Getting injured at work can change the whole trajectory of your career or even your life. So whether you’re an employee or a seafarer who has been injured at work, speak with us to know if you have a claim.
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We can help you get the maximum compensation you deserve and help you get your life back on track. No win, no fee.
Contact us today for an in-person or online consultation. We can help you wherever you are in Sydney, Australia or the world.
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If you work for an employer who is subject to the Comcare scheme or the self-insured Comcare scheme and have been injured at work, you may be entitled to compensation. Below are only some of the entitlements that you may be entitled to after a successful compensation claim:
If you disagree with a liability determination, we can seek a reconsideration and, where necessary, vigorously pursue your case through the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) — the tribunal that replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in October 2024.
Contact us to find out where you stand. We’ll guide you through the complex process of a Comcare compensation claim.
Had a Comcare claim rejected or reduced?
The time limits are short: generally 30 days to ask for reconsideration, then 60 days to apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal. Send us the decision and we will tell you where you stand. Your first consultation is free.
Seacare (Seafarers) Compensation is a type of workers compensation for Seafarers who are injured in a work-related injury on board a vessel or on the way to work or at training.
Seacare compensation is generally a no-fault jurisdiction, which means that you may be entitled to compensation regardless of who caused the injury, unless there was serious and wilful misconduct — and even then, the exclusion does not apply where the injury results in death or serious and permanent impairment. Seacare compensation may include:
If you are unsure whether you have a claim, contact us for a free initial consultation, or start with our Seacare claims checklist for seafarers. We act for seafarers on ships in Australian interstate, international and territory trade, wherever they live or come ashore.
At sea or working away?
We run Seacare claims by phone, email, WhatsApp or video call, so you can start your claim between voyages, wherever your vessel is.
Comcare and Seacare are Commonwealth schemes, not state ones. The Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth) and the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (Cth) apply wherever in Australia you were injured, and your claim is determined by Comcare or your employer’s licensed claims manager rather than a state workers compensation authority.
That means we can act for you wherever you work — New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. We act for injured Commonwealth employees and seafarers in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin, and anywhere in between. Seafarers covered by the Seacare scheme can be assisted wherever their vessel is based or wherever they came ashore.
We run these matters online by phone, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom or WhatsApp, so you do not need to travel to our Sydney office for advice. If your matter proceeds to the Administrative Review Tribunal, it can be listed in the registry closest to you.
The two schemes are separate, but they run on parallel rules and disputes in both go to the same Tribunal.
| Comcare | Seacare | |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth) | Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (Cth) |
| Who it covers | Australian Government employees, and employees of companies licensed to self-insure under Comcare | Seafarers and trainees on ships in interstate, international or territory trade |
| Who decides your claim | Comcare or the self-insured licensee | Your employer or its claims manager; the Seafarers Safety Net Fund if the employer no longer exists |
| If you disagree | Reconsideration, then the Administrative Review Tribunal | Reconsideration, then the Administrative Review Tribunal |
Already receiving weekly payments?
Permanent impairment compensation is a separate entitlement with its own claim. We can check whether you have claimed everything you may be entitled to, wherever you are in Australia.
Contact us and we’ll schedule a consultation to discuss your legal needs and objectives, in-office or online.
We’ll formalise our engagement and collaboratively develop a tailored strategy for your legal matter.
We’ll handle all necessary steps, from documentation to negotiations, to successfully manage your case and achieve the best outcome.
Once we achieve the resolution of your matter, we’ll finalise all details, and provide post-resolution support as needed.
Let's work on your matter online.
Whilst you may visit our office for consultations and meetings, we can also do all of our legal work online. This way, you can save time and take care of your business while we handle your legal needs.
Book your free initial consultation with us so we can understand your situation and let you know where you stand and your options. A representative of our team will contact you within 24 hours.
Your first consultation is free.
Why
You can tell us about your matter at the comfort of our office or your home. Whatever you choose, we’ll deliver the same quality services and results.
Comcare and Seacare are Commonwealth schemes, so we act for injured workers in every state and territory — not only New South Wales. Most of the process can be run online, wherever you are.
Most of our clients are either repeat clients or referral from past clients. This is a testament to our outstanding service, personalised services and client-focused approach.
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Since 1 April 2024 the regulations set statutory timeframes: 20 calendar days to determine an injury claim or an aggravation, and 60 calendar days for a disease claim. The count starts on the day your claim is received, including weekends and public holidays. The clock pauses if the determining authority asks you to attend a medical examination or requests further information, and resumes once that material is received. Missing the timeframe does not mean your claim is automatically accepted or rejected — the regulations do not provide for a deemed determination — but if your claim is drifting well beyond these periods, contact us.
Yes, and the deadlines are strict. You must first ask for a reconsideration of the determination — you have 30 days from receiving it, although an extension can be sought. A review officer who was not involved in the original decision reconsiders the matter and issues a reviewable decision. If you are still dissatisfied, you have 60 days from being given notice of that reviewable decision to apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), which replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in October 2024. A further appeal to the Federal Court, on a question of law only, must be filed within 28 days. Contact us well before any of these dates fall due.
Yes, you can choose your own treating doctor for your work-related injury or illness.
Yes, psychological or mental health conditions that are work-related can be covered under Comcare.
Seacare compensation is typically available to employees working on ships or in the maritime industry who are covered under the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act.
Seacare covers a range of work-related injuries and illnesses, including both physical and psychological conditions incurred in the course of maritime employment.
You lodge your claim with your employer, not with the Seacare Authority. Give your employer written notice of the injury or illness as soon as possible after you become aware of it, then submit a completed Seacare Authority Claim for Workers’ Compensation form together with a medical certificate from a qualified medical practitioner. Your employer — often through its claims manager or insurer — decides whether liability is accepted. If your former employer no longer exists, the claim is made to the Seafarers Safety Net Fund through the Seacare Authority. Contact us so we can help you make a claim.
Yes, if you’re unable to work due to your injury or illness, Seacare provides compensation for lost wages, subject to certain conditions and limits.
Seacare covers necessary medical, hospital, and rehabilitation expenses related to the work-related injury or illness.
