Northern Beaches · CTP claim denied

Denied CTP claim in Killarney Heights: the review path

The insurer's decision is rarely the last word. The first deadline is generally 28 days, so start now.

Denied, cut off or classified as a threshold injury? Start by reading the decision carefully and noting the date you received it. The internal review window is generally 28 days. People in Killarney Heights can handle much of a review in writing, and an independent CTP lawyer can help if the stakes are high. Our free claim check is a quick way to find out where you stand.

Postcode: 2087

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Challenging a decision from Killarney Heights

If Northern Beaches Hospital or Mona Vale Hospital treated you and your weekly payments have stopped, gather the latest records and your Certificate of Fitness. They're the core of a review request. At around 11 km from the Sydney CBD, living in Killarney Heights is no disadvantage in a dispute. Review requests generally go in writing, many Personal Injury Commission steps can happen by phone or online, and our claim check works the same way. People in Killarney Heights, within Northern Beaches Council, follow the same dispute path as everyone else in NSW: internal review first, generally within 28 days, then the Personal Injury Commission. Where you live doesn't change the deadlines.

Region
Northern Beaches
Postcode
2087
Distance to Chatswood
~4 km
Local government area
Northern Beaches Council

Most decisions can be challenged

A decision you disagree with is a reason to act, not to give up. Start with the reasons in the letter. Some refusals turn on missing information you can supply. Others turn on a legal question, such as fault or the threshold definition, where advice helps. Either way, the review path is open for most decisions.

Read next:CTP claim denied?

Complaints versus disputes

A dispute is about a decision, such as whether your claim is accepted. A complaint is about conduct, such as delays, unanswered calls or unclear letters. Complaints about the conduct of CTP insurers go to the Independent Review Office (IRO) on 13 94 76, 8:30am to 5:30pm weekdays, or online at iro.nsw.gov.au. The IRO doesn't fund lawyers for CTP claims.

What the Commission does

Applying to the Commission is more formal than an internal review. There are forms, timeframes and evidence rules, and the insurer will usually have its own representatives. Many people get legal advice at this stage. Keep in mind that SIRA's free CTP Legal Advisory Service doesn't cover matters already at the Commission.

Read next:The Personal Injury CommissionPIC disputes explained

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The decisions behind many disputes

Not every decision is a flat refusal. Sometimes the claim is accepted but limited: benefits capped at 52 weeks, weekly payments set lower than you expected, or a particular treatment declined. These partial decisions can matter as much as a refusal over time, and most can be reviewed in the same way.

  • The claim was lodged late
  • The injury was classed as a threshold injury
  • The crash is being treated as a work injury
  • Your pre-accident earnings were set lower than you expected

Read next:Claim denied? Quick check

How to request a review

A good review request is short and specific. Quote the decision and its date. Explain in plain terms where you think the insurer got it wrong, with reference to the evidence. If there's something the insurer didn't have, such as a specialist report, include it. Keep a copy and note when you sent it.

If the review confirms the original decision, that isn't the end. You can generally take most disputes to the Personal Injury Commission. If the review changes the decision, check the new letter carefully to make sure it covers everything you raised, and ask about anything it leaves out.

The 28-day window

The clock generally runs for 28 days from the day the decision reached you. Note the date the letter arrived, not just the date printed on it.

Read next:Insurer stopped my weekly payments

Medical and threshold disputes

Medical disputes often come down to evidence. If the insurer says your injury is threshold, or that treatment isn't reasonable and necessary, the answer is usually a clear report from your treating doctor or specialist explaining the diagnosis and the need. If the dispute reaches medical assessment at the Commission, a certificate review must generally be sought within 28 days of issue.

Read next:Threshold injury disputesWhen the insurer says “threshold injury”

What a dispute might cost

Free help is limited once a dispute is under way. The CTP Legal Advisory Service that SIRA funds stops short of matters already at internal review or before the Personal Injury Commission. CTP Assist can still give general information. For advice on the dispute itself, you'll generally need an independent lawyer.

Read next:What does a CTP lawyer cost?

Your review path

Insurers make decisions under the scheme rules, and the scheme also sets out how to challenge them. These are the main steps and the timeframes that generally apply.

  1. Step 1

    Read the decision letter

    Note the date you received it, what was decided and the reasons given. The date matters, because the time to ask for a review generally runs from when you receive the decision.

  2. Within 28 days

    Ask for an internal review

    For most decisions, you can ask the insurer for an internal review, generally within 28 days of receiving the decision. Say what you disagree with and include any new evidence.

  3. 14 to 28 days

    The insurer decides

    The insurer usually has 14 days to decide the review. For some medical and miscellaneous matters it's 21 days, and up to 28 days if it needs more information from you.

  4. If you still disagree

    Apply to the Personal Injury Commission

    If the internal review doesn't resolve things, you can generally apply to the Personal Injury Commission. It's independent of the insurer and decides disputes under the scheme rules.

  5. 28 days from a certificate

    Medical assessment review

    Medical assessment certificates can generally be reviewed, but the window is short: generally 28 days from the date the certificate is issued. Get advice quickly if you're considering it.

  6. Any time

    Conduct complaints go to the IRO

    Unhappy with the insurer's conduct rather than its decision? Contact the Independent Review Office on 13 94 76, 8:30am to 5:30pm weekdays, or online. It's a separate path from a review.

General information, not legal advice. Timeframes are general, and some decisions follow different rules. Check your decision letter and get advice quickly.

Do you need a lawyer to challenge a decision?

Many people handle an internal review themselves. Disputes that reach the Personal Injury Commission, or that affect a damages claim, are where legal advice more often helps.

Often worth talking to a lawyer

  • The dispute is heading to the Personal Injury Commission
  • You've been found mostly at fault
  • Your injury was classed as threshold and it affects a damages claim
  • The whole claim has been refused

You may not need one

  • The insurer asked for a document you can easily provide
  • Your doctor can clearly answer the insurer's question in a report
  • You agree with the decision once it's explained

If your threshold dispute depends on whether there's nerve damage or a tear, the right assessment matters. Ask us about doctors and allied health experienced with CTP claims, from diagnosis to the Certificate of Fitness.

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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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