7-Step Checklist For Work Related Injuries

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics:

• Approximately 497,300 individuals experienced a work-related injury or illness.

• This figure represents 3.5% of the population that worked at any time during the year.

• The predominant cause of these injuries or illnesses was 'Lifting, pushing, pulling, or bending,' accounting for 24% of the cases.

• About 66% of those affected had to take time off work due to their injury or illness.

Furthermore, 31% of the individuals who suffered from work-related injuries or illnesses received workers' compensation.

Workplace injury can happen at any time and injuries can be a serious matter. Try our quick checklist that helps you work through the important steps to check after an incident.

Immediate Steps to Take After a Workplace Accident

• At your place of work, the first thing you must do is call 000 immediately

• Wait for the ambulance or receive first aid if there is someone who is trained in first aid at the workplace

• Make sure there is no danger to yourself or anybody else around the incident site

 7 Step Check list

1. Don’t disturb the site of an incident

   Don’t touch/move anything at the incident site, unless it is to provide first aid or stop further injury or property damage. This is because the site may need to be investigated.

2. Seek medical treatment

   Visit your doctor or hospital immediately for initial treatment. Your treating doctor will issue a work capacity certificate, essential for making a workers compensation claim. This certificate outlines your injury and your ability to work. See your doctor or go to the hospital immediately for initial treatment.

   Your GP needs to send it directly to WorkCover.

3.  Public Hospital referral to WorkCover

   If you go to the hospital with a work-related injury, the hospital will automatically send your work capacity to WorkCover. WorkCover will contact you to see if you want to make a claim but won’t move forward unless you tell them to. If you do, they will start the claim process. If you don’t, then any costs you have to pay relating to your injury will be your responsibility.

4.  Tell your employer

   You need to let your employer know that you’ve been injured as soon as you can and give them a copy of your work capacity certificate.

5.  Make a claim

   Initiate your claim with WorkCover QLD (or consult your employer if they are self-insured) promptly to aid your recovery. For assistance, consider consulting with a WorkCover lawyer, who can provide expert guidance on the claim process.

   You can also phone 1 300 362 128 and talk to them directly and they will complete your application over the phone.

6. Claim acceptance

   If WorkCover accepts your claim, there are different types of payments and support available. You will be compensated for lost wages. Your employer will generally pay your first week’s compensation and WorkCover will pay out weekly benefits during the period that you are unable to work. WorkCover will also cover medical expenses relating to your injury such as surgery, specialist appointments, physio, medications, imaging scans and GP consultations.

Personal Injury Lawyers Brisbane

If you’ve been injured at work, Rin Kim Law are personal injury lawyers and we can help you with work accidents, car accidents, and slip and fall incidents. If you have been injured and found yourself in need of assistance you can ask us for a free case review.

Questions?

We’ve answered our most commonly asked questions here on our website. See our FAQ’s.