WorkCover Claims
From initial lodgement to resolution. As a compensation lawyer Gold Coast based, Stuart has navigated the WorkCover process for injured Queensland workers since 2003.
Stuart MacLeod
Partner
Meet Stuart MacLeod
Head of Queensland Practice
Stuart MacLeod
Compensation lawyer Gold Coast and Head of Queensland Practice, Zaparas Lawyers. Doyle’s Guide Recommended Compensation Lawyer (Queensland 2024 and 2025). Leading the firm’s Queensland practice from our Coomera office. 30+ years acting exclusively for injured people.
Doyle’s Guide 2024 and 2025
30+ years in compensation law
Gold Coast, Coomera
Admitted UK 1996, QLD 2003
30+ years in compensation law
Gold Coast, Coomera
Admitted UK 1996, QLD 2003
30+Years’ Experience
100% No Win, No Fee
Family-Run Since 1981.
30+ YearsIn compensation law, UK and Queensland
Doyle’s 2024 and 2025Recommended Compensation Lawyer, Gold Coast
100% No Win, No Fee
200+ TeamFamily-Run Since 1981
Your Costs
What “100% No Win, No Fee” really means.
You pay nothing upfront. No retainers, no hourly fees, no hidden costs. We cover all case expenses, including medical reports, expert witnesses, and court filing fees. If we do not win, you do not pay. It’s that simple.
Stuart’s Practice
Compensation lawyer Gold Coast. Stuart’s Queensland practice areas.
Stuart is a Doyle’s Guide Recommended compensation lawyer Gold Coast based, with a particular focus on serious injury claims. He acts for Queenslanders across all major compensation streams, with experience spanning the full range of entitlements under Queensland legislation.
Motor Vehicle Accident Claims (CTP)
Helping Queenslanders injured on the road understand their CTP entitlements: treatment, income support, and long-term compensation.
Public Liability Claims
If you have been injured through someone else’s negligence in a shop, café, venue or footpath, there is often a claim. Stuart can advise.
Superannuation and TPD
Many Queenslanders do not realise their super or insurance may cover total and permanent disability. Stuart helps you understand and pursue what is there.
Occupational Disease Claims
Representing Queenslanders whose health has been affected through workplace exposure, including dust diseases, asbestos and occupational cancers.
Not sure about your entitlements?
Speak directly with Stuart or his team for a free, no-obligation conversation about your situation.
Why Choose Stuart
Why Queenslanders choose Stuart MacLeod.
Stuart has secured life-changing entitlements for injured Queenslanders for over twenty years. The qualifying word here is injured. He has never acted for an insurance company, only for the people insurers are supposed to protect.
That distinction matters. It means Stuart understands not just the claims process, but the costs that come with injury. Time off work, mortgage stress, family pressure, the long fight to be believed.
“I’ve practised exclusively in compensation law since 1996. My clients are people, not policy numbers. Every conversation starts there.”
Stuart MacLeod, Head of Queensland Practice
Acts only for injured people
Has never represented an insurance company in 30+ years of practice.
Deep technical knowledge
Deep knowledge of Queensland WorkCover legislation and processes.
Cross-jurisdictional rigour
Trained in personal injury law in the UK (1996), admitted in Queensland in 2003.
Strategic, end-to-end
Strong sense of medical evidence and pragmatic legal strategy throughout.
Family-firm advocate
Backed by Zaparas Lawyers. Family-Run Since 1981, Doyle’s Guide ranked.
Local to Coomera
Compensation lawyer Gold Coast based, advocating exclusively for injured Queenslanders.
Client Reviews
What Stuart’s clients say
Verified Google Reviews from injured Queenslanders Stuart has acted for.
★★★★★
Very happy to recommend Stuart and his team. Supportive, professional, available and realistic. Made a world of difference to the future of my life.
Amity, Google Review
★★★★★
Words cannot explain how excellent Stuart and his team are. Absolute professionals, all done at a personal level. Never felt lost or unheard.
Andrew, Google Review
★★★★★
Felt at ease and genuinely cared for right from the first phone call. Special thanks also to Wendy. Big thanks again to Ellie who always went above and beyond.
Jay, Google Review
Meet Stuart
30 years for the injured. Never for the insurer.
Stuart is a Doyle’s Guide Recommended compensation lawyer Gold Coast based, leading Zaparas Lawyers’ Queensland practice from our Coomera office. A Doyle’s Guide Recommended Compensation Lawyer in both 2024 and 2025, he brings 30+ years of experience to every claim, having acted exclusively for injured people since 1996.
Stuart runs all Queensland matters end-to-end, drawing on the experience of the wider Zaparas Lawyers legal team. Whether you have been injured at work, on the road, or in a public place, you get one senior lawyer who understands what you are going through and what comes next.
Zaparas Lawyers is family-run, and Stuart approaches his practice the same way. Every client gets the same patient hearing. The firm, led by Managing Partners Yianni, Paul and Zoe Zaparas and now in its second generation, has spent over 40 years helping Australian families recover what is rightfully theirs. Stuart brings that ethos to Queensland.
Professional Background
30+ years in compensation law, from the UK to Queensland.
Stuart’s career as a compensation lawyer was shaped by the workplace and benefits challenges facing working people in 1980s Britain. After relocating to Queensland in 2003, he brought that rigour with him.
Today, Stuart leads Zaparas Lawyers’ Queensland practice from Coomera, advocating exclusively for Queenslanders injured at work, on the road and in public places.
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1992
Bachelor of Laws (LLB), United Kingdom
Awarded LLB.
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1996
Qualified as a solicitor in the United Kingdom
Began practising in compensation law, representing injured workers against employers and insurers.
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1996 to 2003
UK compensation law practice
Specialised in workplace and road-accident claims under the UK personal injury framework.
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2003
Admitted as a solicitor in Queensland
Relocated from the UK to Queensland to continue representing injured people.
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2003 to 2015
Partner and Queensland General Manager, Shine Lawyers
Twelve years leading Queensland compensation matters across WorkCover, CTP, public liability and superannuation/TPD.
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2015 to 2017
Queensland Practice Group Leader, Slater and Gordon Lawyers
Led the Queensland practice group across all major compensation schemes.
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2017 to Present
Head of Queensland Practice, Zaparas Lawyers
Leading the Queensland practice from Coomera, advocating exclusively for injured Queenslanders.
Recognition and Credentials
Independently recognised. Formally qualified. Actively engaged.
Independent Recognition
- Doyle’s Guide, Recommended Compensation Lawyer, 2024
- Doyle’s Guide, Recommended Compensation Lawyer, 2025
It’s one of the reasons we win you more.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB), 1992
- Qualified as a solicitor, United Kingdom, 1996
- Admitted as a solicitor, Queensland, 2003
Admitted across two jurisdictions
Professional Memberships
- Queensland Law Society (QLS)
- Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA)
Engaged in the profession
Scottish-born
Family-focused
Coomera local
Vinyl collector
The family-firm fit
Stuart’s values mirror the Zaparas Lawyers ethos. Family first, people first, no shortcuts.
Beyond the Law
Getting to know Stuart.
Outside the office, Stuart is a proud Scotsman who chose Coomera deliberately, to be part of the local community he represents. Scotland football and rugby union remain his sports of choice, and weekends are often spent at school sport sidelines with his family.
Stuart is also a longtime supporter of local sport. Zaparas Lawyers proudly backs the Coomera Crushers and Coomera FC as part of his commitment to the area.
His approach to the law is informed by every conversation he has outside it. With neighbours, with tradies who have been hurt at work, with families wondering how they will pay the bills. Simply being available makes a difference.
Frequently Asked
Common questions about Stuart and Queensland claims.
What types of compensation claims does Stuart MacLeod handle?
Stuart acts for Queenslanders across WorkCover (workers’ compensation), motor vehicle accident (CTP) and occupational disease claims. He also assists with superannuation and TPD claims and public liability matters. If you are not sure which category your situation fits, give us a call. We will let you know on the call itself.
What makes Stuart’s approach to compensation claims different?
Stuart has acted exclusively for injured people for 30+ years and has never acted for an insurance company. That perspective shapes everything: medical evidence, legal strategy, negotiation, settlement. You get one senior lawyer who has seen what you are seeing.
What is the first step if I think I have a compensation claim in Queensland?
Call (07) 5675 1300 or request a free claim assessment online. We will have a short conversation about what happened, when it happened, and what entitlements may be available. There is no cost and no obligation to proceed.
How does Stuart keep clients informed about a claim’s progress?
Every client gets direct access to Stuart and his team. We agree how often you want updates at the start, and we stick to it. No call centres. No auto-replies. A senior lawyer who picks up the phone.
What does “100% No Win, No Fee” really mean for my claim?
You pay nothing upfront. No retainers, no hourly fees, no hidden costs. We cover all case expenses, including medical reports, expert witnesses, and court filing fees. If we do not win, you do not pay. It’s that simple.
How long does a compensation claim typically take in Queensland?
It depends on the scheme and the severity of the injury. Some statutory benefits start within weeks. Common law claims can take 12 to 24 months. Stuart will give you a realistic timeline at your first consultation and update it as the matter develops.
What is the purpose of making a compensation claim?
To restore, as much as money can, what you have lost: medical costs, lost income, future earning capacity, pain and suffering, and your family’s future. Compensation is the legal framework Queensland has built to support injured people through recovery.
Can I change lawyers if I am not happy with my current representation?
Yes. You have the right to change lawyers at any time. Stuart and the team can help you understand whether a switch makes sense for your matter and, if so, manage the transition with your existing firm.
Is Stuart MacLeod based on the Gold Coast?
Yes. Stuart is a compensation lawyer Gold Coast based and leads Zaparas Lawyers’ Queensland practice from our Coomera office, five minutes from the M1. He sees clients there and across Queensland, including by phone and video when that is easier.
What happens when you contact Stuart
Three simple steps. No pressure, no obligation.
1
Free claim check
A short conversation with Stuart’s team. We find out what happened and what entitlements may be available. No cost, no obligation.
2
We assess your entitlements
Stuart reviews your situation against Queensland legislation and tells you, plainly, where you stand. If we can help, we explain how.
3
We act for you
On a 100% No Win, No Fee basis. You pay nothing upfront. Stuart and his team handle every step.
Get Your Free Claim Assessment
Speak with a Doyle’s Guide Recommended Lawyer.
When you have been injured in Queensland, the law is complicated and the clock can be unforgiving. Stuart MacLeod, Doyle’s Guide Recommended compensation lawyer Gold Coast, and the Zaparas Lawyers Queensland team will tell you, free and without obligation, where you stand.
- Doyle’s Guide Recommended 2024 and 2025Recognised by your peers, not just by us.
- 100% No Win, No FeeYou only pay if we secure your entitlements.
- 30+ years in compensation lawActing only for injured people, never for insurers.
- (07) 5675 1300Queensland line. Coomera office. Open weekdays.
What “100% No Win, No Fee” really means
You pay nothing upfront. No retainers, no hourly fees, no hidden costs. We cover all case expenses, including medical reports, expert witnesses, and court filing fees. If we do not win, you do not pay. It’s that simple.
Request your free claim assessment
Complete the form and a member of Stuart’s team will be in touch within one business day.