Many workers do not arrive with a neatly labeled legal issue. They arrive through a GP, union delegate, community worker, psychologist, barrister, or general practice lawyer who can see the insurer is already taking the claim in the wrong direction.
This referral page exists to make that handover simple. If your client or patient is dealing with a denied claim, a section 78 notice, reduced or stopped weekly payments, treatment refusals, a question about WPI evidence, or a possible threshold-dependent entitlement, the first step is to identify the decision and available procedure.
The practice can assess matters that may move towardPIC disputes,lump sum WPI claims, andwork injury damages claims.
Overview
When should a professional refer an injured worker?
A professional should refer an injured NSW worker when the claim has moved beyond simple administration: a denial or Section 78 notice, stopped or reduced weekly payments, refused treatment, an adverse independent medical examination (IME), a whole person impairment (WPI) threshold question, or a possible Personal Injury Commission (PIC) dispute. A timely referral can help preserve medical and wage records and allow the applicable decision, procedure, and time limits to be checked.
General Practice Lawyers
If your firm does not regularly run workers compensation matters, the worker can be referred for advice about liability disputes, weekly payments, WPI claims, and possible work injury damages.
Treatment Providers
GPs, physiotherapists, psychologists, surgeons, and rehabilitation providers can refer patients when insurer decisions are delaying treatment, surgery, certificates, or income support.
Unions, Social Workers, and Advocates
Support workers and advocates can help a worker make contact when an insurer decision, payment issue, treatment dispute, or formal proceeding requires legal advice.
Our commitment to referral partners
- Technical focus: the practice focuses on NSW workers compensation claims and disputes.
- Clear issue identification: we identify whether the matter concerns liability, payments, treatment, impairment, or another statutory pathway.
- Practical communication: with client consent, we can keep referrers updated on major milestones without creating noise.
- Client-first handling: we know referred clients are often under medical, financial, and psychological pressure already.
This page provides general information for professional referral purposes only. It is not a substitute for legal advice about a worker's individual evidence, time limits, insurer notices, or entitlements under the NSW workers compensation scheme.
When a referral may be useful
A referral may be useful once there is a written denial, payment change, treatment refusal, capacity issue, or impairment question. The priority is to identify the document and preserve the records needed for any available response.
A formal decision has been issued
A worker who has a section 78 notice, a whole-claim denial, or a fresh payment cut is already in the dispute lane, even if the insurer is still calling it a review.
Wage evidence may be incomplete
If overtime, allowances, second jobs, or roster penalties were not captured, the worker may be underpaid from the start. Point them to the PIAWE guide and refer before arrears become normalised.
Treatment has been refused or delayed
A decision about surgery, psychology, scans, or rehabilitation may require medical evidence directed to the statutory treatment test. Compare the treatment denial guide and surgery denial guide.
An impairment or damages question has arisen
Thresholds vary by entitlement, injury type, date, and current legislation. Use the WPI pathway and work injury damages guide to identify the separate medical and legal requirements.
Issues to identify before making a referral
A useful referral identifies the decision affecting the worker, the date of the notice, the practical consequence, and the records already available. Liability, payments, treatment, capacity, and permanent impairment may require different evidence and procedures.
The denial and its reasons are not provided
Include the complete section 78 notice or other insurer decision, its attachments, and the date received. The stated reasons determine which evidence and procedure may be relevant.
The payment issue is not separated from capacity
A payment change may arise from PIAWE, a work capacity decision, or another statutory rule. Include the calculation, wage records, and decision notice. The weekly payments hub explains the different issues.
The treatment refusal is missing from the referral
Include the treatment request, clinical reasons, insurer response, and any IME material relied on. The treatment denial and IME response guides explain the records that may matter.
Different entitlement requirements need to be identified
Weekly payments, permanent impairment, serious-injury status, and damages can involve different statutory requirements. Compare the WPI pathway and serious injury guide where those issues may be relevant.
Lodge a professional referral
Use the referral form below when a client, patient, or member needs specialist workers compensation help. If a notice states a time-sensitive date, include it in the referral or call the team directly.
Useful links to share with referred clients
These pages help clients understand first steps, insurer decisions, and what evidence matters before a formal dispute.
Common referral questions
When should a professional refer an injured worker for legal help?
Consider referral when the worker receives a claim denial, section 78 notice, payment change, treatment refusal, disputed independent medical examination (IME), or a question about permanent impairment or work injury damages. Prompt referral can allow time to identify the decision, preserve records, and check the applicable procedure.
Can a GP, psychologist, physiotherapist, union delegate, or support worker refer a client?
Yes. With the worker's consent, treatment providers, unions, community workers, and other support professionals can help a worker make contact. The legal team can then identify whether the issue concerns liability, weekly payments, treatment approval, work capacity, WPI, or a Personal Injury Commission (PIC) proceeding.
What information is most useful in a workers compensation referral?
Useful referral material includes the claim number, insurer or claims manager details, injury date, current certificate of capacity, section 78 or work capacity notices, treatment requests, independent medical examination (IME) reports, wage records relevant to PIAWE, and any time-sensitive dates stated in a notice.
Does a referral mean the referrer becomes involved in the legal matter?
No. The worker remains the client. With consent, appropriate updates can be shared with the referrer. Any legal advice is provided to the worker by Stephen Young Lawyers through NSW Work Injury Claim.
Related claim, dispute, and support pages
Need to discuss a complex referral first?
If you want to discuss a serious injury matter, an impairment issue, or a time-sensitive insurer decision before making the referral, contact the team directly.