Last updated February 23, 2024

Independent Review Office (IRO) Guide - Injured Workers NSW

IRO is an organisation or scheme representative involved in both the NSW Workers Compensation and Motor Accident Scheme.

This guide offers an overview of the Independent Review Office (IRO) for injured workers in NSW. It covers the IRO’s role, funding assistance, application process, and stages of claim support, concluding with information on legal fee management and expert advice avenues.

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IRO - Independent Review Office

What is the Independent Review Office (IRO)?

The Independent Review Office (IRO) provides legal funding to injured workers in NSW who are pursuing workers compensation claims. This funding can be used to cover the costs of legal advice, representation, and disbursements, such as medical reports.

The 3 Purposes Of IRO are

To assist and find solutions for injured Claimants in response to complaints made against Insurers servicing the Scheme.
IRO manage and administer legal grants for Workers Compensation claims and disputes.
IRO conducts enquiries into matters arising in connection with the Personal Injury Commission Act and provides reporting and regulatory services for the Commission.

I have been injured at work, how can the IRO help me?

The IRO can assist in two (2) major ways;

IRO can assist with complaints about your Insurer, for issues such as late payments, failure to pay, failure to release documents and or conflicts issues with Case Managers. The IRO can investigate the complaint by contacting the representative or insurer involved to follow up on exactly the cause of the delay. In the event the complaint is substantiated, then the IRO representative will take further action to insist things are done within certain timeframes and report back to you about what you can expect moving forward.
IRO provides funding approval, for the costs of legal representatives to act in Workers Compensation disputes to injured claimants. These funding grants include coverage and payment of the medical disbursements (Report fees) that are needed to pursue any claim or dispute. IRO can provide funding for injured workers to attend medico-legal appointments organised by either party, which is a valuable service in the event the Claimant needs specialised transportation to and from an appointment.

When can I apply for IRO funding?

You can apply for IRO funding if you are an injured worker in NSW who:

Has received a Section 78 notice from your insurer, which means that they are disputing your claim: or
Is seeking advice on your entitlements under the Workers Compensation Scheme, particularly those associated with Whole Person Impairment (WPI).
Need legal help to pursue a claim for Whole Person Impairment (WPI)

What can I claim with IRO funding?

IRO funding can be used to cover a wide range of expenses, including:

Legal fees
Disbursements such as medical reports, clinical note requests, and claimable evidence
The cost of a barrister to appear at any hearing scheduled by the Personal Injury Commission

What stages of my claim does IRO funding cover?

IRO funding can cover the following stages of your workers compensation claim:

Stage 1: Obtaining legal advice and determining if you have a valid claim.
Stage 2: Investigating and pursuing your claim with the insurer.
Stage 3: Pursuing dispute resolution through the Personal Injury Commission.
Stage 4: Appealing or reconsidering decisions made by the Personal Injury Commission.

How do I apply for IRO funding?

You cannot apply for IRO funding directly. You must instruct an IRO-approved lawyer to act on your behalf. Your lawyer will then apply for funding on your behalf. Every lawyer at Garling and Co is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and IRO approved.

How are legal fees and disbursements paid?

Once your lawyer has been granted funding by the IRO, they will be paid for their services and disbursements directly by the IRO. You will not have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses.

Contact Garling and Co for expert advice and representation

To find out more about IRO funding and whether you are eligible, contact Garling and Co today. We are IRO approved lawyers and can help you to get the legal support you need to get the best possible outcome for your claim. Should you have any further questions, please contact our office at (02) 8329 9500 or complete a free case assessment here.

Professional woman typing on laptop at work.

Emma Perkins

Joining Garling and Co in 2019, Emma brings to the team a deep knowledge and understanding of Personal Injury Law. Since her admission in 2009, she has specialised in the fields of workers' compensation, victims' compensation, public liability, motor...

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Sam H.

09:47 17 Dec 24

Very knowledgeable, explains everything very clearly and highly recommend.

Rachel R.

09:13 17 Nov 24

Although a long journey, the team at Garling & Co Lawyers have been amazing. They are thorough and clear with the processes and the expectations. It is a pleasure dealing with Emma and Rebecca. They... take all the weight off our shoulders when it comes to all the legal stuff and they make us feel comfortable and confident in their ability to look after us.read more

Angie & Brian M.

00:58 18 Sep 24

We cannot recommend Garling and Co. Lawyers highly enough! Our principal solicitor, Matthew Garling, was absolutely outstanding throughout our entire legal journey. He, along with the fantastic team... in the office, especially Allison, provided outstanding support. They were always responsive, willing to listen, and took the time to thoroughly explain the entire process. Thanks to their dedication and expertise, we achieved a brilliant outcome.read more

Yanthi S.

11:22 12 Sep 24

I engaged with Garling and Co to assist me for my weekly payment dispute with the insurance. I was upset with Natasha, as she didn't prepare me to the worse outcome or told me about the kind of... negotiation in the hearing. I assumed that as a Lawyer she should have an experience with the process or the way to solve the case. Even though I asked her what should I do or what would be happened in the hearing a week before but she didn't mentioned anything, and told me not do anything. But in the hearing she and the Barrister only gave me less than 5 minutes to make decision and pushed me to accept the disappointed outcome and what she said in the hearing totally different with what she said earlier. I don't trust her at all, her words is not consistent.I would like to express my appreciation to Matthew Garling who had stepped in to handle my weekly payment issue with the insurance. He is very professional, knowledgeable, easy to talk to and very humble. My disappointment earlier has melted away by his kindness and caring to resolve my issue which has came out the great outcome. Now I am satisfied with his expertise therefore I would not hesitate to let him to handle the case I might have in the future.As I said before I would not hesitate to let my other claim to be handled by a professional as Matthew Garling. I would like to thank him for his time and effort to settle my case smoothly and I trusted him to give me the best outcome. Also I appreciated his support and his patience to answer my questions from the time I signed the agreement up to the day before the mediation. He did not promise the unrealistic outcome but what ever he promised that what the result was according to his experiences. And I would not forget to Alison, Nathan who also have assisted this matters, by gathering all documents and answering my questions.Also my appreciation to a Barrister Mr Dallas Morgan.So, in summary I am really grateful to have Garling and Co as my lawyer to handle my damaged claim.read more

Tina S

07:45 29 Aug 24

Thank you for the great outcome!

Lisa L.

05:18 13 Jul 24

Outstanding service and commitment to my case was delivered from the first point of contact right until the end of my successful case.Highest recommendations to the team at Garling and Co. Matthew... got me an excellent result and was available and informative throughout the entire foreign process of legal proceedings. He was wonderful and so was his team.If i could rate higher than 5 stars i would!read more

J B

07:12 02 Jul 24

Matthew Garling and all of the team were extremely professional and supportive throughout what was a very long and arduous CTP battle. I am happy with the result and feel that their fees were fair... and well deserved.read more

Nelson B.

02:11 30 Jun 24

Professional, prompt & honest service

Ray H.

07:33 13 Jun 24

Matthew Garling and Team are kind, patient, polite, professional, empathetic and efficient. I was treated terribly by the at fault insurer. Garling and Co. had my back. Matthew gently and patiently... kept me up to speed on all the steps to go through. From my personal experience I recommend these guys. They are safe hands. Thank you team.read more

Jo L.

05:58 07 May 24

So very impressed with the professional team who looked after me throughout the last 4 and 1/2 years. A special mention to Kerry and Nathan who navigated each request to fight for my right to gain... access to further treatments and physio and to ensure medical treatment would be covered moving forward. I was so grateful I could hand it all over to you and not have to go through this very challenging time without your support.I thank you for the compassion you have provided to me, from the first contact with Matthew and Natasha, to finalisation with Kerry and Nathan.I highly recommend the team at Garling and Co for any third party compensation claims. You are in good hands with them all.read more

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