COVID-19 infected emergency services workers urged to launch legal action to cover loss of wage, medicine
Emergency services workers infected with coronavirus are being urged to launch legal action in a bid to cover lost wages. But lawyers have encouraged staff to make a move within a certain timeline after their diagnosis for the best result.
South East
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Emergency services workers who catch coronavirus on the job are being urged to launch legal action within a month of their diagnosis so they can be covered for loss of wages and medical appointments.
And staff who suffer permanent injuries as a result of the virus could pursue a lump-sum payment, according to southeast lawyer James Carlson.
It comes after more than 60 officers at Frankston police station were stood down after four members contracted the virus.
Around half a dozen Victorian officers have tested positive to the virus this month.
“Given the amount of community interaction police continue to do and in the absence of having a family member or close contact with the virus, it may be likely they have been exposed through their work,” Mr Carlson said.
“Clearly it’s an industry where potential exposure can be reduced but not completely minimised so it’s no surprise that several Frankston members have tested positive.
“For a police member to make a workers’ compensation claim after contracting coronavirus they must demonstrate, on the balance of probabilities, that their employment was a significant contributing factor to them contracting the disease.”
Mr Carlson, who works with clients across Frankston, Cranbourne and Pakenham as the practice manager for Slater and Gordon, said he expected an increase in claims made by emergency workers after the state’s second wave.
He said a workers’ compensation would allow staff to be covered for loss of wages and medical costs as result of the illness — but if they were to suffer permanent injuries as a result of the virus, a lump-sum payment could be pursued.
“A lump sum includes loss of past and future wages and loss of enjoyment of life — including physical and psychological mental wellbeing — as a result of a permanent injury,” he said.
“Benefits are available to people’s families and loved ones in the event a worker tragically dies as a result of an injury or illness.”
Mr Carlson urged infected clients to make contact with a lawyer within a month of diagnosis so lawyers could confirm if they contracted the virus at work and establish people they may have been in contact with.
“The longer the wait (after diagnosis) the harder it is to establish who they’ve been in contact with … we also don’t know what long term implications there will be mentally and physically, so it’s important to have that on record,” he said.
“We hope most claims would only be for a limited period as people generally make full recovery, but we are still learning about the long term effects the coronavirus has on people’s health.”
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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