Hicksons is delighted to be recognised as a leading firm in the 2021 Doyle’s Guide.

In Sara v G & S Sara Pty Ltd [2021] NSWPIC 286 the applicant made a claim for compensation after her husband passed away due to contracting the COVID-19 virus whilst on a work trip in New York. The respondent, G & S Sara Pty Ltd, was one of a group of companies in the Stoneglass Group that provided dental technician products and services across the healthcare sector in Australia and the United States, and the deceased worker was a director of each of the entities in the Stoneglass Group.

The NSW government has recently introduced the Motor Accidents and Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 to make changes to the workers compensation legislation largely in response to the catastrophic bush fire season of 2019. It has since passed the Legislative Assembly and awaits scrutiny in the Legislative Council.

The current two-week lockdown in NSW is a timely reminder that COVID-19 and the risk of COVID-19 infections in the course of employment remain real, particularly for those essential workers who are unable to work from home.

Leading commercial law firm Hicksons demonstrates continued growth with the appointment of two special counsels and one senior associate.

On 23 April 2021 the Personal Injury Commission delivered a determination of appeal against a decision of the Commission in Burke v Suncorp Staff Pty Ltd [2021] NSWPICPD 6. The worker claimed the Member had erred in fact in finding and that the worker’s failure to claim compensation was not occasioned by ignorance.

Hicksons is proud to be selected for inclusion in icare’s new legal service provider panel for workers compensation claims. The new panel combines work across icare’s two workers compensation schemes.

Hicksons is delighted to be named as a Leading Firm in the 2020 Doyle’s Guide.

Hicksons was recently successful in a Presidential Appeal in the Workers Compensation Commission, confirming that Arbitrators need to determine “the nature of an injury”. 

On 23 July 2020 the NSW Supreme Court of Appeal handed down the decision of Gardiner v Laing O’Rourke Australia Construction Pty Limited [2020] NSWCA 151. It involved a worker who had complained to the Anti-Discrimination Board about his employer, received a payment of money, and later claimed workers compensation for psychological injury. The Court considered whether that was permissible.

The Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 commences operation on 1 December 2017.

Catastrophic spinal injuries were suffered when the plaintiff fell off a balcony of rental accommodation in June 2012 due to a faulty railing.

After suffering an horrific accident at work, a person survives for three minutes with debilitating injuries, then dies.

A treating practitioner’s clinical notes can be imperative to a proper contest of liability, but in 2016 amendments to the relevant Rules has meant the Workers Compensation Commission has become reluctant to issue Directions for Production that would compel doctors to supply their notes.