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WEDNESDAY, NOV-MBER 24, 1977
+HOWEVER, IN PRACTICE THIS HAS NOT ALWAYS HAPPENED, + MR. WILLIAMS SAID.
+FOR SCHEDULED INJURIES, THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION IS BASED ON A FIXED PERCENTAGE OF LOSS OF EARNING CAPACITY AS SPECIFIED IN THE FIRST SCHEDULE, IRRESPECTIVE OF PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS FORMER EMPLOYMENT OR AGE,+ HE ADDED.
+FOR NON-SCHEDULED PERMANENT PARTIAL INCAPACITIES, ASSESSMENT IS MADE ONLY ON THE LOSS OF EARNING CAPACITY AS A RESULT OF AN INJURY.
+THE ASSESSMENT INVOLVES THE COMPARISON OF WHAT THE INJURED PERSON WAS CAPABLE OF EARNING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND WHAT HE CAN EARN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. SUCH A COMPARISON INVOLVING VALUE JUDGEMENTS IS DIFFICULT AND OFTEN LEADS TO ANOMALIES.
+THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHEN A PERSON WHO SUSTAINED A NON-SCHEDULED INJURY CETAINED HORE COMPENSATION THAN ANOTHER WHO SUSTAINED A SCHEDULED INCAPACITY OF A SIMILAR NATURE.+
ON THE EXTENSION OF THE TIME LIMIT FOR APPLICATION FOR COMPENSATION, HE SAID: +SCHE INJURIES HAVE HEALING PERIODS IN EXCESS OF 12 MONTHS AND PERMANENT INCAPACITY CANNOT BE ASSESSED BEFORE THE EXPIRY OF THE LIMITATION PERIOD.
+WHEN SUCH A CASE IS REFERRED TO COURT, ALL THE COURT CAN DO IS TO ADJOURN IT UNTIL THE ASSESSMENT IS MADE,+ MR. WILLIAMS POINTED SUT.
THE BILL, HE SAID, CULD PERMIT THE PERIOD OF LIMITATION TO BE EXTENDED TO 24 MONTHS AND THIS WOULD REDUCE THE ANXIETY OF THE WORKMEN AND THE TIME OF THE COURT, AND OF THE OFFICERS OF THE LABOUR AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED.
LASTLY ON THE IMPOSING OF A SURCHARGE IN CASES OF UNREASONABLE DELAY IN PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION, SR. WILLIAMS SAID: +EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT A NUMBER OF CASES, PAYMENT IS DELAYED AFTER AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR.
+MOST EMPLOYERS INVOLVED IN THESE CASES HAVE INSURED THEIR WORKERS AGAINST LIABILITY UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE.
+BUT A NUMBER OF THESE EMPLOYERS, IN SPITE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE ORDINANCE, MAIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES BEFORE ITAKING PAYMENTS TO THE WORKERS CONCERNED.
+ IN SOME CASES, TOC, DELAY 13 CAUSED BY QUERIED BY THE
T: INSURER WITH THE EMPLOYER O. THE ACCURACY OF THE CALCULATION OR THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE INSURANCE COVERAGE TANER CUT BY THE EMPLOYER.
+SUCH DELAYS IN PAY EAT CAN CAUSE HARDSHIP TO THE INJURED EMPLOYEE OR HIS DEPENDANTS,+ HE SAID.
MR. ILLIAMS ADDED THAT THESE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENTS
TO DEAL WITH UNREASONABLE DELAYS IN PAYNE: TS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS INITIAL ONES AND THAT FURTHER CONSIDERATION, AFTER APPROPRIATE CONSULTATION, WILL BE GIVEN TO MAKING THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE.
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