The Review Process and Our Role

If you disagree with an ACC decision, you generally have three months from the date of that decision to lodge an application for review.

If more than three months have passed, it may still be possible to file a late application. However, you will need to provide a reasonable explanation for the delay.

Our team can assess your circumstances, advise whether a late application is likely to be accepted, and assist with preparing and lodging the review application, including gathering any supporting evidence required.

Once your review application has been lodged, we will obtain complete copies of your ACC claim file and any relevant documentation. 

After reviewing the material, we will provide you with an initial assessment of your case, including our views on its merits, any strengths and challenges identified, and the recommended next steps to progress your matter 

 Strong medical evidence is often the key to a successful ACC dispute. Our team can assist with obtaining the specialist reports and expert opinions needed to properly support your case.

We work closely with a wide range of trusted medical specialists and can manage the entire process for you. In many cases, we can also arrange the funding of medical reports upfront, so you are not required to meet these costs while your case is being prepared.

These report costs are reimbursed by ACC under the regulations at the end of the review proceeding. 

Once the necessary evidence has been gathered, we will submit it to ACC and/or the independent reviewer, together with written submissions supporting your case and recommending that the decision be changed.

Where compelling new evidence is provided, ACC may choose to reconsider its position and amend the decision before the review hearing proceeds, potentially resolving the matter at an earlier stage.

 If ACC changes its decision after reviewing the new evidence, the matter will usually be resolved at that stage.

If ACC does not change its position, we will proceed with preparing your case for the review hearing. This includes drafting legal submissions, compiling supporting evidence, and ensuring all necessary documentation is filed with the independent reviewer.. 

 The review hearing is the final stage of the ACC review process. It provides you with an opportunity to present your evidence, explain your circumstances, and respond to any issues raised in relation to your claim before an independent reviewer.

Our advocates will guide you through every step of the hearing process, helping you understand what to expect and ensuring you are fully prepared. We will present legal submissions on your behalf, address the evidence, and advocate for your position throughout the hearing.

Following the hearing, the independent reviewer will consider all of the evidence and submissions before issuing a written, legally binding decision. In most cases, a decision is released within 28 days of the hearing.