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By the Triumph Australia investigations team
Workers compensation investigations help insurers and employers get the facts when a claim does not add up. Most claims are honest. A small number are not, and those few cost a lot of money. A private investigator can help you get the facts before you make a decision.
This guide explains how we help insurers, self-insurers and employers with three types of work: workers compensation claims, personal injury claims, and employee investigations.
Who we work for
- Insurance companies and their claims teams
- Self-insured employers and their case managers
- Law firms acting for insurers or employers
- HR teams and business owners
If you are a case manager at a self-insurer, you may also like our post on how we support case managers.
Workers compensation investigations
A workers compensation claim usually says a worker was hurt at work and cannot do some or all of their job. Most of the time that is true. But sometimes the injury is not as bad as stated, or it did not happen at work at all.
Signs a claim may need a closer look:
- The injury was reported late, or after the worker was told about a restructure or warning
- There were no witnesses, and the story changes over time
- The worker is hard to reach at home during the day
- Medical reports and the worker’s own account do not match
- There are tips that the worker has a second job or is doing heavy work
Our job is to find out what the worker can really do. We do this with surveillance in public places, online checks, and factual investigations such as statements from witnesses. You get a clear report with dates, times, photos and video.
Good evidence also protects honest workers. If the footage shows a worker is genuinely limited, that helps the claim move forward faster.
Personal injury investigations
Personal injury claims include car accidents (CTP), public liability, and slip and fall claims. These claims can be worth a lot, so the facts matter.
We can help with:
- Activity checks: is the person doing things their claim says they cannot do?
- Background checks: past claims, past injuries, and business interests. See our background checks page.
- Scene checks: photos and notes from where the accident happened.
- Witness statements: finding and speaking with people who saw what happened.
Read more on our insurance investigations page.
Employee investigations
Not every problem is an insurance claim. Employers also call us when they suspect:
- Sick leave is being misused. See sick leave investigations.
- An employee is working for a competitor or running a side business on company time
- Theft, fraud or misuse of company vehicles and equipment
- Bullying, harassment or other workplace complaints that need a fair, independent look
Employee matters need to be handled fairly. The worker should be told what is alleged and given a chance to respond. An independent investigator helps keep the process fair, and keeps the facts separate from office politics. More on our workplace investigations page.
What makes evidence from workers compensation investigations usable
Evidence is only useful if you can rely on it. That means it has to be gathered the right way.
- Public places only. We film what anyone could see from a public place. We do not go onto private property or film inside homes.
- No tricks. We do not pretend to be someone else to get information we have no right to.
- State laws. Each state has its own surveillance and privacy laws, and workplace monitoring has its own rules too, such as the Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 in NSW. We work within the rules of the state the job is in.
- Clear reports. Every report shows what was seen, when and where, with time-stamped photos and video.
For more on this, read what makes surveillance evidence legal and usable in court.
How our workers compensation investigations work
- You send us the details. The claim, the person’s address, and what you want to know.
- We plan the job. We look at the claim and suggest the best mix of surveillance, online checks and enquiries.
- We do the work. Our investigators gather the facts.
- You get the report. A clear written report with photos and video, ready for your claims or legal team.
Frequently asked questions
Are workers compensation investigations legal?
Yes. Workers compensation investigations are legal when filming is done in public places and within state laws. Investigators cannot go onto private property or record private conversations.
Do you work outside Sydney?
Yes. We take jobs across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and Darwin.
What if the footage shows the claim is real?
That is a good result too. It gives you confidence to support the worker and move the claim forward.
Can you help with sick leave as well?
Yes. Sick leave checks are one of the most common employee jobs we do.
Get in touch
If you have a claim or an employee matter that does not add up, contact Triumph Australia. Tell us what you need to know, and we will suggest the best way to find out.
Written by the Triumph Australia investigations team. We work for insurers, claims managers, employers and law firms on surveillance, fraud and due diligence matters Australia-wide.
GORA Investigations Pty Ltd, NSW Master Licence 412080174.
