If as a result of your injury you are unable to work injury and have had to claim benefits from Centrelink in the form of a disability pension and you later receive compensation for the injury preventing you from working you will need to pay Centrelink back.
You are not entitled to keep both the disability pension and compensation for the same period.
Should you obtain a lump sum amount to represent your future loss of income (whether you have previously received Centrelink benefits) then Centrelink will prevent you from claiming a disability pension for a period determined by Centrelink based on the amount of compensation you receive, this is called a preclusion period. We will provide to you an estimate of the preclusion period during which you will be prevented from receiving any benefits from Centrelink if an offer of settlement is made in your claim.
If you have any outstanding debt owed to Centrelink (of any kind) this debt may be deducted from any resolution of you claim which involves a lump sum payment for future loss of income.
If you have received a Centrelink pension or benefit, or have debt owed to Centrelink you should advise your lawyer at the earliest opportunity.