A dented bumper and a sore neck are two separate claims with two different insurers. People often sort the car first and forget the injury, then find the deadlines have been running. If you were in a crash in or near Scone, our free check helps you keep the two apart and start the injury side on time. It's free, by phone or online, with no obligation.
Newcastle & the Hunter · Car accident claims
A car accident claim from Scone, sorted by type
Just had a crash? Sort out the claim first, then the paperwork.
Postcode: 2337
- Free claim check, no obligation
- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in Scone & Aberdeen
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
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 Scone - 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.
Scone: where crashes happen and what to record
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. 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. Hospitals serving the area include Scott Memorial 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
- Newcastle & the Hunter
- Postcode
- 2337
- Main roads
- New England Highway · Kelly Street
- Nearest public hospital
- Scott Memorial Hospital
Free claim check
Not sure what claim you have? Ask us
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.
An injury claim and a damage claim are different claims
Start by separating what was hurt from what was broken. Injuries to you or anyone else in the crash belong to an injury claim with a CTP insurer. Damage to your car, your phone or a fence belongs to a property claim with your own insurer or the other driver's. Most confusion in the first weeks comes from mixing the two up.
Read next:Which help do I need? Quick check
Hit-and-run and uninsured vehicles: the Nominal Defendant
For an unidentified vehicle, you must make 'due inquiry and search' to try to find it. In practice that means reporting to police promptly, asking witnesses, checking for camera footage and noting anything you remember about the vehicle. Keep a record of each step you take. The Nominal Defendant will want to see that a genuine effort was made.
- Report it to police promptly and keep the event number
- 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
Small crashes and symptoms that show up later
A crash doesn't need to be dramatic to cause an injury. Low-speed bumps, especially from behind, can strain the neck and back, and some people also feel anxious about driving afterwards. If you're hurt, it's an injury claim, however small the damage to the cars. What matters is that a doctor records your symptoms and links them to the crash.
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
Who pays for the car, and why it isn't CTP
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.
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.
Starting a claim well in the first week
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
- The other driver's name, address, licence and registration
- A written note of what happened, made that day
- Names and phone numbers of any witnesses
Read next:Checklist for the first 30 days
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.
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
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.
Do you need a lawyer for a car accident claim?
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
- The crash happened in a car park or driveway and cover is questioned
- You were driving for work and aren't sure which claim comes first
- The vehicle drove off and you're unsure what 'due inquiry and search' needs
- The insurer doubts that a small crash caused your injuries
You may not need one
- The other driver gave full details and police have the event number
- Treatment and a clear medical record are what you need most right now
- The insurer has accepted your injury claim and treatment is approved
Treatment comes first. We can put you in touch with doctors and allied health, from GPs to physiotherapists and psychologists, who know how CTP claims work, including the Certificate of Fitness.
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 Scone
- If you're being blamed by the other driver or their insurer, fault is covered in detail on the car accident lawyer page. Car accident lawyer in Scone
- 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 Scone
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Car accident claim: suburbs near Scone
Ready to talk it through?
Get a free, no-obligation claim check. It's the first step toward understanding where your claim stands and what help it needs.
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.