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New claims pathway for first responders and eligible employees with post-traumatic stress disorder

What you need to know…

  • On 12 May 2021, the Queensland Parliament passed new workers’ compensation laws that provide a streamlined claims pathway for first responders and eligible employees diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The new laws will commence on Assent.
  • Under the pathway, if a first responder or eligible employee has a PTSD diagnosis from a psychiatrist, their claim is accepted without further investigation or retelling of their stories throughout the compensation process, unless there is evidence to the contrary.
  • First responders and eligible employees without a specialist diagnosis are encouraged to lodge their claim to access free early intervention treatment and support, and workers’ compensation insurers will arrange and fund a specialist diagnosis once the claim is lodged.
  • Reasonable management action taken in a reasonable way cannot be used to rebut the presumption as the causal factors for PTSD do not arise from reasonable management action.
  • All existing statutory review rights apply.

This is important because…


First responders and eligible employees find the legislative test for injury a significant barrier in making a worker’s compensation claim. This is because they may be unable to identify one particular incident that caused their injury due to their cumulative exposure to trauma.


Your toolkit…

 

Further information

For more information, visit our website, call 1300 362 128 or enquire online.

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