Canterbury-Bankstown · Car accident claims

Car accident claim help after a crash near Hurlstone Park

A small crash can still be an injury claim. The kind of claim decides who you deal with.

Most people have never made a claim after a crash and don't know where to begin. For people in Hurlstone Park, 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.

Postcode: 2193

  • Free claim check, no obligation
  • By phone & online, no office to visit
  • Helping people in Hurlstone Park & Canterbury

Sort your crash into the right claim

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

    If anyone in the crash was hurt, even slightly, there is an injury claim to consider. It runs through a CTP insurer, separately from any damage to the cars, with its own forms and deadlines.

    CTP claims in Hurlstone Park
  • 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

    A missing or uninsured vehicle doesn't end an injury claim. The Nominal Defendant stands in for the missing insurer. You'll need to show you tried to identify the vehicle, starting with a prompt police report.

    Uninsured or unidentified vehicles
  • Driving for work

    Driving for work usually brings another scheme first

    If you were driving for work, you generally need to claim workers compensation through your employer's insurer first, and CTP benefits are generally not paid on top. A CTP damages claim against an at-fault driver may still be possible, so get advice.

    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 Hurlstone Park

On the Hume Highway, Canterbury Road or Stacey Street, a crash may involve a delivery van or work vehicle. Note any company name as well as the registration, since it helps confirm which vehicle's insurance applies. Near the Cooks River or anywhere else, a crash in a car park or private driveway can still lead to an injury claim through CTP. Where exactly it happened matters, so write it down while you remember. If you were taken to Canterbury 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
Canterbury-Bankstown
Postcode
2193
Local landmarks
Cooks River · Hurlstone Park shops
Main roads
New Canterbury Road · Floss Street
Nearest public hospital
Canterbury Hospital
Two people going through a bound document together, one pointing at a clause

Free claim check

Crash near Hurlstone Park? Free claim check

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.

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An injury claim and a damage claim are different claims

Most car accident claims fall into a few types. There's the injury claim, made to a CTP insurer. There's the damage claim, made through property insurance. And there are the harder cases: a vehicle that drove off, a vehicle with no insurance, or a crash while you were working. Each goes somewhere different, which is why sorting yours out comes first.

Read next:Which help do I need? Quick check

When the other driver won't give their 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.

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

Starting a claim well in the first week

Keep one folder, paper or digital, for everything about the crash from the first day. Put in the other driver's details, photos, the police event number, any hospital or GP paperwork and receipts for costs like medication and travel. If the claim turns out to be simple, it saves time. If it becomes complicated, you'll be glad you started it early.

  • Any police event number you were given
  • A written note of what happened, made that day
  • Receipts for medication, fares and parking at treatment
  • Any claim or reference numbers from insurers

Read next:Checklist for the first 30 days

Who pays for the car, and why it isn't CTP

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.

Keep the damage records even though CTP doesn't pay for them. Photos of the vehicles, repair quotes and assessor reports can show how hard the impact was and from which direction. They sometimes help the injury claim, for example when an insurer questions whether a low-speed crash could have caused your injuries.

When the other vehicle drove off or wasn't insured

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.

  • Report it to police promptly and keep the event number
  • Note the colour, make, model and direction of travel
  • Ask nearby businesses and homes about camera footage

Read next:Uninsured or unidentified vehicles

Small crashes and symptoms that show up later

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

Even if you're not sure the injury is serious, check your deadlines early. They start on the day of the crash, not when you first notice symptoms.

Read next:The 28-day rule for CTP claims

Not sure which claim you have? Start with a free check

If you've read this far and still aren't sure which claim you have, that's normal. Our free claim check starts with what happened and works out which claim, or claims, the facts support. We'll tell you plainly if something isn't a CTP matter, such as car repairs. If it is, we'll point you to the next step, which is often simply lodging the injury claim yourself.

A car accident claim without a lawyer: when it works

Many car accident injury claims are lodged and run without a lawyer, and property damage never comes through us at all. A lawyer is most useful when the kind of claim is unclear or the facts are complicated. These lists give a rough guide.

Often worth talking to a lawyer

  • The insurer doubts that a small crash caused your injuries
  • The other driver disputes that the crash happened the way you say
  • You're past 3 months from the crash and haven't claimed yet
  • You were driving for work and aren't sure which claim comes first

You may not need one

  • The other driver gave full details and police have the event number
  • Only your car was damaged and nobody was hurt
  • 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?

Frequently asked questions

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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.

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