NTIn ForceAct
Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act 1979
12Rights to benefits to be determined by Commission
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 12
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act 1979.
12 Rights to benefits to be determined by Commission
(1) The right of any person to, and the amount of, a benefit under this
Act shall be determined by the Commission, and regulations under
this Act may prescribe the manner in which any such determination
is to be made.
(1A) The regulations may provide for the manner in which the
Commission determines whether a benefit is necessary or
reasonable.
(2) In the exercise of its power to make determinations under
subsection (1), the Commission may, on the advice of a medical
practitioner, determine a treatment plan or a rehabilitation program
for an injured person.
(3) The Commission may determine a treatment plan or rehabilitation
program for an injured person:
(a) on application by the injured person; or
(b) on the Commission's own initiative (and with or without the
agreement of the injured person).
(4) A treatment plan or rehabilitation program determined under this
section:
(a) may define and limit the kind and extent of treatment and care
(including attendant care services) for which statutory benefits
will be paid; and
(b) may impose reasonable conditions, to be complied with by the
injured person, on which the entitlement to statutory benefits
for treatment and care is contingent.
(5) In order to determine the nature or extent of statutory benefits to
which an injured person is entitled, or to determine a treatment plan
or rehabilitation program for an injured person, the Commission
may exercise any of the following powers:
(a) require the injured person to undergo an examination by a
medical practitioner or other person nominated by the
Commission;
Part 4 Payments in respect of injuries
Division 1 General benefits
Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act 1979 18
(ab) require the injured person to be assessed by an attendant
care needs assessor nominated by the Commission;
(b) require a medical practitioner, attendant care needs assessor
or other person who has examined, assessed or treated the
person to provide it with details and results of any such
examination, assessment or treatment and any other
information prescribed by regulation;
(c) require the injured person to provide it with any other
information prescribed by regulation.
(6) Before the Commission imposes a requirement under
subsection (5)(b) it must obtain from the injured person a written
authorisation (which will be irrevocable) to obtain information of the
relevant kind from medical practitioners and other persons who
have examined, assessed or treated the injured person.
(7) The Commission must suspend the payment of statutory benefits if
an injured person fails without reasonable excuse to comply with:
(a) a requirement under subsection (5); or
(b) a request for a written authorisation under subsection (6); or
(c) a condition of a treatment plan or rehabilitation program.
(8) While the payment of statutory benefits is suspended under
subsection (7) no right to statutory benefits accrues to the injured
person.
(9) In this section:
attendant care needs assessor means a person, or a person of a
class, approved by the Commission to assess a person's need for
attendant care services.
Part 4 Payments in respect of injuries
Division 1 General benefits