The day you might be so lucky as to receive a compensation settlement, is the day the government turns its back on you.

You become ‘precluded’ from most government benefits, both financial
and non-financial dependant upon your unique circumstances, for up to
96 years (on average 25–30 years).

The following are benefits you can no longer access:-

1) Disability Support Pension;
2) Carers Payment;
3) Mobility Allowance;
4) Rent Assistance;
5) PADP Benefits – Equipment & Supplies.

Also in most cases prior to receiving your lump sum compensation
payment there are deductions that need to be taken out, such as:-

1) Medicare Benefits – for services used;
2) Hospital Expenses – up to $1,500/day for acute care;
3) Rehabilitation Costs – up to $850/day for specialized care;
4) Equipment Costs – Wheelchairs, hoists etc;
5) Advance Payments – in some rare cases, insurance companies will
provide the claimant with upfront payments;
6) Legal Costs – quite substantial in most cases.

Most clients usually live on credit cards, loans from parents &
friends and even bank loans (where the bank allows) and hence all
of these liabilities need to be re-paid from settlement funds.

In addition, clients feel obliged to make payments to family members
for the ‘pain & suffering’ they endured and also for personal care
provided.

So a settlement (in or out of court), can suddenly become halved in
the hand of the client due to the above costs that have to be paid.

But money can by no means buy happiness or our health, and if it is
not properly and professionally managed, can result in erratic spending,
diminishing net wealth and ultimately depression and in some cases s
uicide attempts.

The whole settlement process is distressing and time consuming.

Once the 3-5 year ordeal is over, the client needs new challenges to
avoid boredom & in some cases mental illness, which I believe affects
80-95% of Australians, not 60% (3 in 5) as published regularly.

Ref: This article is authored by Simon Jasprizza and found on
Terence O'Riain's:injuryadvicenow.blogspot.com/2009/05/this-article-
is-authored-by-simon.html

WCV's: Why are we being made to payback all the expenses of the case
when that is what worksafe is paid to do and provide.

Is worksafe really insurance when injured workers are loosing so much?

1) Medicare Benefits – for services used;(we already pay for medicare in
our taxes)

2) Hospital Expenses – up to $1,500/day for acute care;(we are entitled
to treatment so why are we then paying for it, what happened to worksafes
responsibilities? What are they actually paying for?)

3) Rehabilitation Costs – up to $850/day for specialized care;(This is
worksafes responsibility to us to get us back to work, so why are we
paying for this?)

4) Equipment Costs – Wheelchairs, hoists etc;(well excuse me, if a
bloody wall fell on me)

5) Advance Payments – in some rare cases, insurance companies will
provide the claimant with upfront payments;( so they should that's
their job an injured worker should not lose any benefit because they have
been injured while at work!)

6) Legal Costs – quite substantial in most cases.( boy do we know about
these, the average claim costs about $20,000)

Why is this happening? Insurance for workplace injuries should not leave a worker
incapacitated or financially broke so who is really getting these payments?
I'm betting it all goes back into worksafe's coffers! This has to stop !