Being injured at work, during travel to and from work, working from home or even on your lunchbreak entitles you to be compensated.
The Workers Compensation Act protects you from financial loss, whether from medical bills or loss of wages in your employment.
To claim workers compensation, you only need to be able to show that the conditions of your job were a “significant contributing factor” to causing your injury, whether your injury is physical, mental or psychological (such as severe stress or feeling overworked).
According to Safe Work Australia, these are five of the most common reasons for workplace injuries are:
- Muscular stress while lifting or handling objects.
According to Safe Work Australia, a report in 2015 stated that close to 40 per cent time off work for injuries were because of pain and stress in muscles due to handling heavy objects a lifting.
- Falls
Nobody should work at heights without proper training and safety equipment. While statistics are improving, around six per cent of people are still injured at work after falling from a height.
- Mental anxiety
Being overworked and overwhelmed by demanding workloads can cause mental stress and employees taking more sick leave and personal days off. This is apparent in more than five per cent of employee time off work.
- Work desk stress
Sitting at a work desk station for long periods can account for lower back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome due to poor ergonomically set up workspaces.
- Being hit by falling objects
While you may think falling objects at work may be far and few between, it still accounts for five per cent of severe workplace injuries and is the second cause of death in the workplace.
Working from home updates
Every employer has obligations to ensure work health and safety guidelines for their staff are met including new guidelines set out by Safe Work Australia with a comprehensive COVID-19 resource kit and Working from home set up instructions in place.
How soon should I contact a lawyer?
The first thing you should do once injured after receiving the appropriate medical assistance and treatment is to report the accident or injury to your employer as soon as possible. Then it’s beneficial to have a chat with a lawyer before you decide to lodge a claim to make sure you have everything checked off.
A lawyer will guide you on what to do next. They will also work with you on the necessary steps to ensure you are covered for compensation on:
- Medical costs, including any necessary operations
- Rehabilitation costs
- Time off work and loss of wages
- Permanent impairment costs
- Loss of future earnings if a severe injury occurs
For more question about workers compensation visit our FAQ’s page or call Bale Boshev Lawyers today so we can help you start with your potential lawsuit or claim.
George Boshev – Partner / Co-Founder / CFO
Areas of law Personal injury litigation Commercial law Conveyancing and estates
Qualifications Bachelor of Science (Hons) Bachelor of Laws – University of Sydney
Memberships New South Wales Law Society
