Diary of a workcover victim

Erin Brockovich and Lisa

Who are we?

First of all, we’re not going to misrepresent ourselves – that is aworkcovervictimsdiary- and tell you that we have special influence(s) with state legislators and even politicians. We don’t, and neither do some of the others, or we would already have meaningful, fairer workcover legislation signed into law to really help injured workers survive this ordeal known as workcover, work-over or workers compensation.

Our primary goal is to help, assist, educate, inform and empower injured workers  to better understand how to navigate through an ever complicated and convoluted workcover system and not become victims of overzealous workcover insurances and their investors (stakeholders). One way we accomplish this is through aworkcovervictimsdiary, a site that is more than just a ‘glorified’ blog, which provides very important information resources for Australian injured workers!

And we’re not after your money! Although it does cost us  to run this site, we never expect/demand any membership fees or monetary contributions. However we like to receive article/information contributions from injured workers and their supporters as every little bit helps to deliver the important message to the workcover insurance companies— that it’s not “Business As Usual” anymore!

And most of all, we’re not making or going to make promises to you that we know we can’t keep, just to get ‘your support’. That is just absolutely wrong!

We are more of an educational site. We HELP injured workers! We are advocates for the people injured and/or made ill at work. We go to bat for those falsely accused of workcover fraud by insurance carriers … by any means possible!

Another main goal of aworkcovervictimsdiary is to put an end to the rampant fraud and corruption perpetrated upon Australia’s injured workers by the insurance industry and their legislative friends. To help, support and assist those who are genuinely serious about bringing back some legitimacy to Australia’s Workers’ Compensation systems, a system that now is controlled by a corrupt and out-of-control insurance industry, that has our legislators pimping and pandering influence in exchange for their political contributions.

To stop the escalation of workcover insurer (and employer) fraud. This ‘White Collar’ fraud is a primary reason that our Workers’ Compensation systems are so dysfunctional, with insurance carriers hiding behind the fact that Australian law has not developed to the stage that there should be recognition of a new tort which imposes a duty of good faith on an insurer operating within a statutory workers compensation regime….to shield them from legal liability for their criminal acts, post injury!

Who are our our team members? Our team consists of  mainly (seriously) injured workers, including past injured workers (who have thankfully been able to leave the system), their families and carers and advocates. We also  have a few “professional” resources we can tap into such as pro-bono lawyers, and a few medical practitioners. Many of our folks are in the trenches and they know first-hand the obstacles and troubles that injured workers face. Others are those who want to see a real reform come to our Workers’ Compensation systems, and bring back some form of fairness and equity to this (supposedly) benefits delivery system that is so vital to every state. aworkcovervictimsdiary is also supported by Erin Brockovich.

We are in the 21st century, and injured workers need to use 21st century technology and tactics to get their voice heard by those who can help make the necessary changes.

We are NOT a political organisation. Political organisations are simply about money and power, plain & simple. They want your money and then they have the power, not you!  If you’re tired of playing “footsie” with politicians, then you’re the person we’re looking for. Injured workers need help and they need it now, not in 2 years!

You can read more about who we are and what we (aim) to do here>>

A word from the founder of aworkcovervictimsdiary

Were you injured at work? So was I! I became a disposable inconvenience because I was injured at work!

Why is this site so important?

Someday you or a loved one may be face to face with the WorkCover system and their illegal activities, knowledge is your best defence.

This site will help you navigate through the murky waters of the workers compensation system, and whilst my experience with workcover occurred in Victoria (Australia), I sincerely believe that it crosses all states and even borders with respect to the insane challenges and nightmares that a workplace injury can create, within any workers compensation framework or scheme that I am aware of.

My message to injured workers (and their supporters)

My message is simple and that is that you have to do your own research into the workers compensation laws relevant in your state or country; you really need to keep well informed and remember at all times that people advising or assisting you are most often not working in you best interest.

From my own experience I found that “mistakes” and “oversights” occur all the time. Like you, when I was first injured at work I did not know my rights – they were certainly never given to me by my workcover insurer, and I was and am treated with utter contempt and disrespect by my workcover insurance company, and also by my (now former) employer.

Knowledge is your only power!

A Diary of a WorkCover Victim- kick-started by seriously injured “Workcovervictim” in August 2011.

This site was born out of my sheer frustration, anger and grief regarding the workcover system where all is not made clear, where the waters are very murky, and when the chips are down, the very people who are responsible for duty of care and support simply choose to ignore you, the injured worker.

Remember all stakeholders (i.e. independent medical doctor; insurance doctor; rehab service providers etc.) are accountable to and will perform in a way to please the hand that feeds them – yes, it is all about money.

I hope this site, our and many other injured workers’ stories will somehow help other injured workers navigating the murky waters of the workcover system, and , at the very least, be extremely diligent in finding out their legitimate rights, always questioning the “system” in order to keep some sort of control within the workcover system.

The workers compensation is – in my opinion- extremely adversarial and they use tactics to wear you down, to make you emotionally bleed out, to break you, all in order to weaken your position and to maximise their insane profits.

Because I had been seriously injured at work, I have – like you- become the “suspect” and the “enemy”. My own experience has thought me to fully distrust the insurance company or the case manager – their attitudes and behaviours has led me to realise that “humanity” is something that is not exercised nor understood by them.

Even though liability was accepted for my injury, I was and am still treated (like you) as guilty and with suspicion. So I knew (an you will learn) that it was and is up to me (you) to protect yourself and to treat everybody with suspicion and distrust in return. No one is there for my or your protection; except my/your lawyer! This is where the word Diary played a huge part when deciding the domain name for this Blog. The word DIARY is to it is to remind all injured workers to KEEP A DIARY! Why? To protect yourself !

In a workcover situation it is my experience and opinion that injured workers are treated as guilty by all parties – which is insane, given that in Australia even the worst criminals are afforded the right of being innocent until proven guilty.

I dedicate this site to all injured workers who have been abused by the adversarial workcover compensation system and/or the workplace. May they never give up, may they fight like warrior for their legitimate rights, and, most importantly, may they hold onto their dignity, self-respect, self-esteem and sanity; and may they WIN!

Lisa – Workcovervictim

aworkcovervictimsdiary and Lisa (aka Workcovervictim) are supported by Erin Brockovich

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