Police Officer

Entitlements for injured police officers:

1. Weekly compensation – if a police officer suffers an injury during the course of their employment which results in an inability to work then the police officer has a right to be paid weekly compensation by the insurer.
For the first 6 months of incapacity the police officer will be paid the award rate of pay. Should the police officer remain unfit beyond the initial 6 month period then there is a formula utilised to determine the extent of the compensation payable. Factors taken into account included whether or not the police officer has a dependent spouse or partner and/or dependent children.
If the injured police officer is able to return to suitable duties on reduced hours then the insurer will pay make up pay.
In the event that the police officer has to cease work entirely as a result of the injury and takes up alternate employment and earns less than that which they would otherwise have earned had they been able to stay in the employ of the NSW Police Service, then they are entitled to continue to receive make up pay.

2. Medical treatment expenses – the injured police officer is entitled have all reasonable and necessary medical treatment expenses paid by the insurer. In the case of a serious injury medical treatment expenses will be paid for the balance of the police officer’s life.

3. Lump sum compensation – if the injury suffered by the police officer results in a whole person impairment then the police officer would have an entitlement to claim lump sum compensation commensurate with the degree of impairment suffered.
Of course, the more serious the injury and the greater level of impairment the more compensation that is payable.
Additionally, if a police officer suffers an injury with a degree of whole person impairment of 15 or more that injured worker has an entitlement to investigate and potentially make a claim for work injury damages. In order to have a work injury damages claim the police officer must prove that the injury was the fault of the Police Force. In a work injury damages claim damages are payable for past and future economic loss up until the age of retirement and for past and future loss of superannuation entitlements.