Most people have never made a claim after a crash and don't know where to begin. For people in Charlestown, we start with the basics: were you hurt, was a vehicle damaged, and can the other vehicle be identified? The answers decide who you deal with. Many injury claims run smoothly without a lawyer. When yours needs one, we'll connect you with an independent lawyer.
Newcastle & the Hunter · Car accident claims
Charlestown car accident claims: injury, damage or drove off
Just had a crash? Sort out the claim first, then the paperwork.
Postcode: 2290
- Free claim check, no obligation
- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in Charlestown & Gateshead
Crashes around Charlestown and the kind of claim they lead to
Nelson Bay Road and the Newcastle Inner City Bypass carry heavy local traffic. If a crash there seemed small but you're sore days later, it can still be an injury claim, so see a doctor. If your crash was in a car park at or near Charlestown Square, note the level, bay or entry, and ask whoever runs the car park to keep any footage. It helps identify the other vehicle and supports your account. On a road as busy as the Pacific Highway, drivers sometimes move off before details are swapped. If that happens, the number plate is what matters most, so photograph or write it down before anything else.
If you were taken to John Hunter Hospital or seen by a doctor soon after, that record shows the crash caused an injury. It is often what turns a crash that seemed damage-only into an injury claim.
- Region
- Newcastle & the Hunter
- Postcode
- 2290
- Local landmarks
- Charlestown Square · Charlestown Pool
- Main roads
- Pacific Highway · Charlestown Road
- Nearest public hospital
- John Hunter Hospital
The kinds of claim a car accident can lead to
People often ring about the car first because the damage is visible and the tow truck is waiting. The injury side can seem less urgent, especially if the pain comes later. Yet the injury claim has its own deadlines, running from the date of the crash. Treat the two as separate jobs from day one, even if you only need to act on one of them.
Read next:Which help do I need? Quick check
Hit-and-run and uninsured vehicles: the Nominal Defendant
A vehicle that can't be identified, or one with no CTP insurance, doesn't leave you without someone to claim against. The Nominal Defendant, a NSW Government-backed fund, stands in for the missing insurer. The injury claim then works in much the same way as any other, and the usual time limits apply from the date of the crash.
- Ask nearby businesses and homes about camera footage
- Take the details of anyone who stopped or saw it
- Keep a dated list of every step you take to trace it
Read next:Uninsured or unidentified vehicles
Which claim do you have?
An injury, a damaged car and a missing driver are three different problems. The cards below show where each one generally goes. If more than one fits, you may have more than one claim running at once.
- You were injured
An injury goes to a CTP insurer
Injuries from a crash in NSW are generally claimed through CTP insurance, whoever caused the crash. The claim usually goes to the insurer of the vehicle at fault. Lodging early matters, so start once you've seen a doctor.
CTP claims in Charlestown - Your car was damaged
Car and property damage is a separate claim
A damaged car, bike or fence is a property claim. It generally goes to your own insurer or the other driver's property insurer, not to CTP, and we don't handle it. Keep it apart from any injury claim.
What CTP does and doesn't cover - Hit-and-run or uninsured
A driver who fled or had no Green Slip
If the vehicle drove off and can't be identified, or had no CTP insurance, you can claim against the Nominal Defendant, a NSW Government-backed fund. Report the crash to police promptly and make due inquiry and search for the vehicle.
Uninsured or unidentified vehicles - Driving for work
Driving for work usually brings another scheme first
A crash while working is usually a work injury as well as a motor accident. Workers compensation generally comes first. You may still be able to claim damages from the at-fault driver's CTP insurer, which is worth checking before you settle anything.
Crash while working? Quick check - Someone died
When someone died in the crash
The family of someone who died in a NSW crash may be able to claim funeral expenses and, for dependants, the financial support they lost. Support is available through CTP Assist whenever you're ready to talk.
After a fatal crash
General information, not legal advice. Some crashes involve more than one claim. Time limits apply.
A car accident claim without a lawyer: when it works
Knowing the kind of claim you have is half the answer. The other half is whether anything about it is unusual: a vehicle that drove off, a crash while working, or an insurer questioning the injury. Here's a quick guide.
Often worth talking to a lawyer
- A property insurer wants a signed release that may mention injuries
- You're past 3 months from the crash and haven't claimed yet
- The other driver disputes that the crash happened the way you say
- You were driving for work and aren't sure which claim comes first
You may not need one
- Your symptoms are settling and you're back to your usual routine
- The other vehicle is identified and insured, and your claim is lodged
- You just need to know which form to fill in
If a small crash has left you sore, a doctor's record is what makes it an injury claim. Ask us about doctors and allied health who understand CTP claims and the Certificate of Fitness.
Not quite your situation?
- Once you know you have an injury claim and want to get it lodged, the CTP claims page sets out each step in order. CTP claims in Charlestown
- If the real argument is about who caused the crash, the car accident lawyer page explains how fault is decided. Car accident lawyer in Charlestown
- If you want to know what an injury claim can actually pay, and when, the car accident compensation page covers it. Car accident compensation in Charlestown
Free claim check
Sort out your claim in one call
Free and no obligation. Call (02) 7238 7379 or send a few details online, and we'll help you sort out the kind of claim you have.
The first days after a crash: what to gather
You don't need everything worked out in the first week, but some things are much easier to collect then than later. Photos, the other vehicle's registration, the names of witnesses and a written note of what happened all help. So does an early visit to a GP, even if you feel mostly fine, because it creates a record that ties any injury to the crash.
- Photos of both vehicles, the scene and any injuries
- Any police event number you were given
- Hospital or GP paperwork from the first visit
- Receipts for medication, fares and parking at treatment
Read next:Checklist for the first 30 days
Small crashes and symptoms that show up later
It's common for pain or stiffness to appear a day or two after a crash, once the adrenaline wears off, though everyone is different. If that happens, see a doctor and mention the crash. The time limits for claiming run from the date of the accident, not from when symptoms began, and lodging within 28 days of the accident means weekly payments can generally be back-paid to the day after it.
Deadlines run from the crash
Time limits for an injury claim count from the date of the accident, not the day the pain started. If you're unsure, check early rather than late.
Read next:The 28-day rule for CTP claims
Damage to your car: a separate claim
Your car and your injuries run on separate tracks. The car side goes to a property insurer, usually your own if you have comprehensive cover, or the other driver's if they were at fault and insured. The injury side goes to a CTP insurer. An offer about the car says nothing about your injuries, so don't treat it as the end of the matter.
If you don't have comprehensive insurance and the other driver was at fault, their property insurer is usually the first place to ask about repairs. Where the other driver has no property cover at all, the options are narrower and may involve dealing with them directly. None of this changes your right to make an injury claim through CTP.
Reporting the crash and swapping details
A police report made close to the time is useful evidence that the crash happened when and how you say. If police came to the scene, ask for the event number before they leave. If they didn't, report it yourself as soon as you can. Insurers generally treat a claim with no police record more cautiously, so it's worth the effort even for a small crash.
Sometimes the other driver refuses to give details, gives a false name or drives off before you can ask. Stay safe and don't follow them. Photograph or write down the number plate, the make, the colour and anything else you noticed, then report it to police. If the vehicle can be traced from its plate, the claim can go to its insurer as usual.
Read next:CTP claim forms
Why a claim check comes before the paperwork
Getting the claim type right early saves time and avoids missed deadlines. There's no charge for the claim check and no obligation to go further. It covers the injury side of a car accident, and it can also point you to doctors and allied health if treatment is what you need first. Property damage we'll simply point back to your insurer.
Frequently asked questions
Write down or photograph the number plate, and note the make, colour and a description of the driver. Then report it to police, including that details weren't exchanged. A vehicle's CTP insurer can usually be found from its registration, so your injury claim can still go ahead. If you didn't get the plate, the Nominal Defendant may be the path instead, and your police report becomes even more important.
Yes. It's not unusual for neck, back or psychological symptoms to appear a day or more after a crash. See a doctor as soon as you notice them and tell them about the accident, so the link is recorded. Remember the time limits run from the date of the accident, not from when the pain began. You can generally still claim up to 3 months after the accident, though weekly payments may then start from the claim date.
The injury claim form usually asks for one, and it helps show the crash happened when and how you say. If police attended, they'll give you the number. If they didn't, you can generally report the crash yourself afterwards and get one then. Not having an event number doesn't necessarily stop a claim, but it can make the insurer more cautious, so it's worth getting.
Not always. 'Car accident claim' is an everyday phrase that can mean an injury claim, a claim for damage to your car, or both. In NSW, an injury claim runs through CTP insurance, the Green Slip on every registered vehicle. Damage to the car is a separate property claim with a different insurer. If you were hurt, the CTP injury claim is the one with the tighter deadlines, so start there.
For the car, a private arrangement can sometimes work, but get it in writing. For injuries, be cautious. A cash payment from the driver doesn't replace an injury claim through CTP, and accepting one could complicate things if your injuries turn out to be worse than they seemed. Take their full details and registration anyway, report the crash if anyone was hurt, and keep your injury claim options open.
You can, if you were injured. Many people with genuine injuries never go to hospital, particularly after a low-speed crash. What matters is that a doctor sees you, records your symptoms and notes that they came from the crash. See a GP as soon as you can and keep that record. The injury claim then runs in the usual way, whether or not there was an ambulance or an emergency visit.
Car accident claim: suburbs near Charlestown
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CTP Lawyer is not a law firm. This page is general information, not legal advice; the independent lawyer you speak with can advise on your own situation.