A rear-end crash in traffic, a collision at an intersection, a lane change that went wrong: around Westleigh, as anywhere in NSW, the injury claim usually goes to the insurer of the vehicle at fault. When that is obvious, many people never need a lawyer. When the drivers disagree or the insurer says you contributed, advice is often worth having. Our free check helps you tell which situation you're in.
Upper North Shore & Hornsby · Car accident lawyer help
Car accident lawyer Westleigh: drivers, passengers and fault
Most injured people can claim whoever caused the crash. Fault decides what happens after that.
Postcode: 2120
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- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in Westleigh & Thornleigh
Where fault leaves your claim: four common positions
The insurer will form a view about who caused the crash, and that view shapes the rest of your claim. Find the situation closest to yours below, then check the detail with someone who can see your evidence.
Situation 1
You were not at fault
Your claim goes to the CTP insurer of the vehicle that caused the crash. You can receive statutory benefits, and if your injury is more than a threshold injury, a common law damages claim may also be open to you.
Situation 2
You were partly at fault
If you contributed to the crash or your injuries, for example by not wearing a seatbelt, the insurer may argue contributory negligence. Weekly payments after 52 weeks may be reduced, and any damages can be reduced by your share.
Situation 3
You were wholly or mostly at fault
'Mostly at fault' means contributory negligence greater than 61%. Weekly payments and treatment and care are then generally limited to the first 52 weeks, with no common law damages. Children 16 and under keep treatment and care for as long as they need it.
Situation 4
No one was clearly at fault
Unexplained crashes sit in a grey area. The 'blameless accident' provisions may allow a claim where no driver was at fault, but they don't fit every situation. Talk it through with someone who knows them before you rule anything out.
General information, not legal advice. Fault and contributory negligence are decided on the evidence. Time limits apply.
Westleigh: local roads, hospitals and evidence of fault
Pennant Hills Road, the Pacific Highway and Mona Vale Road carry heavy traffic, with NorthConnex and the M1 heading north. When several vehicles collide on these routes, fault can be divided between drivers. On a busy route such as Quarter Sessions Road, rear-end and lane-change crashes are common, and each driver may remember the order of events differently. Photos of where the vehicles stopped help settle that. Public hospitals serving the area include Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital. Ambulance and emergency notes usually record how the crash was described on the day, which can matter if the other driver's account changes later.
Streets near Thornleigh station carry buses, taxis and drop-offs that stop and start without much warning. In a crash with a vehicle pulling out from the kerb, fault often depends on who had to give way.
- Region
- Upper North Shore & Hornsby
- Postcode
- 2120
- Main roads
- Quarter Sessions Road · Duffy Avenue
- Nearest public hospital
- Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital
- Getting around
- Thornleigh station · Pennant Hills station
Do you need a lawyer for a fault question?
A lawyer isn't a box to tick after every crash. When fault is clear and accepted, many people run their own claim. When it's argued, split or pinned on you, advice is often worth having.
Often worth talking to a lawyer
- You've been asked for a detailed statement about how the crash happened
- Your injury may be more than a threshold injury and fault will decide damages
- A fault decision has been made and the review deadline is running
- You were a passenger and both drivers blame each other
You may not need one
- You only need help identifying the at-fault vehicle's insurer
- Your question is about treatment, not about who caused the crash
- The other driver admitted fault and the insurer accepted it
If what you need now is treatment, start there. Ask us about doctors and allied health, such as GPs, physiotherapists and psychologists, who understand CTP claims and the Certificate of Fitness.
Not quite your situation?
- If you're not yet sure whether this is an injury claim, a damage claim or something else, the car accident claim page helps you tell them apart. Car accident claim in Westleigh
- If you've already decided to engage a solicitor and want to know how the file runs stage by stage, see the car accident solicitor page. Car accident solicitor in Westleigh
- If you weren't in a car at all but on a motorbike, a bicycle or on foot, the motor vehicle accident page covers your situation. Motor vehicle accident lawyer in Westleigh
The first hours after a crash, and the question of fault
Once everyone is safe and anyone hurt has help, your memory of the crash is at its sharpest. Note which lane each car was in, what the lights or signs showed, roughly how fast you were going and where the vehicles came to rest. Write down anything the other driver said about how it happened. These details can decide fault later, and they fade within days.
- Skid marks, debris and the damage to each vehicle
- Names and phone numbers of anyone who saw it
- Exactly what the other driver said, written down that day
- Whether you and your passengers wore seatbelts
Read next:What to do after a car accident in NSW
Evidence that settles fault
Dashcam footage is often the clearest evidence of fault, but many cameras record over themselves within hours or days. Save the original file as soon as you can, and don't trim or edit it. If another driver or a nearby business may have footage, ask early and in writing, because it may not be kept for long.
The police event number links your claim to the official record of the crash. The insurer can use it to check who was involved and what was reported. It's worth getting even if the crash seemed minor and police didn't attend, because a record made close to the time is harder to dispute than one pieced together later.
- Independent witnesses' names and numbers
- Your own written account from the first days
- Camera footage from nearby shops or homes
- Photos of signals, signs and lane markings
Save footage early
Shops, buses and homes with cameras often keep footage only briefly. Ask in writing as soon as you can, giving the date, time and exact spot.
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Talk through who caused the crash
Tell us what happened and what the insurer has said about fault. We'll point you to the right help, whether that's a lawyer, a doctor or neither.
Several vehicles, several insurers: working out fault
Chain collisions are where fault gets complicated. The driver who started it may carry most of the blame, but a driver behind who was following too closely can share it. Each vehicle has its own Green Slip insurer. Your task is to record every vehicle involved and the order of the impacts; the insurers' task is to sort out which of them responds.
The police event number is often the thread that ties a multi-vehicle crash together. It links the drivers, the vehicles and any statements taken at the scene. Keep it with your registration notes. CTP Assist, a free SIRA service on 1300 656 919, can help identify an insurer when you're unsure, though it won't decide fault for you.
Read next:Multi-vehicle accidents
Contributory negligence: when you share the blame
Insurers look at more than who hit whom. They may ask whether you wore a seatbelt, how fast you were going and whether you were distracted. The finding is usually a percentage. A small one trims damages and later weekly payments. One greater than 61% has a much bigger effect, because it rules out damages altogether.
Check the percentage
If the insurer puts your share of fault above 61%, damages are off the table and benefits are generally limited to 52 weeks. Most insurer decisions can be internally reviewed, generally within 28 days of receiving the decision.
Read next:Can I claim if I was partly at fault?
What fault changes in your claim
Fault works more like a dial than a switch. A small share reduces some later entitlements. A share above 61% limits benefits to the first 52 weeks and rules out damages. No share at all keeps every option open. Knowing where the evidence puts you on that dial helps you decide whether a lawyer's view is worth having before the insurer settles its position.
Rules change
Your accident date decides which rules apply. Accidents before 1 December 2017 fall under the older 1999 Act, and some limits changed again on 1 April 2023.
Read next:At fault vs not at fault
Passengers: why the fault question is usually about the drivers
Being a passenger doesn't make fault irrelevant. It shifts the question to the drivers. If the driver of your car and another driver both contributed, your claim may involve both vehicles' insurers. Your own conduct can still come up in limited ways, such as not wearing a seatbelt or travelling with a driver you knew was affected by alcohol.
Many passengers hesitate to claim because the driver was someone close to them. It helps to know the claim is made against the CTP insurer, which exists for exactly this situation. The driver may be asked for their account, and any fault finding affects their own claim, not your right to make yours. Talk it through if you're worried about how it will land.
Read next:Passenger injury claims
Fault disputes: when a lawyer is worth a call
Being told you caused a crash when you believe you didn't is stressful, especially when damages depend on it. Before you respond, gather what you have: the event number, photos, footage, witness details and your own notes. Then get advice. An independent lawyer can say whether the finding looks sound and what challenging it would involve.
Read next:At-fault self-check
Frequently asked questions
If your claim is against that vehicle's CTP insurer, you'll deal with them to run it, so a call is normal. Stick to facts, don't guess about speeds or injuries you're unsure of, and keep a note of the call. If you're asked for a detailed recorded statement about how the crash happened, you can ask for time to get advice first, especially if they're questioning who caused it.
It can reduce your claim, but it usually doesn't end it. Not wearing a seatbelt is a classic example of contributory negligence. Weekly payments after 52 weeks may be reduced for it, and any damages can be reduced too. How much depends on the evidence, including medical opinion on whether a seatbelt would have changed your injuries. Get advice before you accept the percentage the insurer puts forward.
Keep the original file safe first. Many dashcams record over older footage, so copy it to another device or cloud storage straight away, without trimming or editing it. Tell the insurer you have footage, and give it to police if they're investigating. If fault is disputed, the footage can be one of the strongest pieces of evidence you have, because it shows the crash rather than anyone's memory of it.
Possibly. NSW has 'blameless accident' rules for crashes where no driver was at fault, for example because of a sudden medical episode or an unforeseeable mechanical failure. In some of these cases, an injured person may be able to claim as if someone were at fault. The rules are technical and depend on the facts, so get advice before assuming there's no claim. Statutory benefits may be available in the meantime.
Usually less than people fear. Being partly to blame is called contributory negligence. It doesn't stop you claiming statutory benefits. It can reduce weekly payments after 52 weeks, and it reduces any damages by your share. It only removes damages altogether if your share is found to be greater than 61%. Ask how the insurer reached its percentage, and get advice if it seems high.
Not automatically, although it can help. A traffic fine or a criminal charge is a separate process from your claim, and the insurer generally looks at all the evidence rather than relying on it alone. A conviction can be strong support for your account. A charge that is dropped, or no charge at all, doesn't mean the other driver wasn't at fault. Keep a copy of any police paperwork you receive.
Car accident lawyer: suburbs near Westleigh
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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.