Am I eligible for a further permanent impairment assessment?

Workers are usually limited to one assessment of their degree of permanent impairment. Workers compensation legislation currently provides that:

• only one assessment may be made of the degree of permanent impairment of a worker
• only one claim can be made for permanent impairment compensation resulting from an injury.

However, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule.

Firstly, workers who made a claim for lump sum compensation before 19 June 2012 are eligible to make one further deterioration claim and to receive an additional assessment of their degree of permanent impairment. A claim for lump sum compensation should only be made when your injury has reached maximum medical improvement.

Secondly, if you are an 'existing recipient' of weekly payments (ie you were in receipt of weekly payments immediately before 1 October 2012), you may be eligible for a further assessment under transitional provisions in the Workers Compensation Regulation 2016.

Ask the insurer if this applies to you.