It's easy to assume that a crash without an ambulance isn't worth a claim. Yet a low-speed bump can still injure someone, and the injury side is what the CTP scheme covers. For people around Newcastle, our free claim check looks at what happened, what was damaged and who was hurt, then tells you honestly which claim you have and whether you need anyone's help to make it.
Newcastle & the Hunter · Car accident claims
Uninsured or drove off? Car accident claims in Newcastle
Just had a crash? Sort out the claim first, then the paperwork.
Postcode: 2300
- Free claim check, no obligation
- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in Newcastle & Cooks Hill
Which claim do you have?
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 Newcastle - Your car was damaged
Car and property damage is a separate claim
CTP covers people, not cars. Repairs usually go through your own comprehensive insurance or a claim against the at-fault driver or their insurer. It isn't something we help with, but it shouldn't delay your 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 from Newcastle: local context
The M1, the Hunter Expressway and the New England Highway carry commuters and freight. After a crash with a heavy vehicle, note the company name and any fleet number as well as the plate. Near Newcastle Beach 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. Local traffic runs on Hunter Street, King Street and Watt Street. After a crash on any of them, move somewhere safe before exchanging names, addresses and registration numbers. If anyone is hurt, report it to police and keep the event number for the claim.
Hospitals serving the area include Calvary Mater Newcastle. If pain started after you got home, see a GP and mention the crash. That first record is the starting point of any injury claim.
- Region
- Newcastle & the Hunter
- Postcode
- 2300
- Local landmarks
- Newcastle Beach · Newcastle Ocean Baths
- Main roads
- Hunter Street · King Street
- Nearest public hospital
- Calvary Mater Newcastle
Free claim check
Free car accident claim check
Wherever in NSW the crash happened, the check is by phone or online. It's free, and any next step is your call.
An injury claim and a damage claim are different claims
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
Sore days after the crash? It can still be a claim
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
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
The first days after a crash: what to gather
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
- The other driver's name, address, licence and registration
- A written note of what happened, made that day
- Hospital or GP paperwork from the first visit
Read next:Checklist for the first 30 days
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.
- Note the colour, make, model and direction of travel
- 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
Police event numbers and the other driver's details
For an injury claim, the insurer will usually ask for a police event number, which shows the crash was reported. Police don't attend every crash, but you can generally report one yourself afterwards. Do it promptly, especially if someone was hurt, the other driver left without swapping details, or you suspect they'd been drinking. Keep the number with your claim papers.
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
Repairs, write-offs and hire cars
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.
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.
Why a claim check comes before the paperwork
A claim check is a short conversation, by phone or online, about your crash. We look at who was hurt, what was damaged and whether the other vehicle can be identified, then explain where each part goes. Many injury claims never need a lawyer. When one does, for example because the facts are unusual, we'll connect you with an independent lawyer.
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 crash happened in a car park or driveway and cover is questioned
- The insurer doubts that a small crash caused your injuries
- You were driving for work and aren't sure which claim comes first
- A property insurer wants a signed release that may mention injuries
You may not need one
- Only your car was damaged and nobody was hurt
- You just need to know which form to fill in
- The insurer has accepted your injury claim and treatment is approved
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 Newcastle
- If the real argument is about who caused the crash, the car accident lawyer page explains how fault is decided. Car accident lawyer in Newcastle
- Once you know the kind of claim you have, the car accident compensation page explains what you may receive and when. Car accident compensation in Newcastle
Frequently asked questions
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.
You can generally claim against the Nominal Defendant, which deals with injury claims when a vehicle can't be identified. You must make 'due inquiry and search' to try to identify the vehicle, starting with a prompt police report. The same 28-day rule applies as for any other claim, so lodge within 28 days of the accident if you want weekly payments back-paid to the day after it.
It means making a genuine effort to identify the vehicle that hit you. Reporting to police promptly is the starting point. Beyond that, it can include asking witnesses, requesting camera footage from nearby businesses, checking with neighbours and, in some cases, a public appeal for witnesses. Keep a dated note of each step and everyone you contacted, because you may be asked to show what you did.
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.
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.
Car accident claim: suburbs near Newcastle
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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.