Workers’ compensation claims can quickly become complex when injuries are severe, recovery is prolonged, or disputes arise. These difficult claims often lead to escalating costs, extended timeframes, and significant stress for both employers and employees. ABILITY GROUP specialises in Difficult Claim Intervention, helping businesses and brokers manage these challenges effectively.
The workers’ compensation system, processes and insurers often hold the employer liable for the full claims costs.
At ABILITY GROUP, we advocate for clients and partners to secure the best possible outcomes for their businesses and injured workers. From our experience, businesses often face wrongful liability for actions and decisions that an individual made years before joining the current company. If businesses fail to adopt proactive or preventative measures, they struggle to decline claims related to degenerative diseases.
There is growing evidence sitting or a sedentary lifestyle can result in chronic and even deadly health conditions. Many assume it is mostly office workers who are spending increasing time sitting yet there are many jobs that are also at risk. Majority of time sitting is work related yet once people leave work they also spend significant time sitting watching TV or the likes. What does the research say and what can be done?
WorkCover WA has announced a recommended 4.7% decrease in the premium rate for compulsory workers’ compensation insurance in Western Australia. The average premium rate would reduce to 1.483% of 2015/16 total wages and is a record low. Reductions are based on actuarial calculations reflecting lower claims despite these claims costing more.
Heading into the NSW State Election, one certainty was that whichever party won, major workers’ compensation reforms would follow. SA has already undergone its largest changes in over 20 years, while Comcare faces widespread modernisation. NSW too has seen dramatic shifts, and with the Liberal government’s return, medium to large business reforms are almost guaranteed. Like SA, these will be the most significant changes in two decades. With privatisation high on Premier Baird’s agenda, speculation has grown that the new NSW WorkCover Insurance logo signals a move to privatise the scheme.
Return To Work SA recently announced changes to the South Australian workers compensation scheme. The changes we outlined last August are the most dramatic in 20 years and have resulted in the scheme no longer being in deficit. The far reaching changes will result in the majority of businesses experiencing premium reductions from 1 July 2015.