The County Court has announced that it hopes to be able to reduce the current 12 month wait time for Serious Injury Applications to be heard. Initiatives being introduced in 2012 such as Judge led conferences and and increase in the number of Judges available to hear cases are expected to result in earlier hearing dates being allocated. Cases issued in late 2011 had been given a hearing date up to 12 months later, but the hope is that dates should be able to be allocated for matters to be heard within 3 months, or at least 6 months of issuing.

This is a positive move by the County Court as the Serious Injury Application process is an essential gateway that many injured workers must pass through before they can proceed with a Common Law Claim. Redlich's Work Injury Lawyers look forward to being able to obtain earlier hearing dates and therefore resolution of claims for their clients.