Standardisation seen as helping make system nimble and flexible
Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation’s (ARTIO) New South Wales branch is calling on the state government to develop a standard process for assessing Compulsory Third Party (CTP) and workers compensation insurance claims.
Standardisation should lead to earlier resolution of claims and reduced recourse to avenues of appeal while ensuring appropriate rights and obligations of parties to seek redress through dispute resolution are retained, ARTIO NSW secretary/treasurer Hugh McMaster says.
ARTIO NSW’s position is outlined in its submission to a NSW parliamentary inquiry which is reviewing the NSW workers compensation scheme.
“ARTIO NSW’s submission also calls for a triage process to be developed for both workers compensation and CTP so everybody understands the appropriate pathway to resolve a claim from the outset,” McMaster says.
How we reported the CTP reform issue in NSW the last time it surfaced
The organisation argues a standard workers compensation and CTP claims assessment process is needed which:
- encourages early conciliation or mediation
- enables prompt resolution of small and/or less complex claims
- accommodates management of more complex claims
- encourages parties to identify areas of dispute quickly
- encourages prompt and efficient exchange of information relevant to areas of dispute
- includes standardised medical assessment.
“Standardised claims assessment should simplify administration, lead to reduced legal and medical costs and instil in all stakeholders greater confidence and integrity in the dispute resolution process,” McMaster says.
“Beneficiaries can be expected to include injured workers as well as road transport operators because they have a significant stake in efficient administration of both CTP and workers compensation insurance schemes.”
The review is being conducted by the NSW Legislative Council’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice and was prompted by concerns raised by organisations representing legal practitioners and insurers.
Issues surrounding CTP reform have bubbled along for much of the decade, particularly related to Green Slip changes, with Road Freight NSW keeping an eye on developments.