If you have suffered a psychological injury in the course of your employment, including as a result of bullying or harassment in the workplace, you may have a right to claim compensation.

What is meant by “In the Course of Employment”?

This means that your employment must be a ‘substantial contributing factor’ to your injury. This is a medical test and is quite often disputed by the insurer based on an independent medical examination arranged by the insurer. If this happens in your claim you need to see a lawyer as soon as possible to get advice and challenge this decision.

Expert Psychological and Bullying Claim Lawyers

The lawyers at Law Advice Compensation Lawyers specialise in workers compensation claims. In fact, compensation law is all that we do. Our lawyers are approved as Legal Service Providers of the Workers Compensation Independent Review Office (WIRO). This means that we are able to obtain a grant to pay the whole of your legal costs so you are not out of pocket for any legal costs.

What Is a Psychological Injury?

Psychological injuries can either be sustained because of trauma or an incident a worker is subjected to during employment and can include:

  • A psychological/psychiatric injury contracted over a period of time;
  • An aggravation, acceleration, exacerbation or deterioration of a psychological/psychiatric injury in the course of your employment;
  • A traumatic incident in the workplace that happens on a specific date and time. Examples of such incidents include being robbed and held up at gunpoint, being involved in a car or train accident during the course of your employment, witnessing co-workers being injured or placed in peril or being involved in other significant trauma in the workplace.

Bullying and Harassment Claim

You may have a right to compensation if you have been subjected to long term stress in the workplace that develops into a psychiatric injury/condition, or have been subjected to bullying and harassment in the workplace by either co-workers, managers or owners of the business.

Bullying and harassment type claims are the most common forms of psychological/psychiatric injury worker’s compensation claims made. Unfortunately, there seems to be a very high prevalence for bullying and harassment type claims to arise in health industries, and in particular, public health. Quite often due to the complex nature of the factual issues surrounding these claims they will be declined at the outset by the insurer. In this situation, you should immediately seek the assistance of a lawyer to assist you in challenging the decision of the insurer. 

We offer a free, no obligation initial conference, so it won’t cost you anything to know where you stand.


The above information is general information only. For a free consultation and specific advice regarding your claim from one of our experts please contact us on Free Call 1800 122 555 or complete our Free Advice Form.