Injured workers claim Australian firm Gallagher Bassett failed them

Shane Walsh, a former Paralympic swimmer who won silver at the 2000 Sydney Games, is among a group of injured Australian workers alleging that Gallagher Bassett, a global claims management company, has failed to provide adequate care.

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When it went down, it basically pulled me to one side, which caused the disc [in my back] to pop out.

Walsh sustained a back injury in 2022 while working for the Northern Territory government. His employer outsources its workers' compensation cases to Gallagher Bassett. Medical records reveal that doctors recommended spinal fusion surgery for a bulging disc compressing nerves, with one physician noting a "poor" prognosis without the procedure.

Despite the medical urgency, Walsh claims he waited nearly 12 months for Gallagher Bassett to approve the surgery. He states this delay has resulted in permanent complications, including cauda equina syndrome, a serious condition that can cause pain, weakness, and incontinence, and typically requires surgery within 24 to 48 hours.

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I feel that his prognosis without surgery is poor.

Walsh, who previously managed his cerebral palsy through extensive therapy and surgery, says the injury has severely impacted his life. He has experienced significant weight loss due to pain, requires self-catheterization twice daily for bladder function, and suffers from "severe sexual dysfunction." He fears he may never have children.

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I went from 80 kilos down to 49 kilos because some days the pain was just so intense and I couldn't make it to the kitchen.

Adding to his distress, Walsh alleges that Gallagher Bassett attempted to attribute his current symptoms to his pre-existing cerebral palsy, despite contrary medical advice. The ABC has reviewed medical records detailing these claims, highlighting a pattern of alleged inadequate care by the company.

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Living by myself, I'd be crawling from the bed to the shower to the toilet.