Worker Injury

Home 9 Worker Injury

Worker Injury Doctor Wollongong

Dr Markham is a worker injury surgeon who sees regional patients in Wollongong and Gosford and is committed to helping injured workers get back on their feet as soon as possible. Here are patients’ most asked questions on worker injuries.

What should I do if I have sustained an orthopaedic injury and need to see Dr Markham urgently?

We keep appointments open for urgent injuries every week.
These injuries are triaged on a needs basis and generally include fractures, disclocations, infections, biceps tendon tears, ACL tears, or worker injuries.
Arthritis or common sporting injuries are painful but are not usually triaged as urgent, however we will try to fit you in as soon as possible.
Dr Markham specialises in shoulder, knee and hip conditions, but can also treat worker injury elbow injuries.

How are worker injuries charged?

For your worker injury consults, your first consult you will not be charged if you have an approval number from your insurance company or employer at time of the consultation. If you do not have this, you will be charged.
The only exception is in circumstances where the injury occurred in the last 24 hours.
In this case, approval is not required, and we will bill the employer directly.

What worker injuries does Dr Markham see that fall under worker’s compensation in Australia?

Work accidents occur every day in the Australian work force and orthopaedic injuries can range from:

Falls, slips and trips
Machinery injuries
Entrapment
Overexertion through lifting, pushing and pulling
Repetitive motion injuries (e.g typing)
Crush injury and entanglement
Falling objects or debris
Psychological Injuries

Worker compensation is a system to insure injured workers are fairly compensated for injuries sustained at work.
This compensation can include costs for medical and rehabilitation, surgery, ambulance, medicine, physiotherapists, orthopaedic surgery, psychologists and ergonomic aids to help you return to work.

What do I need to bring if I have a worker injury?

Bring a referral from your GP, hospital emergency doctor or other medical doctor along with your claims approval number.
Bring all relevant imaging, x-Rays, scans and pathology
If you are a new work cover patient your claim will need to be first reported in your employer’s register of injuries and your employer will need to lodge a claim – through SIRA (The State Insurance Regulatory Authority NSW). You will need this approval number to cover the cost of your surgery.
If it is an existing claim, please notify your case manager as they will need to be advised about treatments for funding approval

In NSW, worker injuries come under three separate organisations WorkSafe NSW, SIRA and icare. (click here for more details and contact numbers)

What will Dr Markham do in his work cover injury assessment?

A thorough physical examination and functional capacity assessment to determine the extent of your injury and what ongoing capacity you may have to work.
Outline the mechanism of injury
Assess the need for treatment, surgery or additional rehabilitation
Assess medical co-morbidities that are likely to impact on the management of your condition (in accordance with privacy considerations)
When required can perform Comprehensive Third Party Claims
Can refer to a trusted network of pain physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists and physiotherapists.
Can provide a second opinion service for injured workers.

What forms are important for injured workers?

WorkCover NSW Certificate of Capacity – For work injury patients

Attendant Care Form – for work injury patients

Services Overview