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Health & disability

Costs covered by ACC: Treatment, compensation and other support

Overview

If your injury is covered by ACC, then you’re entitled to medical treatment; compensation for loss of wages or salary; rehabilitation to help you regain your independence at work and outside work; and other assistance. The ACC scheme calls these your “entitlements”.

Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 69

The main ACC entitlements are:

  • treatment and rehabilitation – both vocational rehabilitation and social rehabilitation)
  • weekly compensation for lost wages or salary
  • lump-sum compensation for permanent disabilities (“impairment”)
  • support for family members after a fatal injury.

When ACC can refuse you an entitlement

Accident Compensation Act 2001, ss 117–122

ACC can refuse you entitlements in certain cases, including for as long as you unreasonably refuse or fail to:

  • meet a requirement under the ACC laws to do with your claim (like having an assessment)
  • have medical or surgical treatment for your injury, or
  • agree to or follow an individual rehabilitation plan (see “How your rehabilitation plan is decided”).

You can also be refused an entitlement if you:

  • deliberately injured yourself, or
  • were injured committing a crime that carries a maximum jail term of two years or more (even if you’re sentenced to less than two years or to home detention), or
  • are in prison, or
  • have claimed compensation (“damages”) for your injury through the courts in certain situations.

After you start receiving ACC entitlements, ACC can suspend or cancel an entitlement if they’re not satisfied, on the basis of the information they have, that you’re entitled to go on receiving it. If they intend to do this, ACC have to give you advance notice in writing a reasonable amount of time before they suspend or cancel the entitlement.

Next Section | Medical bills

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Accident compensation (ACC)

Where to go for more support

Community Law

www.communitylaw.org.nz

Your local Community Law Centre can provide free initial legal advice and information.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)

www.acc.co.nz

Claims

Claims helpline: 0800 101 996
Treatment Injury and Sexual Abuse (sensitive claims): 0800 735 566
Accidental death: 0800 101 996
Deaf community fax: 0800 332 354
Email: claims@acc.co.nz

General enquiries

Phone: (04) 816 7400
Email: information@acc.co.nz

Complaints

Phone: 0800 650 222
Email: complaints@acc.co.nz

Health and Disability Commissioner

www.hdc.org.nz

Health and Disability advocates are available to help users of health services make complaints about their health service provider. Health and Disability advocates are free.

Sexual abuse claims (“Sensitive” claims)

ACC Sensitive Claims team

Phone: 0800 735 566
Email: sensitiveclaims@acc.co.nz

Find Support website – www.findsupport.co.nz

This is an ACC website that will help you find information and support. You can click on “Find a therapist” on the home page to find a therapist in your area who can help you begin the process of making an ACC claim.

Support organisations

Sexual abuse support centres

www.toah-nnest.org.nz/get-help

TOAHNNEST: Te Ohakii a Hine – National Network for Ending Sexual Violence Together has a list of places where you can get help.

Medical Council of NZ

www.mcnz.org.nz

The Medical Council registers doctors in New Zealand and has responsibilities in the areas of standards, conduct and competence.

Privacy Commissioner

www.privacy.org.nz

The Privacy Commissioner has a wide range of functions, including investigating complaints about breaches of privacy, running education programmes, and examining proposed legislation and how it may affect individual privacy.

Wayfinders

www.wayfinders.org.nz

Phone: 0800 273 030

Email: info@wayfinders.org.nz

Wayfinders are a free national service that’s available to anyone who have questions about ACC or a specific ACC claim. Their service is available for people who may want an alternative way to interact with ACC rather than deal with ACC directly.

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