Peter Ellis web site - Christchurch crèche case
	ACC Compensation for Sex Abuse - Index
	1999 Index
	The Dominion February 15, 1999 Victims miss out on ACC – lawyer Thousands of Wellingtonians could be missing out on compensation they are entitled to, says a Christchurch solicitor specialising in ACC claims. Garry Wakefield, of Wakefield Associates, has called for a review of ACC after 4000 people responded to leaflets sent out offering to help accident and trauma victims claim backdated lump-sum payments and allowances. Wakefield Associates mailed the leaflets to homes in Auckland and Christchurch two weeks ago. The firm was unlikely to repeat the mail-out in Wellington because of its workload, but Mr Wakefield said 1 per cent of people were probably not getting money from ACC that they were entitled to. He expected a further 2000 replies from Auckland and Christchurch and believed about 60 per cent of respondents had legitimate claims, worth as much as $10,000 each. The claims could amount to as much as $10 million a year. Wakefield Associates was offering to help secure lump-sum payments and future payments of up to $61.68 a week in return for 30 per cent of a backdated payment and all the first quarterly payment by ACC. Unsuccessful claimants would not be charged. The leaflet said people who had visited a doctor for any injury or accident or who had lodged a claim with ACC could be entitled to backdated lump-sum payments. Mr Wakefield said the response showed that ACC case managers did not fully inform clients of their entitlements. "I think people are saying that they are extremely unhappy with the system and the way in which they have been treated." Accident Compensation Minister Murray McCully said case managers were committed to ensuring full information was available to claimants. A recent survey showed 77 per cent of claimants rated their experience dealing with the ACC as satisfactory or very satisfactory. Mr McCully said he had called for an urgent report on the Wakefield scheme and sought advice from Labour Department officials on whether changes to ACC regulations or legislation might be required. Council of Trade Unions vice-president Ross Wilson said yesterday that ACC was acting increasingly like an insurance company, in preparation for privatisation of accident insurance from July 1. “People aren't aware of what their entitlements are, and that is a trend that will be accentuated by the privatisation process," Mr Wilson said. "ACC claimants can reasonably expect that private insurance companies are going to contest claims, deny entitlements and fail to give people the information necessary to enable them to get entitlements."