Starting your recovery
When you’ve had a work-related injury, there are steps you need to take to get you on the road to recovery.
Acting quickly can make a big difference to how soon you get better, how well you’re supported, and how long it takes to get back to your job and normal life.
What do I do first?
The first thing to do is seek medical assistance. Depending on the type and seriousness of your injury or illness, this could be your first aid officer or your doctor. In more serious cases, you should report to the hospital or call an ambulance immediately.
You’ll need to let your employer know straight away, so they can record the incident and notify WorkCover. Your doctor or the hospital will give you a work capacity certificate when they first see you and this needs to be given to your employer and submitted with your WorkCover claim.
Lodge your claim with WorkCover (or your employer if they are self-insured) as soon as possible. Getting your claim underway means you can focus on your recovery.
What comes next?
Once your injury or illness has been assessed and your claim has been approved, we can talk about rehabilitation. Rehabilitation means to work towards getting you back to the way things were before your injury. The best outcome for you and your employer is to get you back to your normal job as quickly as possible. This will also lessen the emotional and financial stress on you and your family.
How soon can I start?
You should start your rehabilitation as soon as you can. This could mean being referred to someone like a physiotherapist or even to a specialist, such as an orthopaedic surgeon.
Will I have to take time off work?
Your doctor will tell you if you need time off work. In most cases, you’ll be able to stay at work or get back to work quite quickly, with some changes to your duties, hours or days. This is called workplace rehabilitation and needs planning between you, your doctor, your employer, and WorkCover.
A rehabilitation and return to work plan is a document used to record your workplace rehabilitation information and goals. There is a requirement that this is completed within 10 days.
You can request a copy of this plan from WorkCover at any time during your claim.
Working out the best course of treatment to help you recover physically and mentally is a priority. Discuss your situation openly and honestly with your employer so they can support you. Talking through your options and setting goals can help you feel more in control and contributes to a positive and successful recovery journey.