At the scene and in the first days
- Report the accident to police and get an event number — you will need it for the claim.
- Exchange details with the other driver (name, licence, rego, insurer) and photograph the vehicles and scene if you safely can.
- See a doctor early, even if you feel mostly fine — some injuries surface days later, and the medical record links your injuries to the accident.
- Keep everything: receipts, medical certificates, photos of injuries, and notes about how the injury affects your work and daily life.
How the CTP scheme works
Every registered vehicle in NSW carries compulsory third party (CTP, or “green slip”) insurance. If you were hurt in a motor accident — as a driver, passenger, motorcyclist, cyclist or pedestrian — your claim goes to the relevant CTP insurer, usually the insurer of the vehicle at fault, or the Nominal Defendant if a vehicle was uninsured or cannot be identified. Statutory benefits are generally paid whether or not anyone was at fault, even if the accident was your own fault, but if you were mostly at fault they generally stop 52 weeks after the accident.
A claim can cover weekly income payments while you cannot work, and your treatment, rehabilitation and care costs, including paid help at home, where they are reasonable and necessary. If someone else was at fault and your injuries are more than minor (threshold) injuries, you may also be able to claim damages for loss of earnings and, where your permanent impairment is greater than 10%, for pain and suffering.
Why people get less than they should
Common mistakes include accepting the insurer’s first classification of your injuries, missing internal review deadlines, and not documenting how the injury really affects your earning capacity. We act on a No Win, No Fee* basis for eligible car accident (CTP) damages claims, and we explain any costs in writing before you start.
When to call a lawyer
Ideally before you lodge, and certainly if the insurer disputes your injuries, cuts off payments, or classifies your injuries as “threshold” when they should not be. The earlier we see your claim, the more we can protect.
Ready to make a claim, or already in one? See how we run car accident (CTP) claims for drivers, passengers, riders and pedestrians.
Were you working when the accident happened? Workers compensation may apply. See how we help with workers compensation claims.