$Billions+ Won
100% No Win, No Fee
200+ Legal Professionals
Doyle’s Recommended: Asbestos & Dust Diseases
The Alfred Research Partner
Three ways work makes you sick
Any one of them is enough to claim.
Even if you smoked. Even if you retired. Even if it was decades ago.
Caused it
Your work directly caused the illness. Dust, chemicals, asbestos, fumes, repeated heavy strain.
Made it worse
Your job took an old health problem and made it bigger. Asthma, back pain, smoker’s lung, an old back injury.
Brought it on early
Your work sped up something that would have come anyway, just much later in life.
Whichever one is yours, talk to us. We know what a diagnosis does to a family.
Free, confidential, no obligation. Or use the form below.
Featured Results
Recent wins for Victorian workers
Past results are not a guarantee of future outcomes. Each claim is decided on its own facts.
How Zaparas wins more
How we win more for workers with occupational diseases
Some law firms win more than others. Why? Because they know what they are doing. We help fund a groundbreaking silicosis trial at The Alfred’s Occupational Respiratory Clinic, going beyond legal work into research. Our team knows how to find out where you worked decades ago, even if the company is gone. We get strong medical proof. We chase every kind of money you may be owed, not just one. And we will go to court if the insurer will not pay what is fair.
“We don’t settle for less. We settle for more. The insurers know this.”
Yianni Zaparas, Managing Partner
At a glance
Occupational disease claims at a glance
Who can claim
Any Victorian worker whose job made them sick, or made an illness worse. Current workers, retirees, contractors, casuals, labour-hire and apprentices. Husbands, wives, partners and children of workers who have died from a work-related illness can also claim.
What you can claim
Weekly pay while you cannot work. Your medical and treatment costs. A lump sum for permanent damage. Money from your super if you cannot work in your trade anymore. And extra money if your employer did not keep you safe.
Time limits apply
The clock starts on the day you are diagnosed, not the day you were exposed at work. That means you can still claim for dust diseases like mesothelioma decades after the job that caused them. The sooner you call us, the better.
Cost to you
Nothing upfront. We work on 100% No Win, No Fee. We pay for the medical reports and expert reports up front. You only pay legal fees if we win your case.
You don’t need a diagnosis to start
Many people come to us with symptoms only, before they have been diagnosed. We send you to the right specialist and pay for the appointment.
Extra money when your boss was careless
If your employer did not give you safety gear, or ignored warnings, or broke the rules, you can claim extra money on top of WorkCover. This is for pain, suffering and lost future earnings.
Your employer cannot sack you for claiming
Victorian law protects your job. It is against the law for an employer to punish you for putting in a claim.
Your Costs, Explained
What “100% No Win, No Fee” actually means for you.
If we don’t win, you don’t pay. It’s that simple.
Three things you never have to worry about
- ✓ No upfront cost. No retainers, no hourly bills, no hidden charges along the way.
- ✓ We carry the expenses. Medical reports, expert witnesses and court filing fees are covered by us.
- ✓ Only paid if you win. Our fee comes from the result, never from your pocket beforehand.
Why choose Zaparas
Why choose Zaparas occupational disease lawyers
Six reasons families across Victoria choose us when the stakes are highest.
01
The Alfred research partner
We partner with The Alfred’s Occupational Respiratory Clinic to help fund a groundbreaking three-year silicosis trial led by Dr Ryan Hoy and his team. The partnership reflects our commitment to better outcomes for workers with dust diseases, well beyond legal claims alone.
02
We win you more
Zaparas has the financial strength to back every case fully. No compromises, no pressure to accept low offers. Our lawyers fight for maximum compensation because we know what is at stake for sick workers and their families.
03
100% No Win, No Fee
You pay nothing upfront. No retainers, no hourly fees, no hidden costs. We cover all case expenses: medical reports, expert witnesses, court filing fees. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. It’s that simple.
04
Family-Run Since 1981
Founder Peter Zaparas. Now led by Yianni, Paul and Zoe Zaparas. We answer to our clients, not corporate shareholders. 200+ legal professionals: the capacity of a national firm, the accountability of a family one.
05
Doyle’s Recommended for Dust Diseases
Doyle’s Guide ranks Zaparas as a Recommended firm for Asbestos and Dust Diseases Compensation in Victoria. We are also First Tier for Work Injury Compensation, every year since 2020. Founder Peter Zaparas holds the individual Preeminent ranking.
06
We take on the risk so you don’t have to
From paperwork to medical evidence to trial preparation, we handle every stage. So you can focus on your health, while we focus on the legal side.
Speak to a Zaparas occupational disease lawyer today. No obligation. 100% No Win, No Fee.
Research partner
Zaparas Lawyers and The Alfred. A research partnership.
We are proud to partner with The Alfred’s Occupational Respiratory Clinic to help fund a groundbreaking three-year silicosis trial. Led by Dr Ryan Hoy and his team of respiratory specialists, the trial is investigating an anti-inflammatory drug that may suppress, and ultimately stop, the lung inflammation caused by inhaled silica dust.
For our clients living with silicosis, the partnership goes beyond legal representation. It is about hope, innovation, and the belief that together we can help change the story of silicosis sufferers.
“To contribute in any way to the improvement of the well-being of individuals suffering from silicosis around Australia and potentially the world is humbling.”
Yianni Zaparas, Managing Partner
Diseases we help with
Occupational diseases we represent across Victoria
We treat workplace illness as a complete field, not just one disease or one industry. Find the condition closest to yours.
Silicosis and silica disease
Silica dust from cutting, grinding or polishing stone, concrete or engineered stone. Includes accelerated silicosis.
Mesothelioma
Aggressive asbestos cancer of the lung lining or abdomen. Can develop 20 to 50 years after exposure.
Asbestosis and pleural disease
Scarring and thickening of lung tissue from breathing asbestos fibres. Progressive breathing difficulty.
Work-related lung cancer
Linked to asbestos, silica, diesel exhaust, welding fumes and solvents. Smoking history does not stop a claim.
COPD and emphysema
Caused or worsened by workplace dust, fumes and chemicals. Workplace exposures cause an estimated 10% to 15% of cases.
Welding-related conditions
Manganism, metal fume fever and welding-related lung disease from fume exposure.
Occupational cancers
Bladder, blood and prostate cancers linked to benzene, petrol, pesticides and industrial chemicals. Skin cancer and melanoma for outdoor workers.
Firefighter and emergency services
Presumptive cancer rights, PTSD, toxic fume exposure and CFA volunteer compensation.
Also covered: occupational asthma, Q Fever, chemical exposure, plastic and rubber industry conditions, pleural plaques, and third-wave asbestos exposure. For the full range of asbestos-related conditions, see our asbestos lawyers page. If your diagnosis is not listed here but you believe work contributed, contact us. Exposures can come from unexpected sources.
“We don’t just represent patients. We help fund the cure.”
Paul Zaparas, Managing Partner
On Zaparas Lawyers’ partnership with The Alfred Hospital’s Occupational Respiratory Clinic.
Proclaimed diseases
Some diseases get a faster path. Here’s why.
Victorian law has a list of illnesses called “proclaimed diseases”. If you have one, and you worked in the kind of job that causes it, the law already assumes the work made you sick. You do not have to prove it from scratch.
This makes the claim much faster. The insurer has to accept it, unless they can show the work was not the cause. For most workers, the insurer cannot show that.
An example: A stonemason with silicosis is on the list. So is a boilermaker with mesothelioma. So is a coal miner with pneumoconiosis. The law assumes the dust at work caused the illness. The claim moves faster than a normal WorkCover claim, often in four to eight weeks.
Even if your illness is not on the list, you can still claim. The proof just takes a bit more work, and we do that work.
Common proclaimed diseases
- Silicosis, including the accelerated form in stonemasons
- Mesothelioma (asbestos cancer of the lung or stomach lining)
- Asbestosis and other asbestos-related lung damage
- Lung cancer linked to asbestos, silica or diesel exhaust
- Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (black lung in miners)
- Occupational asthma from chemicals, dusts or fumes at work
- Bladder cancer in dye and rubber workers
- Q-fever in abattoir workers, vets and farmers
- Lead and mercury poisoning from chemical exposure
Plus presumptive cancer cover for firefighters under separate legislation.
How it works
How we run your occupational disease claim
Eight steps from your first call to the payment that lands in your account. We find out where you got sick, get the medical proof, and chase every kind of money you may be owed.
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01
Free claim check
Call us. We will get back to you within 15 minutes in business hours. We tell you straight up if you have a case and what it could be worth.
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02
Meet your lawyer
At home, in hospital, on the phone, on video, or at one of our offices. Whatever suits you. The first meeting is free and you are not signed up to anything.
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03
We find out where you got sick
You do not need to remember every detail. We pull old work records, union records and WorkSafe records to build the picture. We can find work history from decades ago, even when the company is long gone.
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04
We lodge your WorkCover claim
We fill in the forms and send them to the insurer with the medical proof. Once accepted, your weekly pay and medical costs start. For dust diseases like silicosis, this often happens within four to eight weeks.
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05Most contested point
We run the claim day to day
If the insurer cuts your weekly pay, says no to treatment, or tries to push you off payments at the two-and-a-half-year mark, we push back. If you have been told the diagnosis is terminal, there is a fast-track process and we use it.
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06Lump-sum stage
We get you the lump sum
For diseases like silicosis or mesothelioma, the law already assumes the work caused it, so this stage runs faster. We send you to the right respiratory specialists, including through our Alfred Hospital partnership. If the insurer gives you a low rating, we push back.
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07
We claim extra money if your boss was careless
If your boss did not give you safety gear, ignored warnings, or broke dust or chemical safety rules, you can claim extra money on top of WorkCover. We get the court approval needed, line up the right experts, and work out what your claim is really worth.
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08
We settle or take it to court
Most claims settle without ever going to court. But we prepare every claim as if it will go to trial. That way, when we sit down to negotiate, the insurer takes us seriously.
When to call
When to get a lawyer involved
Call us early if any of these things sound like you.
Exposed but not sick
Worried but not sick yet?
If you have been around asbestos, silica, or other hazards at work but do not have symptoms, you can register your exposure with us. It creates a permanent record and protects your right to claim if you become unwell later.
What you could be owed
What you could actually get
Most workers with a work-related illness can claim more than one type of money. We chase every one that applies to you, so you never need a second lawyer.
When you can claim extra money on top
Important: The numbers above are a general guide, not legal advice. Every disease and every case is different. We give you a realistic figure for your case in the free first call.
Free, confidential chat
Tell us about your diagnosis. We’ll tell you what you may be owed.
A Doyle’s Guide First Tier Zaparas occupational disease lawyer will review your case. Free, confidential, no obligation. Often a 15-minute call back.
Time limits
How long you have to make an occupational disease claim
Time limits for work-related illness are not what most people expect. The clock usually starts on the day you are diagnosed, not the day you were at work. The sooner you call us, the better we can protect what you are owed.
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Diagnosis
The clock starts
For most work-related illness, your time starts ticking on the day you are diagnosed, or the day you should have known the work made you sick. Not the day you were at the work site.
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Day 30
Lodge your claim form
Within 30 days of finding out your illness is from work. The form goes to WorkSafe Victoria.
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Day 60
The insurer decides
The insurer has 28 days to say yes or no after they get a complete claim. For diseases like silicosis, mesothelioma and asbestosis, the law already says the work caused them, so the answer comes faster.
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2.5 years
Capacity check
Once you have been on weekly pay for two and a half years, the insurer checks whether they think you can work again. This is the part of the claim where insurers push hardest. We prepare your medical evidence months in advance.
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6 years
Extra-money claim deadline
If your boss was at fault, you usually have six years from diagnosis to start a claim for extra money. The rules for dust diseases let you go further back.
Other dates that matter
Two claims, one work-related illness
WorkCover money, or extra money if your boss was at fault. What is the difference?
Most workers have one of two claims. Some have both. The right move is to work out which one is yours, from day one.
WorkCover money
Nobody has to be at fault. If work made you sick, you can claim weekly pay, medical costs, and a lump sum for permanent damage. You don’t have to prove your boss did anything wrong.
What you get: Weekly pay while you can’t work. Your medical and treatment costs. A lump sum if the damage is permanent.
Time limit: The clock starts the day you are diagnosed. Lodge as soon as you can after you find out your illness is from work.
Extra money if your boss was at fault
Your boss has to have done something wrong. If they did not give you safety gear, ignored warnings, or broke dust or chemical safety rules, you can claim a bigger lump sum on top of WorkCover.
What you get: Money for pain and suffering. Money for wages you have lost and will lose. Money for future medical care. Often $200,000 to $1,000,000 or more in bad cases.
Time limit: Strict, and it depends on the disease. The rules for dust diseases let you go back further than six years. Call us early.
When a boss is “at fault” — real examples
- A stonemason who got silicosis because the employer let the engineered-stone dust go above safe limits.
- A boilermaker who breathed in asbestos because the employer knew it was there but did not remove it.
- A welder who got lung disease because the workshop had no fume extraction and no proper masks.
- A factory worker who breathed chemical fumes because there was no ventilation or proper protective gear.
- An outdoor worker who got skin cancer because the boss never gave out sun protection.
Not sure which one you have? Get a free claim check. One of our lawyers will tell you.
Other money you may be owed
A work-related illness often opens more than these two claims. We also assess super and TPD payouts, third-party claims (against chemical makers, head builders or equipment suppliers), provisional damages for early asbestos signs, dependency and estate claims for the family of a worker who has died, and medical negligence if a doctor missed a diagnosis or screening. We work out every kind of money you may be owed, not just WorkCover.
“No” is not the end
What to do if the insurer says no
Insurers say no for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes they say your illness is not from work. Sometimes they argue with the medical proof. Sometimes they blame your smoking, your age, or an old health problem. We turn around rejected claims all the time.
Has the insurer blamed your smoking, your age, or your old job? Get a free second opinion. Use the form above or call (03) 8527 0200.
In your language
We speak your language
Our lawyers and staff speak over 30 different languages. Dedicated pages in:
Plus 30+ other languages via our interpreter network. Call (03) 8527 0200.
Your lawyers
Meet your occupational disease team
Your claim is handled by some of Victoria’s most experienced and highly ranked occupational disease lawyers.
Meet our full team · Get matched with an occupational disease lawyer for your claim →
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about occupational disease claims
The questions Victorian workers with workplace illness ask us most, answered plainly.
Industries we help
Victorian workers we help, across every industry
If your job is on this list, we already know the insurer, the right specialists to send you to, and the kind of work that made you sick.
We have run claims for workers in:
Not on the list? We have represented workers from hundreds of occupations. Call (03) 8527 0200.
Important for Vietnamese stonemasons
Quan trọng cho thợ đá người Việt
Many Vietnamese stonemasons worry about these things. Here are the answers.
- “Will my boss get in trouble?” No. The insurance company pays, not your boss personally.
- “Will I lose my job?” No. It is unlawful to dismiss you for making a WorkCover claim.
- “Do I need perfect English?” No. We have Vietnamese-speaking lawyers and interpreters.
- “Is this a lawsuit against my employer?” No. WorkCover is insurance your employer already pays for.
Tiếng Việt: Gọi (03) 8527 0200. Nói chuyện bằng tiếng Việt. Miễn phí và bảo mật.
Did your job make you sick? Find out what you’re owed.
The Family Firm, That Wins You More.