Workers’ compensation and injury management in Western Australia is designed to assist workers in returning to work successfully following a work-related injury or sickness. Workers are covered for loss pay, medical bills, and other related costs when they are unable to work under the scheme.
Workers’ Compensation allows injured workers to claim compensation for work-related injuries or diseases, regardless of negligence or irresponsibility. That implies you have a right to compensation regardless of whether your employer was negligent or at fault.
What can I do if I’ve been injured at work?
If you are injured at work for instance, while working inside a trench that collapses, you may be entitled to trench collapse compensation claims for lost income, medical expenses, including travel expenses, and a lump sum if your injury or disease leaves you permanently disabled or unable to work. As a result, you could be entitled to a lump-sum payout which would bring your workers compensation claim to an end through settlement.
It is best not to resolve a workers’ compensation claim without consulting with workers’ compensation lawyers to make sure you understand the impact of the contract and are also entitled to maximum compensation. That’s because a settlement must take into account your injury, weekly payments, medical expenses, and permanent disability.
Is there a time limit to make a claim for workers’ compensation?
Within 12 months of being injured or discovering the disease, you must make a compensation claim as quickly as possible. If you are past the deadline, you should seek legal counsel right away.
So, how does the claim process work?
The first thing you need to know is the core principle on which the Western Australian workers’ compensation and injury management plan is based – ‘no fault’. This is as mentioned before; means you don’t have to prove your employer was at fault or negligence if you get sick or injured.
The steps you take will depend on the nature of your disorder. If you have injured yourself at work, you must do the following to file a claim:
- First aid should be sought immediately and the injury reported to the employer.
- A doctor should be seen as soon as possible after the accident. When speaking to the doctor, they should be asked for a “First Certificate of Capacity”.
- After receiving medical attention, a “Workers’ Compensation Claim Form” will need to be completed.
- Afterward, copies of the received certificate and request form should be taken and the originals should be sent to the employer. One of the important details here is this: Keeping the copies taken in a safe place against all odds.
- The employer must then fill in his own section of the claim form and submit the documents to the insurance company.
“Will I need a lawyer during these processes?” when it comes to this question,
You do not have to have a lawyer for your workers’ compensation claim. However, it is highly recommended to have an lawyer acting on your behalf for your workers’ compensation claim. Because that means you have a lawyer you can trust who will deal with the doctors as well as the insurance company and act in your best interests to maximize your claim. Also, because workers’ compensation lawyers work on the no win no fee principle, you won’t be obligated to pay legal costs and payments out of pocket.
