327Appeal against medical assessment

#### 327 Appeal against medical assessment 327 Appeal against medical assessment > > (1) A party to a medical dispute may appeal against a medical assessment under this Part, but only in respect of a matter that is appealable under this section and only on the grounds for appeal under this section. > > > (2) A matter is appealable under this section if it is a matter as to which the assessment of a medical assessor certified in a medical assessment certificate under this Part is conclusively presumed to be correct in proceedings before a court or the Commission. > > > (3) The grounds for appeal under this section are any of the following grounds— > > > > > (a) deterioration of the worker’s condition that results in an increase in the degree of permanent impairment, > > > > > (b) availability of additional relevant information (but only if the additional information was not available to, and could not reasonably have been obtained by, the appellant before the medical assessment appealed against), > > > > > (c) the assessment was made on the basis of incorrect criteria, > > > > > (d) the medical assessment certificate contains a demonstrable error. > > > (4) An appeal is to be made by application to the President. The appeal is not to proceed unless the President is satisfied that, on the face of the application and any submissions made to the President, at least one of the grounds for appeal specified in subsection (3) has been made out. > > > (5) If the appeal is on a ground referred to in subsection (3) (c) or (d), the appeal must be made within 28 days after the medical assessment appealed against, unless the President is satisfied that special circumstances justify an increase in the period for an appeal. > > > (6) The President may refer a medical assessment for further assessment under section 329 as an alternative to an appeal against the assessment (but only if the matter could otherwise have proceeded on appeal under this section). > > > > Note. > > > > Section 329 also allows the President to refer a medical assessment back to the medical assessor for reconsideration (whether or not the medical assessment could be appealed under this section). > > > (7) There is to be no appeal against a medical assessment once the dispute concerned has been the subject of determination by a court or the Commission or agreement registered under section 66A of the 1987 Act. > > > (8) Clause 2 of Schedule 2 to the [Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2014-016) applies to and in respect of the provision of legal services in connection with an appeal under this section in the same way as it applies to and in respect of the provision of legal services in connection with a claim or defence of a claim for damages referred to in that clause. > > > > Note. > > > > Clause 2 of Schedule 2 to the [Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2014-016) prohibits a law practice from providing legal services in connection with a claim or defence unless a legal practitioner associate responsible for the provision of those services believes, on the basis of provable facts and a reasonably arguable view of the law, that the claim or defence has reasonable prospects of success. > > **s 327:** Ins 2001 No 61, Sch 4.2 \[17\]. Am 2001 No 94, Sch 1.2 \[15\]–\[17\]; 2005 No 113, Schs 1.1 \[22\] \[23\], 3.1 \[12\]; 2010 No 101, Sch 2 \[12\] \[13\]; 2015 No 7, Sch 2.46 \[6\] \[7\]; 2020 No 18, Sch 6.11\[61\] \[62\].