Suffering injuries at work can be some of the most debilitating experiences, both career-wise and personal well-being. That’s why it is essential to be knowledgeable of workers’ compensation and the benefits it can provide to employees who have sustained work-related injuries.
Workers’ compensation, to put it simply, is the insurance or financial assistance that your company or workplace provides you in case you have sustained injuries at work or while fulfilling duties related to your occupation. No matter the level of security at any work, injuries at workplaces occur frequently, which is why you must know how to claim your workers comp payout.
This article provides a systematic guide to how to claim your work injury compensation payouts.
What factors determine your workers’ compensation payout?
A workers’ compensation insurance claim, when accepted, generally covers any loss of salary due to injury, medical expenses, travel expenses, rehabilitation, or permanent impairment compensation, as and when applicable.
The average payout for workplace injury, however, ultimately depends on:
- The extent and gravity of the injury sustained as evidenced by a medical report and the costs to cover necessary treatment
- The amount of earnings that is lost as a result of the employee not being able to work
- The extent to which the injury has impacted the employee’s future earnings and ability to work.
- Whether you work full-time, part-time, or on a contractual basis
- Whether or not you are employed under industrial awards.
However, it is important to note that according to workers’ compensation laws in Western Australia, regardless of the conditions of the award or your employer, the maximum cap for weekly payouts is twice that of your weekly salary.
How is your workers’ compensation payout calculated?
Apart from the above-mentioned factors and the types of workplace injuries, what determines your payout also depends on the degree of injury you’ve sustained. Some injuries may also have close to permanent impairments which would require additional support. The table below provides a percentile range of injury to payout amount.
| Degree of Injury | Payout range |
| 0-10% | $0 |
| 11-20% | $22k to $60k |
| 21% to 30% | $51k to $96k |
| 31% to 40% | $83k to $156k |
| 41% to 50% | $123k to $21k |
| 51% to 60% | $242k to $382k |
| 61% to 70% | $376k to $547k |
| 71% to 75% | $510k to $630k |
| 75% to 100% | $577k to $731k |
The above approximation of figures depends on the difference between minor and major injuries and whether or not an injury has left a person disabled and is subject to change. These are calculated with the expertise of medical professionals and doctors to not only cover the treatment and rehabilitation costs but also the loss of money incurred by the workers as a result of their injury.
If a worker’s Wage Per Index is more than 15% they might also be entitled to a lump sum for damages also known as worker’s injury damage.
How can you claim your workers’ compensation payout?
The following steps are necessary to claim your workers’ compensation payout:
- Seek medical aid immediately after your injury and report it to your employer.
- Seek a First Certificate of Capacity from your doctor.
- Fill up and turn in the workers’ compensation claim form.
- Keep copies of the first certificate and the compensation form and present them to your employer as soon as possible.
- Your employer should get back to you within 5 days of your submission with their portion of the forms filled out. This is a fixed time limit, exceeding which you are within your rights to lodge a complaint.
- When your insurer receives the claim, you should be notified within 14 days of three potential outcomes. Your claim to compensation can either be:
- Accepted
- Disputed
- Pending
If your claim is accepted, in Western Australia, you receive 100% of your pre-injury income during the entire term of your time off.
Summing up
Claiming your workers’ compensation is indispensable to maintaining a healthy working experience. When injured, the top priority is always timely medical intervention and financial support. Workers’ compensation payouts are one of the primary ways to access such assistance. Contact the best personal injury lawyer in Perth to guide you through your payouts and ensure you get the support you or your family need during recovery.