Injured workers could be set for a much-needed increase in compensation as the worker's compensation manager in NSW re-evaluates claims.
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"icare", formerly WorkCover NSW manages the compensation claims of workers across NSW and is now encouraging anyone who was injured between October 2012 and October 2019 to double-check their payments to ensure they receive all the money they're owed.
In April, a parliamentary inquiry found that icare's funding ratio was well below what was needed, and judged that the board had 'comprehensively failed' to appropriately govern the organisation.
The inquiry came after months of damning accusations of poor performance and led to managing director John Nagle and chairman Michael Carapiet both resigning.
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There are around 10,000 people receiving claims in the Riverina-Murray area who might be eligible for the cash boost.
The urge to check payment information comes after a recent review from icare of the last decade. The review found that the earnings information used to determine weekly compensation payments was not always provided to the insurer at the time, causing payments to be lower than they should have been.
In Griffith, Leeton and Carrathool, there are just over 2000 residents eligible for an increase in payments. All have been contacted and encouraged to reassess the payments.
Across NSW, just over three million dollars has been paid to weekly worker's compensation recipients. Just over 8500 claims have been reassessed, with more expected.
A spokesperson for icare said "icare was established in 2015 ... Three years before this, new legislation had been introduced in NSW on how workers compensation payments were calculated. It was only after icare implemented a new online claims management system that we were able to assess retrospectively how weekly workers compensation payments had been calculated."
"In some instances, this may have resulted in people being underpaid. As a result, the review and remediation program was designed and implemented."
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