate throughout the process, ensuring you’re always kept up to date. With experience on your side, you can take the stress out of workplace injury claims and ensure you get the best result.