The words get confusing quickly after a crash: CTP, Green Slip, third party property, comprehensive, Nominal Defendant. For people in East Lindfield, we translate them into one plain answer about the kind of claim you have. Then we point you to the next step, which might be lodging an injury claim yourself, seeing a doctor, or talking to an independent lawyer.
Upper North Shore & Hornsby · Car accident claims
Car accident claim in East Lindfield: which kind do you have?
An injury claim, a damage claim and a hit-and-run claim each go somewhere different. We help you tell which you have.
Postcode: 2070
- Free claim check, no obligation
- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in East Lindfield & Roseville Chase
What kind of claim is this?
After a crash, the kind of claim depends on what happened: who was hurt, what was damaged, whether the other vehicle can be found, and whether you were working. Pick the card closest to your situation. Some crashes fit more than one.
- 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 East Lindfield - 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.
Local roads, car parks and hospitals near East Lindfield
Pennant Hills Road and the Pacific Highway carry heavy traffic, and a crash there may involve a driver heading north on the M1. Get their registration before they leave, since the injury claim follows the vehicle. If your crash was in a car park at or near Garigal National Park, 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. Whether it was on Eastern Arterial Road or a quiet street, the same claim rules apply: injuries go to a CTP insurer, and damage to cars goes through property insurance. Record the location precisely either way.
Hospitals serving the area include Royal North Shore Hospital and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital. You don't need an ambulance or an emergency visit to have an injury claim, but a doctor should record your injuries and link them to the crash.
- Region
- Upper North Shore & Hornsby
- Postcode
- 2070
- Local landmarks
- Garigal National Park · Middle Harbour
- Main roads
- Eastern Arterial Road · Carlyle Road
- Nearest public hospital
- Royal North Shore Hospital
Free claim check
Free car accident claim check
Tell us what happened and we'll work out which claim applies, and where it goes. Damage-only matters we'll point back to your insurer.
What kind of claim does a crash near East Lindfield give you?
A crash can create two quite separate claims. One is for injuries to people, which in NSW runs through CTP insurance, the Green Slip every registered vehicle carries. The other is for damage to vehicles and property, which runs through property insurance. They involve different insurers, different forms and different rules. Settling one does nothing to settle the other.
Read next:Which help do I need? Quick check
Hit-and-run and uninsured vehicles: the Nominal Defendant
An unregistered or uninsured vehicle is a different problem from a vehicle that can't be found. If you know which vehicle it was but it had no Green Slip, the Nominal Defendant generally deals with the injury claim instead of an insurer. The driver may still be personally responsible for other losses, which is a separate question to raise with a lawyer.
- Write down whatever part of the plate you saw
- 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
Repairs, write-offs and hire cars
CTP insurance covers injuries to people. It doesn't pay for repairs, write-offs, towing or hire cars. Those costs usually go through your own comprehensive policy, or a claim against the at-fault driver's property insurer. If the at-fault driver has no property insurance, you may have to pursue them directly. This isn't something we help with, but it's worth knowing where it sits.
Be careful with anything you sign to settle the car side. Property insurers sometimes ask for a signed release when they pay. Read what it covers before you sign, and if it seems to mention injuries as well as property, get advice first. A release about your car should not quietly close off an injury claim.
Reporting the crash and swapping details
At the scene, swap names, addresses and registration numbers with every driver involved, and ask for their insurer if they know it. Photograph the other vehicle's plate and the driver's licence if they agree. If the other vehicle is a work, rental or rideshare car, note the company too. These details are what connect your injury claim to the right insurer.
A driver who won't cooperate at the scene doesn't stop your claim. What matters is the vehicle, not the driver's attitude. A number plate lets the vehicle's CTP insurer be identified. Without one, the claim may need to go to the Nominal Defendant instead, which is why a prompt police report and a record of what you saw matter so much.
Read next:CTP claim forms
Sore days after the crash? It can still be a claim
People often decide not to claim because they 'only' had a small crash, then find weeks later that the injury isn't settling. By then the deadlines have been running since the day of the crash. If you were sore after a collision, it's sensible to see a GP, keep the record and at least find out what claim you have, even if you never end up needing 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
Starting a claim well in the first week
The first days set up whichever claim you end up making. Take photos of both cars, the road and any injuries you can see. Write down what happened in your own words while it's fresh. Keep the other driver's details, the police event number if you have one, and every receipt. Then see a doctor and tell them it was a car accident, so the link is recorded from the start.
- Photos of both vehicles, the scene and any injuries
- Any police event number you were given
- A written note of what happened, made that day
- Names and phone numbers of any witnesses
Read next:Checklist for the first 30 days
Let us sort out the kind of claim with you
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.
A car accident claim without a lawyer: when it works
Whether you need a lawyer depends on the kind of claim you have and how smoothly it's going. A straightforward injury claim against an identified, insured vehicle often doesn't need one. The points below show when advice is commonly worth it.
Often worth talking to a lawyer
- The insurer doubts that a small crash caused your injuries
- The other vehicle turned out to be unregistered or uninsured
- The vehicle drove off and you're unsure what 'due inquiry and search' needs
- The crash happened in a car park or driveway and cover is questioned
You may not need one
- The other driver gave full details and police have the event number
- You just need to know which form to fill in
- Only your car was damaged and nobody was hurt
Whatever kind of claim you have, the injury side rests on medical records. We can point you to doctors and allied health who work with CTP claims and can complete the Certificate of Fitness the insurer asks for.
Not quite your situation?
- If you already know it's a CTP injury claim and just want the steps and deadlines, the CTP claims page walks you through them. CTP claims in East Lindfield
- If the real argument is about who caused the crash, the car accident lawyer page explains how fault is decided. Car accident lawyer in East Lindfield
- 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 East Lindfield
Frequently asked questions
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.
Not necessarily. Police don't attend every crash, particularly where no one needs an ambulance and the road is clear. You can still report it yourself, and you should keep the event number you're given. A police report made close to the time is an independent record of the crash, which helps if the other driver later changes their story or the insurer questions what happened.
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.
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, but they are two separate claims that run side by side. The injury claim goes to a CTP insurer, and the car goes to your own or the other driver's property insurer. One doesn't wait for the other, and settling the car doesn't settle your injuries. Keep separate folders, and don't sign any release for the car that also mentions injuries without getting advice.
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.
Car accident claim: suburbs near East Lindfield
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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.