Workers' Compensation Blog

During the recovery period, the patient, doctor, employer, insurer and rehabilitation provider need to agree on a rehabilitation goal.

Being fit to drive a motor vehicle is a critical milestone in the return to work process.

A secondary condition is a condition that arises indirectly from the original injury. The Workers’ Compensation Act in Western Australia specifically excludes secondary psychological, psychiatric or sexual conditions.

The meniscus is the rubber cartilage in the knee. We see meniscal tearing or torn cartilages in the knee in two settings.

One area of conflict in the workers’ compensation scheme is the return to work process. During the time you are being treated for your work injury, you will be issued with progress medical certificates.

Patients occasionally request follow up MRI scans in the recovery period. Often this is motivated by concern for their repair or reconstruction.

There is no diagnosis in the area of workers’ compensation injuries that causes more confusion and outright disbelief than the diagnosis of “osteoarthritis”.

Some orthopaedic conditions are painful due to inflammation of the tissues or joint. This includes osteoarthritis of the knee, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tendonitis and subacromial bursitis.

To the insurance company, a workers’ compensation claim is just another insurance claim, no different to a car accident. By its very nature, any insurance system is somewhat adversarial.

About six months after you have lodged a workers’ compensation claim, you may receive a letter from your employer or insurer indicating that your termination date is about another six months away.