Covid-19 Response

The Personal Injury Commission's response to COVID-19

The Personal Injury Commission is continuing to deliver important services for injured workers and injured road users during the coronavirus pandemic. It is important that our people, those who use our services, our decision-makers and our stakeholders are protected. The Commission is monitoring the COVID-19 situation and will respond quickly to changes in restrictions and public health orders as they happen.

Our current arrangements are:

Medical assessments

Medical assessments scheduled to take place up to and including Friday 22 October 2021 will be managed in the following way:

  • Assessments will either be moved to videoconference where agreed to by the parties and medical assessors, or rescheduled for the next available appointment.
  • The Commission’s team is contacting all impacted parties to manage the appointments on a case-by-case basis.

Medical assessments scheduled from Monday 25 October 2021 will be managed in the following way:

The Commission will continue conducting the majority of psychiatric medical assessments via videoconference, provided this is agreed to by the parties. In instances where a psychiatric examination must proceed in-person, the conditions listed in the Protocols for Medical Assessments Conducted During Pandemic must be met.

Other assessments that can proceed by videoconference will be arranged with agreement of the parties and approval from the Medical Assessor.

All other examinations will only proceed in-person in situations where:

  • The Medical Assessor and their staff are fully vaccinated (and received their second vaccine dose at least two weeks prior) and COVID-19 safe protocols are in place in respect of physical distancing, hygiene and cleaning, and administrative controls at their premises, and
  • The injured claimant or worker and any support persons are fully vaccinated (and received their second vaccine dose at least two weeks prior) and have provided evidence of a negative COVID-19 swab result for a test administered within 72 hours of the medical assessment.

The requirements for attending in-person medical assessments are provided in the:

Note that:

  • An in-person assessment will not proceed if the claimant or worker does not meet the conditions outlined in the protocol.
  • Support persons will only be able to attend in-person assessments in exceptional circumstances and with approval of the Commission’s President or Principal Registrar. Exceptional circumstances include the claimant/worker is a minor or has a disability or condition that requires the attendance of a carer or support person. See Procedural Direction PIC11 – Medical Assessments Procedure – COVID-19.

Any medical appointments that have been disrupted due to the COVID-19 restrictions between June to October 2021 should have a rescheduled appointment. The Commission will be systematically working through those appointments to confirm the COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements can be met.

If the status of an impacted appointment has not been confirmed by 1 December contact the Dispute Officer, Dispute Support Officer or call 1800 742 679.

These arrangements will be revisited after 1 December 2021.

Hearings

  • In most cases, hearings are continuing to be conducted virtually.
  • Legal representatives are requested to advise the Commission at the earliest opportunity if a matter will not be able to proceed virtually due to mobility restrictions currently in place in specified local government areas. Claimants are encouraged to participate in virtual hearings from their place of residence, wherever possible.
  • If an in-person hearing is sought for a particular matter, an application needs to be made to the Commission President. Procedural Direction PIC10 – Hearings during COVID-19 sets out the circumstances that need to be addressed, although parties can bring any matter to the President’s attention when making such an application.
  • Read more about arrangements for hearings.

Lodging applications and documents

Personal Injury Commission office

  • Please note that in line with Public Health Orders, the Commission’s office at 1 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst has been closed since Monday 28 June with all staff working remotely and our reception unmanned. The office will remain closed until early 2022 while it undergoes refurbishment.
  • Read more about how to contact the Commission.
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