FAQs

Some of examples of people who can apply for a review are:

• an injured person who’s unhappy with a decision made by ACC
• an employer challenging cover for a work injury
• an injured person (or representative) who believes there’s been an unreasonable delay in making a decision
• a levy payer disagreeing with the classification of their levy.

You must apply to ACC for a review within three months of their decision about your injury, or the situation that’s caused the dispute. Late applications are accepted only in some circumstances.

If you have any special requirements (for example, if English is your second language, or if you have vision or hearing impairments), let your Fair Way Resolution Coordinator know as soon as possible so we can make suitable arrangements.

You can decide to attend your review hearing, or have a lawyer or representative attend for you. We recommend that all parties attend, whether online or in person.

Your Fair Way Resolution Coordinator will give you instructions on how to join your case conference or review hearing. Most online meetings are held using Zoom, and you join using the meeting link supplied in your correspondence from Fair Way, or going to https://fairwayresolution.zoom.us and entering the Meeting ID also in your correspondence.

No, although you can choose to appoint a lawyer or advocate to represent you.

It’s free to have your decision reviewed. If you incur additional costs in support of your application (for example, for travel or childcare), let your reviewer know so they can consider these as part of their decision. Under the legislation, a reviewer may award contributions towards some additional expenses incurred during the review process.

The Accident Compensation Act 2001 has protections in place for ACC claimants. The right to a review and for that review to be conducted independently are important parts of this Act. Fair Way has proven experience and expertise in conducting ACC reviews, and our reviewers take this role seriously. We have a duty under law to act independently when conducting the review. Our end-to-end process is designed with this in mind, so you can trust our team to act in a neutral, impartial manner.

A reviewer is automatically appointed to review your ACC decision. You can change reviewers only in special circumstances – for example, if you or the reviewer has a conflict of interest. Please notify us as soon as possible if you believe this is the case.

You can get additional support from the following:

• Friends and family – you can authorise someone you trust to act for you.
• Representatives – you can appoint an advocate or legal representative.
• Navigation services – Way Finders and Workplace Injury Advocacy Service (WIAS) can help you navigate ACC and understand your options.