This page applies to workers compensation claims only. IRO does not facilitate legal advice for motor vehicle accident claims.
How to get legal help
We recommend that you contact us or call your lawyer as soon as you can if you have a problem with your workers compensation claim.
There are some time limits that apply under the law so the earlier you make contact the better.
Many complaints can be solved by our Solutions Group within two working days. However some issues are more complicated and injured workers require legal help.
We have a list of Approved Lawyers who have experience in workers compensation matters and will provide you with independent advice and assistance at no cost to you.
You will need to make direct contact with one of these lawyers.
How it works
IRO does not provide legal advice or assistance itself. It manages the Independent Legal Assistance and Review Service (ILARS) which provides injured workers with access to advice from Approved Lawyers at no cost to you.
These lawyers can help where there is a disagreement with insurers regarding entitlements or where assistance is needed to make a claim.
Your lawyer must apply to ILARS for a grant of funding which will cover your legal fees and other necessary expenses such as medical reports.
In order to approve a grant of funding IRO must be satisfied that some prospect of succeeding in the claim or challenging the insurer’s decision has been demonstrated.
We issue grants of funding to these Approved Lawyers for disputes that cannot be solved by our Solutions Group.
IRO is unable to issue grants of funding for exempt workers. If you are an exempt worker, you can contact us for more information.
How long will it take?
We aim to respond to the application for funding made by your lawyer within five business days.
There are a few reasons why we might not provide a grant. If it is a simple problem we may work directly with the insurer to get a solution.
In some cases IRO determines that the case does not have a chance of success and should not be funded.
An injured worker may still take the matter to the Personal Injury Commission if we do not provide funding but this will be at the worker’s expense.