Kathryn MacDonell
Chief Executive Officer
Kathryn is Trilby Misso’s Chief Executive Officer.
Meet Kathryn
How long does it take to settle a workers’ compensation case in Queensland?
Being involved in a workplace accident and sustaining an injury can create such a time of uncertainty in many aspects of life. Will you recover, what treatment will you need, can you return to work, how long will you be without income or receiving reduced income? It is therefore natural to want to know how long it will take to settle your claim.
Unfortunately, there is no way to give you a specific or certain answer on how long it will take to reach a settlement in your claim. How long a claim takes to settle will depend on the unique circumstances of each case.
Once a settlement is reached in a case it is called a once and for all settlement. This means it is final and you cannot come back seeing further compensation relating to that matter at a later time. So it is important that all losses and, as best as you can predict, future losses be taken into account when you reach a settlement. In assessing past and future losses it is important that your injury is stable, that means it has reached the maximum medical improvement, a simpler term for this is that the injury has stabilised, it isn’t getting better and isn’t getting worse. Lawyers have no way of knowing when your injury will reach this point and all losses can be assessed, this is why it is difficult to give you an exact time frame on how long it will take to reach settlement.
As a guide as to how long a workers’ compensation claim might take to settle, the best estimate is that on average claims take 12-18 months to reach a settlement. Of course, each case will depend on the specific and unique circumstances. Where an accident involves minor injuries and there is no dispute about who caused the accident, you would anticipate that a settlement could be reached quicker than where there is uncertainty about who caused the accident or more severe injuries.
A good workers’ compensation lawyer will work to protect your interests within the required time frames and work efficiently to gather the necessary evidence so that when your injuries are stable and all evidence is available they are in a position to advise you and promptly work towards reaching a settlement in your claim.
Further information about workers’ compensation case in Queensland:
For additional details on workers’ compensation cases in Queensland, refer to authoritative sources such as the WorkSafe Queensland Government Website.
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Your next step is a small one, but don’t delay
Your next step is a small one. All you need to do is give us a call on 07 3910 5470 or complete this form here to arrange a quick chat.
During this initial conversation, we will:
- Have a chat about the circumstances and nature of your injury.
- Give you an approximate indication of your eligibility to make a WorkCover claim, or a claim for compensation through other means.
- Explain, in simple terms, how our process works. We will answer any questions you have about fees, the legal process, and anything else you’re unsure about relating to your injury.
We understand that taking legal action can be stressful, and we’ll do all we can to ease your concerns.
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