[2011] SAWCT 3
General information, not legal advice.
Workers Compensation Tribunal (SA)
2011-02-17
President Judge P, Mr J
Original judgment source is linked above.
Whether an assessment under s 35B(1) was appropriate
"The argument that the compensating authority conducted an assessment under s 35B(4) is predicated upon a finding that at the end of the third entitlement period Mr Creek had no current work capacity. Whilst the outcome of the earlier s 38 review provides some evidence of that fact it is not conclusive and WorkCover does not concede the issue. Consistent with the limitations upon the capacity of the Tribunal to grant summary relief, as this is potentially an issue of fact, this ground cannot succeed."[21]
(1) Sections 35 to 35C (inclusive) of the principal Act, as enacted by this Act, (in this clause referred to as the new provisions) apply in relation to workers who suffer compensable disabilities on or after the relevant day.
(2) In addition, the new provisions extend to entitlements to weekly payments of compensation in relation to compensable disabilities occurring before the relevant day -
- (a) if a worker has, before the relevant day, reached or gone past the end of the first 2 years of incapacity referred to in section 35(2) of the principal Act, as in existence immediately before the substitution of section 35 under section 15 of this Act (in this clause referred to as the old provision) (and is still in receipt of weekly payments of compensation on the relevant day); or
- (b) if a worker, on or after the relevant day, reaches the end of the first 2 years of incapacity referred to in the old provision (and is still in receipt of weekly payments of compensation at the end of that 2 year period).
(3) To avoid doubt, in the circumstances of any particular case, the new provisions replace section 35 of the principal Act, as in existence immediately before the substitution of section 35 under section 15 of this Act, if or when a worker falls within a set of circumstances described in paragraph (a) or (b) of subclause (2)."[22]
The alleged procedural defects in the content of the decision and the notice given
Pursuant to sections 36(3), 39(3) and 45(7) of the Act, the following information must be included in a notice under any of those sections:
(a) a statement of the decision that has been made to discontinue, reduce, suspend or adjust weekly payments; and
(b) a reference to the provision of the Act and, if relevant, the regulations made under the Act, on which the Corporation is relying to discontinue, reduce, suspend or adjust weekly payments, and the text of that provision; and
(c) the general basis on which the Corporation has made its decision."
"I am giving you 28 days notice before weekly payments are stopped pursuant to section 36(3b)(b) of the Act and therefore your weekly payments will cease 28 days after you receive this letter".
[3] The first, second and third entitlement periods are explained in s 35(8) of the Act - if the appellant had a continuous incapacity for work and a continuous entitlement to income maintenance from the date of injury, the end of the third entitlement period would have been reached 130 weeks after 25 November 2006, namely by 25 May 2009. However, the appellant did not dispute the assertion that he passed the end of the third entitlement period in the week ending 21 November 2009.
[5] Being 1 April 2009 in accordance with the proclamation dated 26 March 2009 of the "relevant day" for the purposes of Schedule 1 cl 4(2).
[6] Paras 33, 34, and 36 of the decision under appeal ("the decision").
[7] Reg 7(b) of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (General) Regulations 1999 ("the Regulations").
[9] The appellant observed that there might also be a question as to whether procedural fairness had been afforded with respect to the s 35B assessment process, but that this was "an argument for another day" - tr 13. This matter was heard before the decision of Davey v WorkCover Corporation (Construction Industry Training Board) [2011] SAWCT 1, and any procedural fairness issue which might have arisen does not need to be addressed given our conclusion.
[13] [1964] HCA 69; (1964) 112 CLR 125 at 129 per Barwick CJ.
[17] These conditions are defined in s 3(10) - see below at para [56].
[20] The learned Deputy President accepted that "it would seem" that this occurred (para 19 of the decision). The compensating authority conceded that at the end of the third entitlement period the appellant was in receipt of weekly payments. It accepted that the basis upon which the s 38(7) decision was made was that there was a total incapacity - Appeal tr 47**.**
[22] The relevant day for the purposes of cl 4(1) is 1 July 2008 - Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Scheme Review) (Relevant Day) Proclamation 2008 made 26 June 2008; the relevant day for the purposes of cl 4(2) and (3) is 1 April 2009 - Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Scheme Review) (Relevant Day) Proclamation 2009 made 26 March 2009.
[23] Section 3(10) then proceeds to provide for a similar correlation between "partial incapacity" and "current work capacity".
[24] For example, ss 40(3) and 58A(1) and (2) of the Act.
[31] A consideration accepted to be relevant in Rundle.
Creek
WorkCover Corporation
Rundle v WorkCover Corporation/Vero Workers Compensation (SA) Ltd [2006] SAWCT 12
Davey v WorkCover Corporation (Construction Industry Training Board) [2011] SAWCT 1
Garton v State of South Australia [1998] SAWCT 32
TransAdelaide v Alympic [2005] SAWCT 93
Moore-McQuillan v WorkCover Corporation/VACC Insurance Worksafe (SA) Pty Ltd [1997] SAWCT 13
General Steel Industries Incorporated v Commission for Railways [1964] HCA 69; (1964) 112 CLR 125
Webster v Lampard [1993] HCA 57; (1993) 177 CLR 598
Pond v WorkCover/Allianz Australia Workers Compensation (SA) Ltd [2001] SAWCT 69
Webb v Employers Mutual Limited [2010] SAWCT 4
On appeal from Deputy President Judge Gilchrist [2010] SAWCT 22
(1964) 112 CLR 125
(1993) 177 CLR 598