If you have been injured at work and have made a workers compensation claim, your access to justice is important. You may need to take time away from work to support your recovery, so being able to work and produce income for yourself and your family can be limited or even non-existent. Seeking legal advice in relation to your rights and entitlements under your state’s workers compensation scheme can seem so far out of reach. If you are not working and are therefore not earning a steady income, you worry about how you will afford to pay a solicitor to advise you on your rights.
In New South Wales, the Independent Legal Assistance and Review Service (ILARS) was established in 2012 to create a new legal assistance and review service that offered free and independent access to legal advice and assistance. The Independent Review Office (IRO) administers the ILARS scheme.
One of the primary aims of ILARS and IRO is to resolve disputes quickly, efficiently and with minimal financial outlay. This is crucial in ensuring injured workers have access to justice. To achieve this, ILARS provides funding to Approved Lawyers to pay for professional fees and disbursements throughout the conduct of a matter. This means for injured workers that no costs are payable by them to engage a lawyer to investigating their rights and entitlements or challenge a decision of an insurer under the workers compensation legislation in NSW.
Nevin Lenne Gross have ILARS Approved Lawyers who can assist you in relation to your NSW workers compensation claim, such as:
Advising on your rights and entitlements (if you “have a claim”);
Investigating and pursuing your rights and entitlements, such seeking a review of a decision of an insurer or claiming lump sum compensation ; and
Pursuing a dispute in the Personal Injury Commission in the event the dispute cannot be resolved sooner by agreement between the worker and the insurer.
Any work injury is stressful and it is important that you are aware of your rights and entitlements, especially if you are experiencing issues with your NSW Workcover claim. Even if your claim is running smoothly, if you are uncertain about your rights ILARS/IRO provides an accessible avenue for you to seek legal advice.
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