Lifting and manual handing are by far the largest cause of workplace injuries in Australia each year. Around 17 per cent of serious workplace incidents involve lifting as the mechanism of injury. If a load is too heavy, too large, difficult to grasp, unstable or difficult to reach, it can place excessive strain on back muscles which are most frequently injured.
Professions at risk of sustaining injuries from manual handling include: carpenters, builders, concrete layers, brick layers, nursing home workers, ambulance officers, warehouse workers, landscapers, cleaners, assembly line workers and other tradespeople doing manual work.
You may be able to claim compensation for an injury you sustained from lifting or manual handling if it was because of someone else’s negligence or carelessness, or if it developed over a period of time during the course of your employment. Negligence may arise in a variety of settings.
If you have suffered an injury while lifting at work, you may be able to claim workers compensation from your employer. Employers must provide proper and adequate means for employees to carry out their work. This includes:
If you were injured because your employer neglected to provide safe systems of work, equipment or a safe environment, you may be able to sue for personal injury compensation. This includes injuries incurred over a long period of time, late onset injuries, and aggravations of pre-existing injuries.
Jeff’s employer requires him to lift 40kg bags of cement up onto pallets without any mechanical lifting device or assistance. Over a period of time, this causes Jeff to sustain a severe back strain and a prolapsed disc. Jeff can probably claim compensation from his employer for his injury, as the system of work his employer provided was unsafe.
Rick is a warehouse worker. His employer has trained him on how to safely lift loads, and issued him with a safety harness belt to prevent injury. Rick refused to wear the safety belt as it was uncomfortable and as a result he sustained a herniated disc injury. Rick may not be able to claim compensation for his injuries as they were due to his own negligence. However, he could apply for Workers Compensation payments while he is off work.
See also: WorkCover Claims
Strains and other soft tissue injuries generally resolve within a few weeks or months, however in severe cases they may take longer. This may lead to reduced physical activity, weight gain, loss of bone density, muscle strength and flexibility.
For serious back injuries, recovery is generally between one and six months. Therapy may be required to strengthen spinal muscles and in some cases surgery may be needed to remove or repair a damaged disc. Long term complications can include loss of agility, strength or sensation in the inner thigh, back of the leg and around the rectum. In some cases, ongoing pain can lead to chronic pain syndrome, depression and anxiety.
General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you have experienced as well as any permanent loss of enjoyment of life that results from your injury. They are calculated by reference to the ISV Scale which rates the seriousness of any injury between 1 and 100 and accords a monetary value range to that rating.
For example an extreme lumbar spine injury resulting in gross limitation of movement has a rating of 36 to 60 corresponding to a monetary range of $81,560 to $169,700 whereas a minor lumbar spine injury such as a muscular strain may attract an ISV of between 0 to 4 and a monetary range of $0 to $5,560.
To diagnose and treat your injuries you may ned to consult your general practitioner, consult a specialist, obtain x-rays or MRIs, take pain medications and wear special medical apparatus. The expenses you incur to obtain medical treatment including costs of consultations, diagnostic scans, travel costs, medication and medical equipment may be claimed as compensation. You can also claim for medical costs you will incur in the future as a result of your injury.
Surgery may be required to treat your injury. Surgical and hospital costs paid by you can be claimed as compensation as long as the surgery was necessary to treat your condition.
Rehabilitating after a lifting injury may involve physiotherapy, chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, home and vehicle modifications and ergonomic aids. Your reasonable costs of rehabilitation can be claimed back as compensation.
If you suffer an injury you may need time off work for several weeks or months immediately after the incident. You can claim compensation for this lost income.
If your injury prevents you from working to the same extent as you did prior to the injury you may also be able to claim loss of future income earning capacity. Occupations that require manual labour, repeated bending and twisting, or sitting for long periods may be difficult or impossible for someone who has suffered a prior injury and their capacity to earn income in the future may be reduced. This is usually estimated as a lump sum figure based on the age of the person, their usual occupation and other skills.
Compensation can be claimed for superannuation that would have been paid on lost income.
A severe injury may prevent you from being able to perform tasks such as personal care, cleaning, laundry, mowing your lawns, caring for the garden or other domestic chores. If you formerly performed these duties but are now unable to due to an injury you can claim compensation for care and assistance provided to you by friends, relatives or paid contractors.
In Queensland there is a minimum threshold for this type of compensation.
Interest can generally be claimed on compensation for any out of pocket expenses that are incurred before your claim is resolved.
In general terms, the amount of compensation is gauged by comparing what your life was like before the injury and what it is like now, as a result of the injury.
Someone whose injury has had a greater impact on their life will be entitled to more compensation than someone whose injury has had only minimal impact.
The amount of compensation payable for a lifting injury will vary greatly from case to case, depending on a variety of variables such as:
For most personal injury claims, a legal action must be commenced within 3 years of the date of the injury. If you miss this deadline, you will lose the right to claim compensation.
However, depending on where your injury occurred or who you are claiming against, specific pre-court procedures may apply which may have much shorter time limits. If you miss these time limits you may lose your right to claim unless you can provide good reason for delaying and why you should be allowed to proceed with your claim.
Those aged under 18 will typically have until they are 21 to start the claims process.
In addition, getting accurate records such as CCTV or reliable witness statements for example may be difficult if starting a claim several years after the incident.
In summary, it’s best to seek expert legal advice as soon as possible to ensure you understand your rights and the required evidence to make a strong claim can be gathered. View time limit information article for more detail.
Depending on the nature of your injury and the circumstances which caused it, compensation may or may not be available. You should always seek expert legal help to see if you are able to make a claim.
It’s important to get advice for your specific situation. Check if you can make a risk-free compensation claim and get free initial advice from our Principal lawyer, Greg Smith.