WorkCover Claim - Vic 
Making a WorkCover Claim
If you are looking to make a WorkCover claim for compensation you should:
- 1. Notify your employer of your work injury within thirty days of becoming aware of the work injury
- 2. Visit your doctor for treatment of your work injury
- 3. If you cannot work because of you injury, get a WorkCover certificate from your doctor
- 4. Complete a WorkCover claim form, available from your employer, post office, Slater & Gordon or your union
- 5. Give the WorkCover claim form and the medical certificate to your employer who should sign the WorkCover claim and return the carbon ‘worker’s copy’ to you. If your employer will not accept the WorkCover claim form, or cannot be located, send the form to WorkCover’s head office at level 24, 222 Exhibition Street, Melbourne.
- 6. Your employer is required to forward your WorkCover claim to its insurer within ten days. The insurer must then make a decision about the WorkCover claim with 28 days.
Details of your employer’s insurer can be obtained from the Victorian WorkCover Authority advisory service, telephone (03) 9641 1444.
What if I’m not happy with WorkCover’s decision?
A decision of the WorkCover insurer can be reviewed. The first step in the review process is to refer the dispute to the Accident Compensation Conciliation Service. This must normally be done within 60 days of the WorkCover decision. Slater & Gordon’s workers’ compensation lawyers can help you prepare your request for conciliation.
To contact a Slater & Gordon specialist WorkCover lawyer submit an online enquiry by clicking here.
How does a WorkCover conciliation work?
Conciliation is an informal process and conciliation officers rarely determine matters of liability or fault. Lawyers are not automatically permitted to appear at conciliations. We can, however, arrange for a skilled conciliation advocate to appear on your behalf, usually at no cost to you.
If your WorkCover matter is not resolved at conciliation, you may be able to pursue the matter in court. Our Slater & Gordon WorkCover lawyers can advise you on the likelihood of success of any court action.
Common Law Claims
In addition to the benefits summarised above, you may also have the right to claim for compensation regarding:
- pain and suffering
- loss of enjoyment of life, scarring and
- any financial loss
This is known as a common law claim or action in negligence. For more information on common law claims in victoria please click here.
Making an additional claim
Superannuation and Total Permanent Disability (TPD) Claims
If you have superannuation and sustain an injury, you may be able to access a lump sum payment through your policy. Many people are unaware that their superannuation policy provides additional benefits. An experienced superannuation and insurance lawyer will assist you in identifying whether such benefits exist in your policy and submit an application on your behalf. If your application is rejected, your lawyer will advise you of the process for challenging the decision.
In addition, you may have a personal insurance policy, such as life insurance, income protection insurance, sickness and accident insurance, which may include provisions for compensation should you be injured in an accident.
These benefits may be available in addition to other forms of compensation and benefits. You should seek legal advice from a Slater & Gordon lawyer in our superannuation and insurance department regarding your entitlement to claim compensation.
Please navigate to the following location for more information:
Home > Practice Areas > Superannuation & Insurance