WorkCover Lawyers
Ipswich.

Tell your employer what happened, see a doctor for a work capacity certificate, and lodge with WorkCover Queensland within 6 months of the injury or diagnosis.

Do not wait to see whether a sore back or shoulder settles down by itself. Strains from warehouse and factory work around Wacol and Carole Park often get worse over the following weeks, and a claim lodged early keeps every option available.

AMK can review the claim form before it goes in, confirm the injury and how it happened are described accurately, and make sure your employer has the report on file. For the statewide picture, read our WorkCover claims guide.

An accepted claim pays weekly compensation while you are unable to work, along with reasonable medical, rehabilitation and travel expenses.

Your weekly amount depends on your normal earnings before the injury. Overtime, shift penalties and second jobs can all affect that figure, so compare your first payment against your recent pay slips.

If WorkCover decides you are fit to return and reduces or stops your payments, that decision can be reviewed. Treating doctors at Ipswich Hospital or your local GP can provide the evidence that matters most.

Apply for a review of the decision, generally within 3 months. Plenty of rejected claims are turned around once the gaps in the evidence are filled.

Insurers commonly reject claims by arguing the injury did not happen at work, that it came from an earlier condition, or that the claim was lodged out of time. Medical reports and statements from co-workers can answer each of those arguments.

AMK prepares the review, gathers the evidence and deals with WorkCover Queensland or a self-insured employer so you can focus on recovery.

The notice states your degree of permanent impairment (DPI) and any statutory lump sum. Any DPI of 1% or higher comes with a lump sum offer.

With a DPI under 20%, or no DPI at all, you have to choose: accept the lump sum and give up a common law claim, or decline it and pursue damages from a negligent employer. At 20% or more, you can accept the lump sum and still sue. A physical DPI and a psychiatric DPI cannot be combined to reach 20%.

The decision can be deferred, and it can be hard to undo once made. Speak to us before you sign.

Our office is in Ipswich, your lawyer handles the matter personally, and the first assessment is free.

We are at 15/20 Success Circuit, Augustine Heights, so you can meet us in person, or we come to your home or hospital bed. Phone and video appointments work too. If your employer was negligent and you want to understand your broader rights, see our workers compensation lawyers Ipswich page.