A serious physical injury or illness can end a career in an instant — whether that's a workplace accident, a car accident, a degenerative condition, or a chronic illness that gradually makes your usual work impossible. If your ability to work has been affected by a physical injury or illness, you may be entitled to a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) payout through your superannuation, along with other benefits such as income protection.
Thrive Claims has extensive experience helping clients across the full spectrum of physical injury and illness claims, including:
- Musculoskeletal injuries (back, neck, spine, joint injuries)
- Workplace and industrial accidents
- Motor vehicle accident injuries
- Traumatic injuries and amputations
- Cardiovascular conditions (heart attack, stroke)
- Cancer and other serious illnesses
- Chronic and degenerative conditions (e.g. arthritis, multiple sclerosis)
- Neurological conditions affecting physical function
Why Physical Injury Claims Still Need Specialist Handling
It's a common misconception that a physical injury claim is "simple" because the condition is visible or well-documented. In reality, insurers and super fund trustees apply strict tests around whether your injury or illness prevents you from working in your own occupation, or in any occupation you're reasonably suited for — and these assessments often come down to the quality and framing of your medical evidence, not just the diagnosis itself.
Common complications we see include:
- Medical reports that describe the condition but don't clearly address your capacity to work, which is what insurers actually assess
- Fluctuating or "good days/bad days" conditions that are harder to document consistently
- Multiple contributing injuries or conditions that need to be considered together
- Return-to-work attempts that insurers may use to argue against permanency
- Physical conditions with a psychological component (e.g. chronic pain and associated mental health impacts) that need to be addressed holistically
How Thrive Claims Helps
- Building the right medical picture. We help ensure your treating specialists' reports directly address the legal and policy definitions your claim needs to satisfy — not just your diagnosis and treatment history.
- Coordinating multiple treating providers. Physical injury claims often involve GPs, specialists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists. We help pull this evidence together into one coherent claim.
- Addressing return-to-work history. If you've attempted to return to work, we help present this accurately so it supports, rather than undermines, your claim.
- Pursuing every entitlement. Alongside TPD, we assess whether you're also entitled to income protection, and whether cover exists across more than one super fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still claim if my condition fluctuates or has good and bad days?
Yes, fluctuating conditions may still meet TPD definitions, but they require carefully documented medical evidence that reflects the condition's overall impact on your capacity to work, not just how you present on any single day. It is best that you reach out to our friendly Thrive Claims professionals to avoid potential claim complications.
What if I've tried to return to work since my injury?
A return-to-work attempt doesn't automatically disqualify a claim. We help present this history accurately, including if the attempt was unsuccessful or required significant workplace modifications.
Does it matter if my injury happened outside of work?
No, TPD cover through superannuation generally applies regardless of whether your injury or illness is work-related. Separate workers' compensation entitlements may also apply and can be assessed alongside your TPD claim.
Get a free assessment of your physical injury claim → | Learn more about TPD claims → | Learn more about income protection claims →