1. Not reporting the injury immediately
After you experience an injury you should report it to your supervisor immediately, do not delay reporting your injury until after a few days or the weekend as if you wait too long it could compromise your right to workers’ compensation.
It is a requirement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 that employers whose employees suffer certain ‘notifiable’ injuries must notify WorkSafe WA. WorkSafe WA is the government agency responsible for regulating Western Australia’s OSH legislation.
2. Not disclosing prior workplace injuries
Another mistake people often make is not disclosing prior workplace injuries. Even if the injury seems insignificant or you were hurt and didn’t report the previous injury for fear of getting in trouble or losing your job, any failure to report past injuries could result in you losing all of your compensation.
3. Failure to report all injuries
If you sustain multiple injuries from a workplace accident you should disclose all of them when you are filing your first report and when speaking to a doctor. Failure to report other injuries and then bring them up at a later date could appear as if you are attempting to claim additional benefits.4. Ignoring the advice of medical professionals
Your doctor may recommend daily stretches or exercises, which may seem like a hassle but are important for your recovery. If you ignore your doctor’s advice your workers’ compensation claim may be impacted.