-
ACC - Source: ONE News -
Watch Video
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) is being accused of illegally denying cover to Kiwis with legitimate workplace injuries in a bid to cut costs.
ONE News has learnt some medical specialists are advising clients to take legal action against the corporation, which denies the accusation.
Craig Martin has been repairing shoes and cutting keys on and off for 15 years and has painful tendonitis in his arms.
He is convinced his job is to blame for the pain but ACC disputes that and won't pay for his treatment.
Martin says he loves his job and wants to continue.
"I would expect that they would take a look at the facts, take a look at the fact that four experts including the GP and the physio have said that this is a work-related injury," says Martin.
The four experts include an Occupational Therapist and an Orthopaedic Surgeon who were both chosen by ACC to assess Martin and who both wrote reports saying his injuries are work-related.
But then an ACC medical advisor, who admitted in writing that she hadn't even examined Martin, disagreed with the experts.
ACC is sticking by its decision not to pay but says Martin is entitled to ask for a review of his case.
ONE News has talked to a number of specialists who claim ACC is increasingly refusing to cover what it calls "gradual onset" injuries as part of a bid to cut costs.
"Well in my opinion at the moment it's illegal. What they're doing is not within the framework that they were set up to cover," says Orthopaedic Surgeon Graeme Inglis.
Inglis says he is one of a number of specialists advising clients to take legal action.
ACC's Denise Cosgrove says that view from Cosgrove is upsetting.
ACC admits its claim payouts are down on last year but says that's because it's sticking more closely to legislation and no longer paying out for injuries that don't qualify.
"We need to stick more closely to our legislation and apply more scrutiny to our decision-making," says Cosgrove.
Martin says he just wants a fair go from ACC.
"I''ve paid my insurance, I've paid my dues, I just want a fair shake."
He says he will take ACC to court if that's what it will take to get cover.
