Work Related Injuries
What is a work related injury?
A work related injury is an accident that occurs at work that may be the result of a fall, repeated motion, overexertion, machinery, crush or falling object. These injuries often need the attention of an orthopaedic surgeon and can result in long term disability if not treated correctly.
What is workers compensation?
Workers compensation is a form of insurance to employees if they are injured while at work. This system ensures that employees are compensated for injures that are sustained at work which include medical, surgical and rehab costs.
This program ensures that the employee has all the resources available so they can return to work at the level that they were functioning prior to the injury.
Does Care First Orthopaedics treat work cover patients?
Care First Orthopaedics are orthopaedic experts who have a special interest in the area of worker’s compensation and motor vehicle accidents. Our orthopaedic surgeons provide expertise for injuries to all areas of the body which include hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, spine, hip, knee and foot and ankle. We provide care for all general orthopaedic injuries along with the ability to provide subspeciality consultations if required.
Book an Appointment Today!
What should I do if I have sustained a work cover and would like to consult a Care First specialist?
- Call the rooms at care first for an appointment on 02 4721 4434 and state that you have had a work injury and would like to see one of our specialists.
- Obtain a referral from your general practitioner or hospital emergency doctor.
- Bring the referral along with your claim approval number.
- For new claims your employer will need to report the injury to the register of injuries and lodge a claim through the SIRA (state insurance regulatory authority NSW).
- For existing claims, notify your case manager.
- Care First Orthopaedics regularly accommodates case conferences between the involved parties which may include patients, rehab providers, insurance case managers, nominated treating doctors and other treating specialists.
What a work cover injury assessment with a care first specialist involve?
Our Care First Orthopaedic Specialists are very experience in dealing with work related injuries and your assessment will begin with a thorough history and physical examination. The history will detail the mechanism of injury, the circumstances around the injury and the functional requirements that your job demands.
A physical examination will then be undertaken to determine the extent of the injury and imaging is often required to help confirm a diagnosis and a treatment plan is then recommended. Treatments may be operative or non-operative however the goal is to optimize your recovery and ability to return to work quickly.
A report is then sent worker compensation detailing the finding and treatment recommendations which may include surgery and rehab along with a prognosis for an estimate time for return to work.
Where do you operate?
If your work cover injury requires surgery and is approved by the insurance company your surgery will be undertaken at a private hospital for which your care first orthopaedic surgeon operates.
Call us on 02 4721 4434 to make an appointment.
