21.2 Each Claim Must Be Separately Investigated

When using the Incapacity Calculator to determine a claim, the Delegate must:

• ensure that only one claim is investigated at the same time
• identify which of several claims (e.g. a 'back claim' or a separate 'neck claim') is currently under investigation.

Each of several claims should be separately investigated for a number of reasons:

• liability may be accepted in relation to one claim, but not another
• a new medical condition arising from a different event may restart the 45 week period in which incapacity compensation is paid at 100% of NWE
• a new medical condition arising from the same event may found a separate claim for permanent impairment.

Note that it is important to differentiate between the existence of a new medical condition and an increase in symptomatology (e.g. increased pain from a cervical condition, increased volume and frequency of a tinnitus condition).