Companies must complete rigorous claims process for workers’ compensation

Whenever an injury occurs at a job location, the aftermath can be difficult to sort out. The business is forced to focus on many things at once – getting the employee medical attention, making sure work can continue without interruption and protecting against any financial or legal ramifications.

With so many things to attend to and so little time, there’s often a temptation for the employer to rush the process and skip a few steps. Rather than complete formal procedures such as filling out claim forms, business leaders instead try to handle things the paperless way and dole out workers’ compensation using their own casual, improvised methods, as the Sydney Morning Herald has reported.

This is to be avoided, though. When it comes to handling workplace injuries, it’s important to be thorough and remain compliant with the law at all times.

Snags in workers’ comp can lead to scandal

When companies aren’t responsible with workers’ compensation claims, it can land them in significant trouble. For example, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia Post chief executive Ahmed Fahour has been accused of tinkering with claims data and incorrectly managing workers’ comp.

The Australian Financial Review uncovered some internal emails that revealed more details about this scandal. Apparently, Fahour and other senior staff members at Australia Post were alleged to have postponed the processing of injury claims, misrecorded injuries and paid expenses using company credit cards instead of going through the formal claims process. All of these allegations brought negative attention to the business.

Following the formal claims process

There’s always a temptation to rush through the claims process and take shortcuts, but that’s never encouraged. WorkSafe Victoria clearly spells out the process after an injury, and there are no exceptions. Workers should always submit detailed claim forms after incidents happen, and employers should always complete the “Employer Lodgement Details” section of the form in full.

Following this step, additional follow-ups might be required, such as a physical examination to assess the health of the employee. Without a formal procedure for filing the paperwork, it’s impossible to get all these details right.

Having capable lawyers by your side is key

The aftermath of a workplace injury can be messy. There might be lost wages, squandered productivity and a lot of medical treatment involved. The employer and employee alike may need legal representation to help them through this complicated process.

Fortunately, at Marshall Gibson Lawyers, we are more than ready to provide this representation. We have a capable team of experts who are eager to step in and handle whatever challenges arise at your place of business.

Call us today on 1800 675 417 or send us an email for your free, no obligation case evaluation by one of our expert compensation lawyers.