Queensland Nurses’ Workers’ Compensation Claims: Littles Lawyers

Nurses in Queensland work in highly demanding environments, often dealing with physical and psychological pressures that can lead to workplace injuries. When a nurse suffers an injury on the job, they are entitled to lodge a workers’ compensation claim under Queensland’s Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003. This article outlines common injuries among nurses, how the workers’ compensation process works.

Common Injuries Among Nurses

Nurses are at high risk of a variety of injuries due to the physical and emotional demands of their role.

Some common injuries include: –

• Musculoskeletal Injuries: Lifting and moving patients can result in back injuries, sprains, and strains.
• Needlestick Injuries: Nurses frequently deal with needles and medical instruments, which can lead to puncture wounds and exposure to infectious diseases.
• Psychological Injuries: Due to the emotional strain of dealing with patients and the pressure of the job, many nurses experience mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, or burnout.
• Patient Assaults: Nurses working with patients who have used substances such as drugs and alcohol are regularly assaulted by patients.
• Slips and Falls: Working in fast-paced environments such as hospitals or clinics often exposes nurses to hazards like wet floors or cluttered walkways, leading to slip-and-fall accidents.

Workers’ Compensation Process

If a nurse is injured at work, they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits through WorkCover Queensland or a self-insured employer. The process begins with the nurse seeking medical attention and reporting the injury to their employer. From there, the nurse must file a claim with WorkCover, often this can be lodged online or completed by the injured workers General Practitioners.

Benefits of Workers Compensation

Once they have an accepted claim, WorkCover can fund rehabilitation for that worker. This can include things like GP visits, physiotherapy, psychology sessions, and even in some circumstances, surgeries and other significant procedures.

Towards the end of a WorkCover claim, the injured worker is sent to permanent impairment assessment. This process includes an independent medico-legal examination by a doctors specialised in the area relevant to your injury. This doctor will ultimately provide a whole person impairment percentage.

Following this assessment, an injured worker receives a notice of assessment. In this notice of assessment, the whole person impairment percentage award by the doctor is used to calculate a lump sum payment from WorkCover, this equation is approximately $3,700.00 per percentage. WorkCover will then allow the worker to select to accept, reject or defer the offer.

Common Law Options

Before accepting any lump sum from WorkCover the injured worker should consult a lawyer for advice around a potential common law claim. This is because acceptance of a WorkCover lump sum may preclude you from being able to do a common law claim. This option is often significantly greater in terms of monetary benefit to the injured worker, as under common law claims the injured worker can seek an allowance for future medical treatment and future economic loss that reflects the reduced capacity the individual will have moving forward due to their injury.

Conclusion

Therefore, nurses who suffer workplace injuries, whether physical or psychological, have the right to claim workers’ compensation. If you are a nurse dealing with a work-related injury, it’s important to consult with a legal professional who specialises in personal injury claims to guide you through the complexities of the workers’ compensation system.

If you have any queries regarding the article, please contact via Free Claim Checker or email us.