Work place injury

[daydream**believer]

Hi everyone.

i work as a cleaner and in July this year I had a fall at work which pretty much destroyed my left elbow.

Six weeks ago I had a full elbow reconstruction. 

My work and work cover have been great.

My surgeon has said I will not be back at work this year and he is doubtful I will ever be able to go back to my job ever again.

So work cover are talking about me seeing a workplace consultant and starting "external work hardening".

Anyone else done anything like this? What is it?

[lyndal1838]

---

@davidc4430 wrote:

workcover doesnt go on forever i suspect.

has to come a day when workcover stops and unemployment starts.

---

It can go on until the doctors say there is no hope of the person ever going back to their orginal job.   They should either make a lump sum settlement or retrain the person for another job that they can do.   They cannot just dump anyone on unployment benefits.

[*tippy*toes*]

It's against the law to sack someone on workcover. If it turns out to be long term off work, they cut your payments back to a fraction of what you''d be earning while working. The insurance cuts the payments, not the employer.

I was a victim of workcover in the early 90's. Hated it at the time, but I couldn't work my job to full capacity and retrained to what I'm doing now. I often say that doing my back in was the best thing that could have happened because I can honestly say I love my job. When they discussed retraining I was allowed to tell them what I was interested in. I wanted to become a mechanic but they wouldn't approve that with a back injury!

[shepherdsrule]

Sheesh DDB, you can not take a trick can you ?

As if you hadn't enough to deal with..........

Keep in constant touch with the health professional you are seeing, and do NOT let anyone push you into something that you do not think will suit you or that you feel you are not ready for.

goTazz is right and has great advice for you. Always keep all documentation and copies of same, and I really do hope things start to look up for you soon.

[daydream**believer]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

yeh, this year has definitely been a testing one for me, and it ain't over yet.

but, what's that saying? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?

Well I'm bulking up big time. Ready to take on whatever life is gonna throw at me

[krylekathe1]

What you can do is think about what you could do in the future (when elbow is better). Look at it as an opportunity. Work cover will try to get you off its books ASAP. Feel free to dispute their findings.

But if you have an idea of what you might be able to do in the future that you would enjoy ... push them to pay for training in this area. If you go in to your meetings with some ideas, it might stop them pushing you into something you hate.

My mother (physio) had a back injury at work. Work cover wanted to retrain her to assess clients over the phone (be a case worker). Big issue - she couldn't sit nor stand for any length of time, but they were pushing her so badly. Their doctor who didn't even see her did a report saying she was ready for that!

She disputed it & a few years later is back working part time. Work cover still pays some medical stuff.

Just saying ... don't let them bully you into doing anything. They are not always right. You can dispute it.