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Workers Compensation Act 1951
120AProceedings on late claims
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120A Proceedings on late claims
(1) A person may apply to the Magistrates Court to allow a proceeding
for the recovery of compensation to be maintained.
Note Section 120 (2) allows the proceeding to be continued even if the claim
was made after the end of the time periods set out in s 120 (1), if the
Magistrates Court allows it to be maintained under this section.
(2) The Magistrates Court may allow the application if the court
considers that it is just and reasonable to allow the proceeding to be
maintained.
(3) Before making a decision about whether to allow the application, the
Magistrates Court may hear anyone likely to be affected by the
proceeding if the court considers it appropriate.
(4) In considering whether to allow the application, the Magistrates Court
must have regard to all the circumstances of the case, including the
(a) the length of and reasons for the delay in making the claim;
(b) the extent to which, having regard to the delay, there is or is
likely to be prejudice to the employer;
(c) the conduct of the employer and the employer’s licensed insurer
after the cause of action accrued to the claimant, including any
steps taken by the employer or the employer’s insurer to make
available to the claimant ways of working out facts that were or
might have been relevant to the cause of action;
(d) the duration of any disability of the worker arising at the time of
or after the injury giving rise to the claim;
(e) the extent to which the claimant acted promptly and reasonably
once the claimant knew that the injury to, or death of, the worker
could be capable at that time of giving rise to a claim for
compensation;
(f) any steps taken by the claimant to obtain medical, legal or other
expert advice and the nature of any advice received.
claimant, if the claim is made by a person other than the worker,
includes the worker.