Further impairment assessment using WorkCover Guidelines
The Transitional sub-regulation 5(4)* of the Return To Work Act 2014 allows a worker to apply for a further whole person impairment assessment and lump sum payment of permanent impairment where they have previously received a lump sum payment for permanent impairment of some, but not all, of their compensable injuries arising from the same trauma e.g. where some of the injuries were at Maximum Medical Improvement but not others. An application must be made for approval before 1 July 2016, however the assessment can be held at a later date.
This is an assessment that will need to be completed using the WorkCover Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (the blue book) so you may see requests for these.
The request letter will state which Guidelines to use and explain that this is a second assessment as allowed by this sub-regulation.
If you don’t wish to accept a request using the previous Guidelines, please advise the requestor. If you are happy to assess but do not have a copy of the WorkCover Guidelines (blue book) to complete this assessment, please email wpi@rtwsa.com.
31 May 2016
*Sub-regulation 5(4) of the Return to Work (Transitional Arrangements) (General) Regulations 2015.