Where old cases with open liability have lain inactive (i.e. without the employee requesting a benefit) for some considerable time – perhaps for decades – employees sometimes forget that RCG has already accepted their claim. Such clients may submit a new claim form when finally they come to request a financial benefit or service from RCG. This is another reason why all compensation claim forms should prompt a check for previous applications.
Where the preliminary search of file records in respect to a new claim form shows that a file already exists for that injury, Delegates should not progress the duplicate application but should recover the old file from archives and provide service to the employee on that file.
Recovery and use of an old file is very important, no matter how old it is. The old file may contain papers vital to the correct handling of the present matter. For instance the old papers may contain specialist medical reports contemporary with acceptance of liability, records of previou — s lump sums paid, records of 'cease effects' determinations or 'redemptions' of entitlements. All such issues would have a profound effect on the manner in which the claim is now to be handled.