As an employee you have the right to a safe work environment and it is your employers responsibility to ensure that your place of employment is free of danger and hazards. Unfortunately accidents do happen and employees do get hurt. If youve been the victim of a work injury the first thing you should know is that you do have legal rights and you
should seek help immediately to ensure that those legal rights are protected and upheld.
Almost all employers in Australia are required to have workers compensation insurance to provide legal and health protection for both the employer and their employees. Workers compensation provides compensation for:
Lost wages
Medical expenses
Pain and suffering
Bodily injury
Work injuries can range in nature and severity. Most accidents that occur in the workplace are minor but some are very serious and result in critical injuries and even disability and death.
Workplace injuries include:
Slip and fall
Repetitive stress injuries
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Diseases contracted from exposure to harmful chemicals or substances
Stress
Bodily/Physical harm from machinery and equipment
If you have suffered a work injury as an employee you are not required to prove that your injury was due to the negligence of your employer to be able to claim workers compensation. However, your employer or the employers insurance company may not pay a claim if during the course of the investigation of your claim you were found to have been:
Intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
Behaving in a way that was in direct violation of any company, state, or government laws
In the act of committing a crime
Dishonest or deceptive
Dont take the insurance companys word for it when it comes to your claim for compensation. Seek the help of a lawyer to guarantee that your claim is filed correctly and that you receive the compensation you deserve. You cant afford to rely on the insurance companys generosity to get you the compensation you are entitled to, they work for themselves first and your employer second. Not you.
