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ARTICLE · 20 JULY 2015

Major changes to the SA workers compensation scheme

Hunt & Hunt
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Many of the changes to the Workers Compensation scheme in South Australia revolve around the concept of "serious injury".

AustraliaInsurance
Hayley Towers (Formerly With Hunt & Hunt)
Hayley Towers (Formerly With Hunt & Hunt)
Peter Jones
Peter Jones
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1 July 2015 heralded major changes to the Workers Compensation scheme in South Australia; many of these changes revolve around the concept of "Serious Injury".

The Return to Work Act 2014 replaces the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986. Key changes that may impact on liability insurers are:

  • Weekly payments of compensation are now cut off for workers after 104 weeks unless a worker is assessed as Seriously Injured.
  • An injured worker will have a Serious Injury if they are assessed to have a 30% or more Whole Person Impairment (WPI).
  • A Seriously Injured worker may stay on weekly payments until retirement age and have their reasonable medical expenses paid indefinitely.

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