Last updated · General information, not legal advice
Understanding soft tissue injury
Soft tissue injuries — strains, sprains, and bruising to muscles, tendons and ligaments — are the injury type the CTP scheme's threshold injury definition was built around. If your injury is a straightforward soft tissue injury, without a tear, fracture, or nerve involvement, it's generally classified as a threshold injury, which generally limits statutory benefits to 52 weeks (for accidents from 1 April 2023) and rules out common law damages. The precise boundary — what counts as a "tear" rather than a "strain," for instance — is exactly where a lot of CTP disputes happen.
Common symptoms
Symptoms can take hours or days to appear after a crash. Getting them assessed and documented early matters for your recovery — and for your claim.
- Pain, swelling or bruising at the site of injury
- Muscle stiffness or spasm
- Reduced range of motion
- Tenderness to touch
- Symptoms that improve with rest and treatment over weeks
Free claim check
Not sure where this leaves your claim?
How we help
A free claim check can walk through your specific diagnosis and explain how it's likely to be classified, and what would move it outside the threshold category (for example, a tear or nerve damage picked up on imaging or specialist assessment). If you believe your injury goes beyond a straightforward soft tissue injury, we'll connect you with an independent lawyer who can help you challenge a threshold classification.
Getting the right treatment
A doctor experienced with CTP claims can confirm your diagnosis, complete your Certificate of Fitness, and refer you on if something looks like more than a straightforward soft tissue injury. Physiotherapy is the standard treatment for most soft tissue injuries, supporting recovery and documenting your progress. See doctors and allied health for CTP claims for help finding providers.
Doctors & allied health for CTP claims
Doctors & allied health
Need a doctor who understands CTP claims?
Your claim runs on medical evidence, so the doctor you see matters. If treatment is what you need, we can refer you to a doctor or allied health provider experienced with CTP claims.
- A doctor experienced with CTP claims — for diagnosis, a treatment plan and your Certificate of Fitness, which records your injuries and your capacity for work.
- Allied health such as physiotherapy, psychology and exercise physiology, for the treatment your injuries need.
- Free, with no obligation. We'll tell you if a provider we refer you to is connected with us, and you can always choose your own.
The CTP insurer generally pays for treatment that is reasonable and necessary for your accident injuries. It decides what's approved, and its decisions can be reviewed.
What matters for your claim
- 1Get a specific diagnosis — "strain" versus "tear" is the line that often decides threshold classification
- 2Consider imaging if symptoms are significant or not resolving as expected
- 3Keep consistent records of treatment and recovery progress
- 4Document any impact on work and daily activities
- 5If your injury doesn't resolve within the expected window, ask about further assessment
Getting the right evidence
Get assessed promptly so there's a clear medical record linking your symptoms to the accident. If pain is severe, or symptoms aren't improving as expected, ask your doctor about further investigation to rule out a more significant injury.
This is general information, not medical or legal advice. If symptoms are severe or worsening, seek medical care straight away — call 000 in an emergency.
