Accident Compensation Act 2001, ss 133, 134

You can apply to ACC for an independent review if you’re not happy with:

• ACC’s decision about whether your injury is covered by ACC
• how your injury is classified (for example, whether it’s a work-related injury)
• your entitlements (like how much weekly compensation you get)
• an ACC levy
• any delay in processing your claim that you believe is unreasonable
• any ACC decision in response to a complaint under the Code of ACC Claimants’ Rights.

Your employer can also apply for a review of an ACC decision that your injury is work-related and suffered during your employment with them.

Note: ACC’s decision stays in force during the review process, unless ACC agrees to changing it for your benefit.

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 135

You’ll need to apply in writing to ACC for the independent review (you don’t apply to the reviewers directly).

If possible, you should use ACC’s Application for Review form (ACC33) – you can download this form from ACC’s website here, (or go to acc.co.nz, navigate to “Contact us” then “Getting a decision reviewed”).

In your written application you should:

• say which decision you want reviewed
• set out the grounds for the review – that is, what you think was wrong with the decision
• say what decision you think should have been made instead.

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 135

You have three months to apply to ACC for an independent review of one of their decisions.

If you apply late, ACC will accept your application and take the decision to an independent review only if there were special circumstances that prevented you meeting the time limit. For example:

• if you were so affected or traumatised by your injury that you couldn’t think about your right to a review
• if you made reasonable arrangements to have someone else apply for the review on your behalf, and they didn’t apply for it on time
• if ACC didn’t tell you what you needed to do to apply for a review.

A case conference is used to try to resolve any procedural issues before the review hearing. The reviewer will decide whether a case conference is needed.

If the reviewer decides to have a case conference, they will contact the parties, usually by phone, to discuss things such as:

• whether everyone understands the issues
• whether everyone is ready to go ahead
• the hearing date and venue
• whether anyone has any special needs in relation to the hearing.

The reviewer may also discuss with the parties whether mediation or facilitation may be the best way to resolve the dispute (see: “Mediation and other alternative ways of resolving disputes”), or whether the parties would prefer an “on the papers” decision. An “on the papers” decision means a decision based on the documents that the parties provide (rather than a decision based on evidence presented by people speaking at a hearing).

After the conference, the reviewer will send the parties written confirmation of any agreements reached and any decisions that the reviewer has made about procedural issues.

If the reviewer decides a case conference is not necessary, they will contact the parties to arrange a date and place for the hearing. They may also discuss whether mediation or facilitation may be the best way to resolve the dispute, whether the parties would prefer an “on the papers” decision, and whether anyone has any special needs in relation to the hearing.

In some cases, the reviewer may decide to hold a preliminary hearing. This usually happens when there is doubt about whether the review application is valid – for example, where it needs to be decided if there was an ACC decision that can be reviewed.

The preliminary hearing is usually focused only on settling the preliminary issue, such as checking whether the application is valid. A preliminary hearing can be held by phone (through teleconferencing) or just based on written submissions (“on the papers”).

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 141

The review hearing will be held at a place agreed to by the parties or (if the parties can’t agree) at a place decided by the reviewer. All parties will be told the time and place of the hearing at least seven days before the date of the hearing.

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 146

ACC must set a date for the review hearing within three months after you apply for the review. If after three months they still haven’t set a hearing date, you’re treated as having automatically won your case (unless you contributed to the delay).

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 142

You and one or more representatives of the ACC are allowed to be at a review hearing. If the review is about a decision to accept or decline cover for a work-related personal injury, your employer may also be present.

You can choose to represent yourself, or you can be represented by someone else, for example, an advocate or a lawyer.

Note: Legal Aid may be available for legal representation at an independent ACC review hearing (see: “Legal Aid and other legal help”).

You can also bring witnesses and support people to the review hearing, but you must tell the reviewer organisation first. Members of the public and the media are not allowed to attend the review hearing.

At the review hearing, all parties are given a chance to speak and to present evidence that supports their case. The reviewer can look at any relevant evidence, they don’t have to follow the same rules around evidence as they do in a court. You can submit expert medical evidence or other medical documents.

You might be asked questions by ACC or by any other party. You can also ask questions of anyone who gives evidence. The reviewer can also ask questions of either party and of their witnesses and can request further information. The reviewer must make a record of the evidence, usually by an audio recording of the hearing, and must keep the record for at least two years.

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 145

The reviewer will hear the evidence and can ask anyone questions during the hearing. Before making a decision at the review hearing, the reviewer must:

• put aside ACC‘s decision and look at the issues on the basis of the information provided at the review
• put aside ACC‘s policies and procedures and make a decision based on what is the best solution under the ACC laws.

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s, 144, 145

The reviewer can decide to:

• dismiss the application for review and stick to ACC‘s decision, or
• make changes to ACC‘s decision, or
• cancel ACC‘s decision and either:
  • make their own decision, or
  • require ACC to make a new decision in line with the reviewer’s instructions
• require ACC to make a decision within a specific time frame (specified by the reviewer), if ACC has not made its decision in a timely manner, or
• make the decision for ACC, if it has not made a decision in a timely manner.

Note: If a review hearing is held, a review decision must be made within 28 days after the hearing. As soon as possible after making the decision, the reviewer must give a copy of the decision to you (the applicant), ACC, and any others who were at the hearing. The reviewer’s decision is binding on all parties.

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 148

ACC is responsible for costs relating to reviews. When the reviewer provides a review decision, the reviewer:

• must award costs and expenses to you, the applicant, when the matter is resolved in your favour
• is able to award other costs and expenses to any other person, when the matter is resolved in your favour
• is able to award you costs and expenses even if the matter is not resolved in your favour, if the reviewer thinks that you acted reasonably in asking for the review.

If ACC changes its decision in your favour before the hearing, ACC must award you costs and expenses. In this situation, ACC should award the costs and expenses that would have been awarded by a reviewer had the review proceeded. This applies whether or not a reviewer is appointed and whether or not a hearing has been scheduled.