Physical injuries
The most straightforward category. If you suffer a physical injury at work — a fall, a cut, a crush injury, a fracture, a burn — it's covered by WorkCover. This includes injuries that happen during your normal duties, during breaks, and in some cases while travelling to or from work.
Common physical workplace injuries include back and spinal injuries from lifting, shoulder injuries from repetitive overhead work, hand and wrist injuries from machinery or tools, knee injuries from falls or awkward positions, and head injuries from falling objects or impacts.
Psychological injuries
Workplace psychological injuries are claimable under WorkCover, though they can be more complex to prove. These include anxiety, depression, PTSD, and adjustment disorders caused by workplace bullying, harassment, trauma (such as witnessing a serious accident), excessive work pressure, or a hostile work environment.
There is an important exclusion: psychological injuries caused solely by "reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable way" (like performance reviews, restructuring, or lawful disciplinary processes) are not covered. However, this exclusion is narrower than many employers and insurers suggest. If the management action was not reasonable, or if there were other contributing factors, you may still have a valid claim.
Repetitive strain and gradual onset injuries
Not all workplace injuries happen in a single moment. Many develop gradually over weeks, months, or years. These include carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive hand movements, tendonitis from repeated actions, noise-induced hearing loss from prolonged exposure to loud environments, and vibration-related injuries from power tools and machinery.
These claims require medical evidence linking the condition to your work activities over time. They're absolutely claimable — they just need careful documentation.
Aggravation of pre-existing conditions
If you had a pre-existing injury or condition that your work made significantly worse, you can claim under WorkCover. The key word is "significantly" — your doctor needs to establish that your work activities contributed materially to the worsening of the condition, not just that the condition exists.
This is a common area of dispute with insurers, who may try to attribute all your symptoms to the pre-existing condition. Having clear medical evidence showing the work-related aggravation is crucial.
Occupational diseases
Illnesses caused by workplace exposure are covered. This includes silicosis from dust exposure, asbestosis and mesothelioma from asbestos, skin conditions from chemical exposure, respiratory conditions from fumes or particles, and infections acquired through work (particularly relevant for healthcare workers).
Not sure if your injury is covered?
The scope of WorkCover is broader than most people think. If there's any connection between your injury or illness and your work, it's worth getting an assessment.