Workers Compensation
Lump Sum Impairment Benefits
If you have suffered a permanent physical or psychological injury as a result of your work injury or illness, you may be entitled to a lump sum payment from WorkCover. You do not need to prove that anyone was at fault. In order to obtain this lump sum benefit, your Whole Person Impairment must be assessed. The assessment can take place 12 months following your injury.
If you were injured on or after 12 November 1997, you are entitled to a lump sum if you are assessed as having a degree of:
- physical impairment of 10% or more; and/or
- psychiatric impairment of 30% or more
For injuries on or after 3 December 2003, a physical impairment of at least 5% involving a musculo-skeletal assessment will usually entitle a worker to an impairment benefit.
Most people who suffer a back or neck injury and continue to have symptoms after 12 months following their injury will be entitled to an impairment benefit.
If you have lost the use of a part of your body, then you will be entitled to receive a lump sum benefit. WorkCover provides a table of approximately 50 total loss injuries. Workers will be entitled to a total loss benefit even if they do not meet the impairment threshold.