Injured at Work in NSW? Here's What Happens Next, Step by Step

If you've just hurt yourself at work in NSW, you probably have two problems at once: the injury itself, and not knowing what happens next. Who do you tell? What's a "claim number"? Does treatment have to wait until your claim is "approved"? Can your employer just say no?

This is a plain walk-through of the actual process, based on how the NSW workers compensation scheme works under SIRA (the State Insurance Regulatory Authority) and icare. Some details vary depending on your employer, your injury and your insurer, so where that's the case, we've said so rather than guessing.

The sequence, in short

1. Get medical attention, then tell your employer what happened as soon as you reasonably can — under NSW law this is a requirement, not just good practice.
2. Your employer notifies their insurer (icare for most NSW employers, or their own claims service provider if they're self-insured).
3. Your GP issues a Certificate of Capacity, setting out your injury and what work you can currently do.
4. You (or your employer) lodge a claim form with the insurer, who issues you a claim number.
5. The insurer starts provisional liability — payments and treatment can generally begin here, before the claim is fully decided.
6. Physiotherapy and any other approved treatment start, coordinated with your GP and the insurer's case manager as your claim and recovery progress.

Each of these is explained properly below, including the one most people don't know about until it's too late to use it early: step 5.

What should I do right away after a workplace injury?

Get medical attention first if you need it — a hospital emergency department or your GP, depending on how serious it is. Once that's underway, tell your employer what happened as soon as you reasonably can. It doesn't need to be a formal letter to start with; telling your supervisor or manager directly, and following up in writing (an email is fine) so there's a record, is enough to get the process moving.

How soon do I need to tell my employer?

As soon as you reasonably can, and there is a legal reason for that beyond common sense. Under NSW law, notice of the injury has to be given to your employer as soon as possible after it happens, and compensation is generally not recoverable if it isn't. There are exceptions where a worker had a genuine reason for delay, but they are exceptions and not something to rely on.

There are two practical reasons to report it quickly as well. Your employer only has to notify their insurer once they know about the injury, so a delay on your end delays everything downstream. And NSW law gives you six months from the date of injury to make a claim (extensions beyond that are possible in limited circumstances, but need approval and aren't guaranteed), so leaving it for weeks or months makes things harder than they need to be, even if it's technically still within time.

What happens after I notify my employer?

Your employer is expected to notify their insurer (for most NSW employers this is icare, or the employer's own claims service provider if they're self-insured) promptly — icare's own guidance says within 48 hours of being told. Your employer should also give you (or point you to) a claim form.

If your employer is slow, or you're not confident they've actually reported it, you don't have to wait on them. You can notify the insurer yourself directly — icare has an online "notify us of an injury" form for exactly this situation, and a family member, doctor, or other representative can also do it on your behalf if you're not able to.

What is a Certificate of Capacity, and why do I need one?

A Certificate of Capacity is a form your treating doctor (usually your GP) fills out. It records your injury or condition, what work duties you can and can't currently do, and what treatment is recommended. It's the main way your doctor communicates with your employer and the insurer, and it's what triggers and continues your weekly payments and treatment approval — a certificate usually covers up to 28 days, so you'll need updated ones as your recovery continues, similar to a standard medical certificate but purpose-built for a workers comp claim.

You don't need to already have a Certificate of Capacity before you lodge your claim form — you can lodge first and provide the certificate once your doctor's completed it.

How do I actually lodge a claim, and what's a claim number?

Lodging a claim means submitting a workers compensation claim form to the insurer, along with your Certificate of Capacity once you have it. Once the insurer receives and registers your claim, they issue a claim number — this is the reference you'll use every time you speak to the insurer, your employer, or a treating provider (including a physiotherapist) about this injury from then on. Keep it somewhere you can find it quickly, because most people are asked for it constantly in the first few weeks.

What is "provisional liability" — and why does it matter?

This is the part most injured workers don't know, and it's genuinely useful: your claim doesn't have to be fully accepted before treatment and payments can start.

Once the insurer is notified of your injury, NSW rules require them to start what's called provisional liability within seven days. That means provisional weekly payments and cover for reasonably necessary medical treatment (including physiotherapy), without yet making a final decision on whether they accept the claim overall. Provisional liability can run for up to 12 weeks of weekly payments and up to $10,000 of medical treatment costs. Starting provisional payments isn't the insurer admitting the claim is definitely accepted. It's a deliberate design in the scheme, so you're not left without income or treatment while the insurer investigates.

Beyond provisional liability, the insurer is required to make a formal decision on your claim and to tell you that decision in writing. How long that takes depends on your type of injury and when you made your claim; the rules changed in 2026 and it is genuinely different for different claims. If your insurer has gone quiet, don't sit there guessing whether some deadline protects you. The NSW Independent Review Office (IRO) will tell you free of charge exactly what applies to your claim. See "What if my claim is disputed or delayed?" below.

Why this matters practically: if you're waiting to hear back on your claim, that is not a reason to delay starting physiotherapy. In most cases you can begin treatment under provisional liability while the claim is still being assessed.

How does physiotherapy fit into a workers compensation claim?

Once your injury is reported and either provisional liability or full liability is in place, physiotherapy is one of the treatment types the insurer can fund. In NSW you're generally entitled to choose your own physiotherapist for a WorkCover injury — you're not required to use a clinic your employer or insurer nominates.

From there, your physiotherapist typically works alongside your GP and the insurer's case manager: assessing the injury, agreeing a treatment plan, and reporting progress back so everyone involved — you, your employer, your doctor and the insurer — has the same picture of how your recovery and any return-to-work plan are tracking. You can read more about work injury treatment and our physiotherapy services.

What happens at the first physio appointment for a WorkCover injury?

Bring your claim number, your employer's and insurer's details, and your current Certificate of Capacity if you have one. The first appointment is generally an assessment: what happened, what you can and can't currently do at work and at home, and what a sensible treatment plan looks like from here. Your physiotherapist will usually need to communicate with your GP and your case manager as part of that plan — that's a normal part of how a WorkCover claim is managed, not something to be alarmed by.

What if my employer is unhelpful, or won't report my injury?

This happens, and it doesn't stop you from making a claim. You can:

• Notify the insurer directly yourself, using their online injury notification form, rather than relying on your employer to do it.
• Get help from the Independent Review Office (IRO), formerly known as WIRO — a NSW Government body that provides free, independent legal advice about workers compensation claims and investigates complaints about how an insurer (not your employer specifically) has handled a claim. Most injured workers are eligible for this regardless of their financial situation.
• Keep your own written record of what happened and when you reported it — dates and copies of any messages help if there's a dispute later about timing.

An unhelpful employer is a genuine source of stress, but the claims process is designed to run through the insurer, not to depend entirely on your employer's cooperation.

What if my claim is disputed or delayed?

If the insurer disputes liability, is slow to respond, or you're not sure whether a decision has actually been made on your claim, that's the point to contact the IRO for free, independent advice on your specific situation — this is exactly the kind of situation their service exists for, and they can tell you what timeframes and protections apply to your particular claim rather than a general rule that may not fit it. In the meantime, provisional liability (where it applies) is designed to keep treatment and payments running while things are sorted out, though this depends on the details of your specific claim.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to see my regular GP, or can any doctor give me a Certificate of Capacity? Any treating doctor can issue one, but it's generally simpler to use one GP consistently through the claim, since they're the one communicating with your employer and insurer as your recovery progresses.

Can I choose my own physiotherapist for a WorkCover claim? Generally yes — in NSW you're not required to use a physiotherapist nominated by your employer or insurer.

Will I have to pay anything upfront for physiotherapy under WorkCover? Where a claim has provisional or accepted liability, physiotherapy for the accepted injury is billed to the insurer rather than paid by you directly. If there's any uncertainty about your specific claim status, it's worth checking with the clinic and your case manager before your first appointment.

I'm a casual employee or a contractor — am I still covered? Many casual workers are covered under the NSW scheme; genuine independent contractors are a more complicated case that depends on the specific work arrangement. If you're unsure which applies to you, the IRO can give free advice on your specific situation.

How long can I keep receiving physiotherapy under a WorkCover claim? This depends on your injury, your treatment plan, and ongoing approval from the insurer — there's no fixed number of sessions set by the scheme itself. Your physiotherapist and case manager will review this as your claim progresses.

What if my insurer hasn't told me whether my claim has been accepted? Contact them directly and ask for the decision in writing. If you're still not getting a clear answer, the NSW Independent Review Office (IRO) offers free, independent advice and can tell you exactly what timeframe and protections apply to your specific claim.

Ready to book?

If you've got a claim number and you're looking for a physiotherapist in South West Sydney to help manage a work injury claim, you're welcome to book online or call our Prestons clinic on 02 8119 7163 to talk through what you'll need to bring to a first appointment. You can also read more about WorkCover physiotherapy at our Prestons clinic.