7.8.3 Pay legal costs

The Agent or panel solicitor sends the invoice to WorkSafe.

Monitor costs

To make sure that legal costs incurred are proper and accurate, the Agent:

• conducts audit checks of panel solicitor billing
• reviews invoices from panel solicitors making sure professional costs and disbursements are in line with WorkSafe’s directives and that invoices reflect work done.

WorkSafe and its appointed external cost consultants assess and finalise the plaintiff solicitor’s costs.

WorkSafe monitors legal costs, to remain informed about cost levels.

Payment returns

Any payment returns regarding problems processing the invoice authorisation is to be referred by email to legal_costs@worksafe.vic.gov.au.

Plaintiff solicitor costs

Legal panel submits invoice via WorkSafe Portal which gets assessed internally at WorkSafe or by WorkSafe Costs Consultant.

Plaintiff Solicitor Invoice Authorisation (PSIA) is then referred to the designated legal payments email inbox at the Agent, with attached PSIA (referred either by WorkSafe Cost Consultant or WorkSafe).

Agent processes payment within 30 days from date of receipt of PSIA.

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Legal panel firm costs

Legal panel firm submits invoice via WorkSafe Portal which gets assessed internally at WorkSafe.

The Invoice Authorisation then gets referred to the designated legal payments email inbox at the Agent, with the attached Invoice Authorisation (referred by WorkSafe only).

Agent processes payment within 30 days from date of receipt of Invoice Authorisation.

Medical disbursements

Legal panel firm submits invoice via WorkSafe Portal which gets assessed internally at WorkSafe.

The Invoice Authorisation then gets referred to the designated legal payments email inbox at the Agent, with the attached PSIA (referred by WorkSafe only).

Agent processes payment within 30 days from date of receipt of Invoice Authorisation.

All other disbursements

Legal panel firm submits Invoice Authorisation directly to the Agent via email.

Agent processes payment within 30 days from date of receipt of Invoice Authorisation.

Legal panel firm recoveries interim costs

Legal Panel firm WorkSafe approved legal representatives submits Invoice Authorisation to WorkSafe, WorkSafe assesses the costs internally and then refers the invoice along with the Invoice Authorisation directly to the Agent by DX

Agent processes payment within 30 days from date of receipt of Invoice Authorisation.

Maims plaintiff solicitor costs

Legal Panel firm refers request for payment by way of Invoice Authorisation directly to the Agent via email.

Agent processes payment within 30 days from date of receipt of Invoice Authorisation.

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