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An Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) customer is accusing the state insurer of failing to help him manage a disabling disease he developed while working.
Motorcycle engineer Chris Booth, 53, has Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), an occupational disease caused by the consistent use of hand vibration tools. He claims his condition was made worse by a lack of understanding from the ACC, Radio NZ reports.
The publication detailed Booth’s case - he originally made an ACC claim in 2007 for carpal tunnel syndrome after advice from a GP. That claim was denied and that reportedly started a long process of visiting specialists who struggled to reach a diagnosis. In 2010, a specialist in HAVS, originally from Britain, diagnosed Booth with the syndrome. This claim was accepted by ACC, as well as a second claim of deterioration accepted in 2016.
However, Booth’s condition reportedly kept deteriorating and left him in constant, agonising pain. He claims ACC did not do anything to prevent his condition from worsening, cut his home help hours in March 2017 and ignored multiple appeals for a review. He also demanded additional hours of home help, more than the two and a half hours help a day on top of what he currently receives.
“I’ve not had an assessment done - an up-to-date assessment - in two-and-a-half years,” he said.
Meanwhile, ACC chief operation officer Mike Tully told Radio NZ the corporation was not sure Booth’s deterioration was related to Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome. He also explained that a home help assessment made by a specialist recommended only one hour per week, but the ACC compromised with the current 15 and a half hours, which was recommended by his then GP. But Tully acknowledged the relationship between ACC and Booth was not ideal.
“It’s tough when there are relationship challenges... I understand the frustration that clearly he’s going through... but we just have to try and get the right assessment to get the right pathway forward,” he noted.
The publication reported ACC has plans for two specialists to meet with Booth in the next month or so to discuss his current condition and need for more home help.
