Reviewing an ACC decision
What you need to know
What the review process means for you
If you send us a review, an ACC Review Specialist will take another look at the decision we made
that you’d like reviewed. Your Review Specialist will work with you to resolve the issues you’ve
raised as quickly as possible.
We’ll do our best to reach a resolution with you at every stage of the review process. If we can’t
resolve things together, we can involve an independent conciliator or reviewer.
This factsheet will help you navigate the different stages of the review process. If you’d like to
discuss anything, you’re welcome to get in touch with your Review Specialist using the details at
the bottom of any letters you receive from us.
You can also contact us on 0800 101 996 or
[email address]
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Sometimes using an independent conciliator can help resolve your review. If we both agree to
attend Alternative Dispute Resolution, we can ask an independent conciliator to arrange a meeting
at a time that suits everyone. At the meeting, the conciliator can help us discuss the issues you’ve
raised and help us find a solution.
While Alternative Dispute Resolution isn’t a legal process, meeting with an independent conciliator
can be helpful if the relationship between us has broken down. Meetings usually happen over
video conference or in person at an ACC office, and you can bring a support person or advocate
along with you.
If we can’t resolve the issue or find a way forward through Alternative Dispute Resolution, we’ll
continue with the review process.
Case Conferences
A case conference is a phone call between all interested parties at an early stage of the review
process. At a case conference, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss the issues you’ve raised with a
reviewer who is independent from ACC.
Case conferences take around 30 minutes. The independent reviewer will clarify anything they
aren’t sure about, and make sure everyone understands the issues.
At the end of a case conference, the reviewer will recommend what we should do next, and may
suggest a way to resolve the issue. If we’re unable to agree on a resolution, the reviewer will
arrange a review hearing at a time that suits everyone. We must agree on a date for your review
hearing within 3 months of receiving your application. If we don’t do this, the decision will be
deemed in your favour and it will be legally binding on ACC.
Organising a review hearing and gathering evidence can take time, so it may be more than 3
months before a review hearing is held.
Review Hearings
Review hearings can take place over videoconference, and can also take place in person in
Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Napier/Hastings, New Plymouth, Wellington, Blenheim/Nelson,
Christchurch and Dunedin.
Who can attend a review hearing?
The following people are welcome to attend your review hearing:
• You and your support people
• Your advocate or representative
• Your employer and/or their representative (for accidents that happened at work).
• Technical or medical specialists
• Your ACC Review Specialist
• The person at ACC who made the decision you’re reviewing.
Review hearings aren’t open to the general public.
What happens at a review hearing?
At a review hearing, an independent reviewer will consider all the information available to them,
including information about your case, ACC Legislation, and written submissions from both you
and ACC. After the review hearing, the reviewer will make a decision either in your favour, or in
ACC’s favour.
The reviewer’s decision is final, and you’ll be sent a copy of their decision within 28 days of the
hearing. If you don’t agree with the reviewer’s decision, you have the option to appeal it through
the District Court, however costs may apply.
Who pays for an ACC review?
We pay for case conferences, Alternative Dispute Resolution and review hearings. We may also be
able to reimburse you for other costs, like travel.
Our review process – We’ll do our best to reach a resolution with you at each stage of the review
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ACC8041 June 2019
