NSW Work Injury Claim

NSW Work Injury Claim

NSW Work Injury Guides by Injury Type

Find the guide closest to the injury or diagnosis, then use it to check the practical evidence, insurer dispute and benefit pathway that may matter in NSW.

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A physiotherapist assessing a worker's spinal movement in a plain clinic.
Each injury guide focuses on the evidence and dispute issues that commonly matter for that diagnosis or body part.

Overview

Start with the injury that is driving the decision or treatment problem

Choose the guide closest to the diagnosis, body part or psychological condition now affecting work capacity, treatment or weekly payments. If more than one injury is involved, start with the one linked to the insurer decision, surgery request, certificate of capacity or WPI issue you need to answer.

May have a claim

The legal test depends on the injury type. A personal injury generally requires employment to be a substantial contributing factor; a disease contracted or aggravated after the 2012 amendments generally requires employment to be the main contributing factor.

Benefits to check

Treatment expenses, weekly payments, suitable duties, WPI and dispute options.

Evidence to collect

Incident records, GP notes, scans, specialist reports, capacity certificates and actual duties.

Current process

Permanent impairment assessments from 1 July 2026 to mid-2027

NSW is in an interim period. Separate examinations arranged by the worker and insurer can still occur, but an interim assessment must be performed by an assessor on SIRA's register. Liability for the injury must have been determined before an interim assessment is made.

Independent legal advice is compulsory

A worker must receive independent legal advice about the full legal implications before being seen by a permanent impairment assessor. Advice is also required before entering an impairment agreement.

The assessment can affect several entitlements

The principal assessment is used across weekly payments, medical and related treatment expenses, Section 66 lump sum compensation, commutation access and work injury damages. It is not only a lump sum calculation.

Agreement or medical dispute

If the worker and insurer agree on the degree of impairment, they may enter a written impairment agreement. If they do not agree, the insurer must give written notice and either party may refer the disagreement to the Personal Injury Commission as a medical dispute, supported by medical evidence.

A further assessment is tightly restricted

A second or later assessment during the interim period requires agreement that there appears to be unexpected and material deterioration. The deterioration must be capable of increasing the impairment by at least a further 10 percentage points. Ordinary age-related deterioration does not meet that test.

Last reviewed 20 July 2026. Sources: SIRA worker guidance and SIRA interim assessment guidance. See also the PIC dispute guide.

Injury-specific NSW workers compensation guides

These pages are grouped by body part and injury type. They help injured workers identify the documents and questions that commonly matter: work cause, treatment approval, weekly payments, suitable duties, permanent impairment and insurer disputes.

For the broader claim pathway, start with the statewide NSW workers compensation lawyers guide. If you already have an injury diagnosis, use the guides below to focus the evidence without treating the diagnosis alone as the answer.

How permanent impairment information should be read

The injury guides use the NSW Workers Compensation Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment and, where adopted, AMA5. The NSW modifications prevail. A diagnosis, pain score, scan finding or operation name does not establish WPI by itself; the applicable body-system method, measurable findings, maximum medical improvement and any supported deduction must be addressed.

For example, a lumbar disc finding is not assigned a percentage merely because it appears on MRI. NSW spinal assessment uses the DRE method and looks for the supported category findings, including objective radiculopathy where alleged. This example explains the method only and is not an estimate of another worker's result.

Primary source: SIRA, NSW Workers Compensation Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice.

Evidence checklist before choosing a guide

Before relying on an injury-specific page, collect the practical documents that usually shape a NSW workers compensation decision: the incident report or work task description, certificates of capacity, GP and specialist notes, imaging or test results, treatment requests, payslips or pre-injury earnings material, and any insurer letters explaining acceptance, denial, work capacity or treatment decisions.

If the injury developed over time, write down the repeated duties, dates symptoms changed, when work was first reported as a cause, and any non-work factors the insurer may raise. This helps match the right guide to the real dispute rather than relying on the diagnosis label alone.

Practical first steps when the injury is disputed

If the insurer disputes whether work caused the injury, start by comparing the decision reasons with the medical timeline. Check whether the treating doctor has recorded the work incident, repeated duties or exposure clearly, and whether any imaging, specialist report or psychological assessment answers the exact issue the insurer raised.

If treatment, surgery, weekly payments or work capacity is the problem, keep the injury guide focused on that decision. A treatment dispute usually needs clinical reasons and prior treatment history; a weekly payment or capacity dispute usually needs certificates of capacity, suitable duties details, earnings information and the medical restrictions that explain what work is safe.

For the full claim sequence, cross-check the make a claim guide, the weekly payments guide and the workers compensation disputes guide. This page helps you choose the injury topic; those guides explain the broader NSW process.

Back, spine, and neck

Back, neck, spinal, nerve-root, pain and surgery-related claims.

Back injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Lower back injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Upper back injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Lumbar spine injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Cervical spine injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Thoracic spine injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Neck injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Whiplash injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Disc bulge and disc prolapseWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Herniated discWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Sciatica and radiculopathyWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Spinal stenosisWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Facet joint injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Sacroiliac joint injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Coccyx injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Spinal fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Vertebral fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Laminectomy and discectomyWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Spinal cord injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Cauda equina syndromeWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Spinal fusion surgeryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Chronic back painWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.

Shoulder, arm, and hand

Shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, nerve, tendon and overuse injuries.

Shoulder injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Rotator cuff tearWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Shoulder impingementWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Frozen shoulderWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Shoulder dislocationWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Shoulder labral injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.AC joint injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Clavicle injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Biceps tendon injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Shoulder replacementWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Arm injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Upper arm injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Forearm injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Elbow injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Tennis elbowWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Golfer's elbowWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.EpicondylitisWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Cubital tunnel syndromeWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Wrist injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Wrist fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Carpal tunnel syndromeWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.De Quervain's tenosynovitisWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hand injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Finger injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Thumb injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Trigger fingerWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hand tendon injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hand nerve injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Digital nerve injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hand crush injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Repetitive strain injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Overuse injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Upper limb nerve injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Upper limb complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)Work cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.

Hip, leg, knee, ankle, and foot

Hip, pelvis, leg, knee, ankle, foot and lower-limb surgery issues.

Hip injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hip fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hip replacementWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hip labral tearWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Groin injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Pelvis injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Pelvic fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Leg length discrepancyWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Leg injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Thigh injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hamstring injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Quadriceps injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Knee injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Meniscus tearWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.ACL injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.PCL injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.MCL and LCL injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Patella injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Patello-femoral injury and replacementWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Tibial plateau fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Knee arthritis aggravationWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Total knee replacement after a work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Ankle injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Ankle replacementWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Ankle sprainWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Ankle fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Achilles tendon injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Foot injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Plantar fasciitisWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Heel injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Toe injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Foot fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Lower limb arthritis and cartilage lossWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Lower limb muscle atrophyWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Lower limb nerve injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Gait derangementWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Lower limb complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)Work cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.

Head, brain, face, and neurological

Head, brain, face, jaw, dental, eye, vestibular, nerve and chronic pain conditions.

Head injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.ConcussionWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Traumatic brain injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Post-concussion syndromeWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Skull fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Facial injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Eye injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Dental injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Jaw injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.TMJ injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Vestibular injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Balance and neurological gait disorderWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Cranial nerve injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Seizure disorder after neurological injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Nerve injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Peripheral nerve injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction after neurological injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Chronic pain syndromeWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Complex regional pain syndrome CRPSWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.

Psychological injury

Psychological injury claims can involve section 11A and NSW reform issues, so the notice, chronology and medical evidence need careful document-based assessment.

Psychological injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.PTSD work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Anxiety and depression work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Workplace stress injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Bullying and harassment psychological injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Workplace violence psychological injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Adjustment disorder work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Panic attacks work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Burnout work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.

Occupational disease and exposure

Disease, exposure, hearing, respiratory, skin, infection, heat and vibration-related conditions.

Industrial deafnessWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Hearing lossWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.TinnitusWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Respiratory injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Asthma work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Silicosis and dust diseaseWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.AsbestosisWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Occupational lung diseaseWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Dermatitis and skin conditionWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Chemical exposure injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Needlestick injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Infectious disease work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Work-related HIV/AIDSWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Heat stress injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Heat stroke work injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Vibration white fingerWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Occupational cancerWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.

Serious and traumatic injuries

Traumatic, catastrophic and multi-system injuries needing long-term evidence planning.

AmputationWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Burns injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Crush injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Multiple injuriesWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Catastrophic injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Serious injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Fracture injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Rib fractureWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Organ injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Internal injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Laceration injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Scar injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.Electric shock injuryWork cause, evidence, treatment, capacity and dispute issues.

Established injury guides

These existing guides remain linked while the broader injury library expands.

Occupational disease and work-related illness claimsAmputation injury claimsBack injury at workRadiculopathy after back injuryBrain injury and TBI claimsCRPS and complex pain claimsMajor depressive disorder claimsPsychological injury claimsPTSD claimsRadiculopathy and disc herniation claimsSpinal fusion surgery claims

Need the main claim pathway?

The statewide NSW workers compensation lawyers guide explains the broader claim process, while these injury pages focus on diagnosis-specific evidence and disputes.

Call NSW Work Injury Claim if you need to discuss a decision notice or capacity issue.

Request a claim review from the injuries hub if you want help matching the injury evidence to the disputed decision.