Injured Worker Support Team

Together we are stronger

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The Evidence

Lived experience, recorded and counted.

The figures below are reported in the Victorian Workers’ Compensation Psychosocial Hazard paper. They are presented exactly as the paper states them.

The Human Impact

What injured workers reported

85%

reported that mental health significantly worsened during the claim.

92%

reported severe psychological distress.

84%

reported that the claims process delayed or worsened recovery.

88%

did not feel treated with dignity and respect.

76%

reported communication failures.

88%

felt uninvolved in treatment and return-to-work decisions.

94%

said free independent advocacy would have helped them navigate the system safely.

Numbers describing something that is rarely counted.

Source: the Victorian Workers’ Compensation Psychosocial Hazard paper, which describes an April–May 2026 survey involving 300 injured workers who were members of the IWST Facebook page. These findings are lived-experience evidence and are not a representative population survey.

In their words

“My mental health got worse during the claim.”

Injured worker, survey respondent

“I didn't feel treated with dignity.”

Injured worker, survey respondent

“I felt alone.”

Injured worker, survey respondent
Independent Peer Support

No injured worker should walk alone.

Independent peer support is not a substitute for treatment or legal advice. It is the presence of someone who has been through the process and can help a worker stay informed, prepared and involved.
  • Lived-experience understanding and validation
  • Practical navigation of the claims process
  • Preparation for meetings, conciliations and medical assessments
  • Help understanding complex correspondence
  • Connection with appropriate external support
  • Reduced isolation and increased worker agency
94%

of respondents stated that free independent advocacy would have helped them navigate the system safely.

Workers’ Voice Project — client supplied image.

The harm no one sees is real.

It’s time the system finally saw it.
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