Injured at Work in NSW? What to Do in the First 48 Hours
If you're reading this with an injury, take a breath. The next two days matter more than you think — not because there's a ticking legal clock, but because the steps you take now shape your recovery, your income, and how smoothly your WorkCover claim moves.
This is the short version: what to do in the first hour, the first 24 hours, and the first 48 hours. No fluff. Follow it top to bottom.
The First Hour
Your only job in the first hour is to get safe, get assessed, and get the basic facts down while they're fresh.
1. Get medical attention
If the injury is serious — head, spine, chest, heavy bleeding, breathing issues, or anything you're not sure about — call 000. Don't drive yourself. Don't let a supervisor talk you into waiting.
If it's a minor injury — a sprain, a strain, a cut, a sore back that's building — you can see a doctor the same day. Don't use any GP. Use one who understands WorkCover. A regular GP who doesn't know the system can write the wrong type of certificate, and that can delay your claim by weeks.
You can book a WorkCover doctor with our clinic online. Most patients are seen the same week, many within 24 hours.
2. Tell your supervisor
Verbally is fine in the moment. Find your direct supervisor, site manager, or whoever is on shift and say clearly: "I've been injured at work." Even if you're not sure how bad it is yet, report it now. You can update the details later.
A verbal report is the start, not the end. You still need to put it in writing within 24 hours (more on that below).
3. Capture the scene
Before anything gets moved, cleaned, or "tidied up," take photos with your phone:
- The exact spot where it happened
- Any hazard involved (wet floor, faulty equipment, unstable load, missing guard)
- Your injury, if visible
- Any PPE you were or weren't provided
4. Note the essentials
In your phone, in the Notes app, type out:
- Date and time of the injury
- Exact location
- What you were doing
- Names of witnesses and their phone numbers if you can get them
- What you said to your supervisor and what they said back
You don't need to write an essay. Bullet points are enough. Memory fades fast when you're stressed and in pain — write it down now.
The First 24 Hours
Now you're moving from the scene to the system. This is where most claims get won or lost.
1. Get your Certificate of Capacity
A Certificate of Capacity is the document that tells your employer and the insurer what you can and can't do at work. Without it, nothing moves — your claim sits in limbo and your wages stop.
Our WorkCover doctors issue the Certificate of Capacity at your first appointment. It's written properly, in the right format, with the right duty restrictions. No re-dos. No arguments with the insurer.
2. Put your employer on notice in writing
Send a short email to your supervisor and HR. Keep it simple:
- What happened
- When and where
- The injury
- That you're seeking medical treatment
- That you'd like to lodge a WorkCover claim
Send it from your personal email or CC yourself so you always have a copy. Don't rely on a text or a chat app that could be deleted.
3. Don't sign anything from the insurer
Within a day or two, an insurer case manager may call or email. They may ask you to sign consent forms, medical authorities, or a recorded statement. Be polite, take their name and reference number, then stop.
Signing a broad medical authority can give the insurer access to years of your unrelated health history. You're not required to sign on the spot. Ask for the document in writing and get advice first.
4. Keep every receipt
Start a folder on your phone or in your email. Save:
- Medical receipts
- Pharmacy receipts
- Travel to and from appointments (kilometres, parking, public transport)
- Any equipment you buy — braces, crutches, heat packs
WorkCover reimburses these, but only if you can show them.
The First 48 Hours
By now you've had treatment, told your employer, and you have your Certificate of Capacity in hand. The next 24 hours are about locking the claim in and setting up your recovery.
1. Lodge your claim
In NSW, your employer must notify their insurer within 48 hours of being told about a workplace injury. You complete the worker's injury claim form and submit it along with your Certificate of Capacity. If you want the full official process, SIRA's claims guide walks through it step by step.
If your employer drags their feet, you can lodge directly with the insurer yourself. You don't need their permission.
2. Start a recovery log
A plain notebook or a note in your phone is enough. Each day, jot down:
- Pain level out of 10
- What you could and couldn't do
- Sleep quality
- Any medication you took
- Appointments and who you saw
This log becomes evidence. If the insurer disputes the severity of your injury in three months, you'll have 90 days of real, dated notes to prove your case.
3. Plan your recovery pathway
Most work injuries need more than one appointment. You'll likely need physio, and sometimes psychology, rehab, or specialist imaging. Our clinic coordinates the whole pathway — the doctor, the physio, the psychologist, the specialist, and the paperwork — so you're not chasing five providers.
You never pay us out of pocket. The insurer pays our team directly once your claim is accepted, so your recovery isn't held up by billing.
4. Get legal support early if things feel off
If your employer is pushing back, pressuring you to take leave instead of lodging, or the insurer is slow-walking your claim — don't wait until it becomes a fight. Our WorkCover compensation lawyers are part of our clinic team and there's no out-of-pocket cost. The earlier they're involved, the fewer mistakes get made.
What NOT to Do
Just as important as the checklist above is what to avoid. These are the mistakes we see cost people weeks and sometimes thousands of dollars.
- Don't tough it out. Delayed treatment equals slower recovery. Mental-health claims that start late take around 5x longer to resolve than those started promptly. See the full data on our WorkCover in numbers page.
- Don't skip the Certificate of Capacity. Without it, the insurer has no obligation to pay you. A regular sick note is not the same thing.
- Don't accept "we'll handle it in-house" from your employer. WorkCover is a legal entitlement, not a favour. Quiet "informal" arrangements leave you with no coverage if the injury gets worse.
- Don't speak to an insurer's investigator without advice. Recorded statements can be used against you later. It's fine to say, "I'll get back to you after I speak with my lawyer."
- Don't post about the injury on social media. Insurers check. A photo of you at a birthday dinner two weeks later can be twisted to look like you're fine.
What Happens Next
Once your claim is lodged, the insurer has seven days to provisionally accept it and start paying weekly benefits and medical expenses. They have up to 21 days to give you a formal decision. If they dispute or delay, our team handles the correspondence and pushes back so you can focus on recovery, not admin.
Where to Start
If you've just been injured and you're not sure what to do next, the fastest path is one phone call. Book a same-week appointment with one of our doctors, get your Certificate of Capacity sorted, and we'll take the rest from there.
Start here: Book a WorkCover doctor or read our broader tactical guide at Got injured at work.
- Report your injury to your supervisor immediately — verbally first, then in writing within 24 hours.
- See a WorkCover-experienced doctor, not a random GP. The Certificate of Capacity is the document that unlocks your claim.
- Photograph the scene, note the witnesses, and keep every receipt from day one.
- Don't sign insurer documents or give recorded statements without advice — you have time to get it right.
- Lodge your claim within 48 hours. If your employer drags their feet, lodge it directly yourself.
- Our clinic coordinates doctor, physio, psychology, and legal under one roof, with the insurer paying our team directly so there's no out-of-pocket cost to you.
