Lower North Shore & Ryde · CTP claim denied

Denied CTP claim in Longueville: the review path

Calm, clear steps for a refused claim, stopped payments or a threshold decision you disagree with.

A refused claim is a decision, not a verdict. Under the NSW CTP scheme, most insurer decisions can be reviewed, and there's an independent body, the Personal Injury Commission, if an internal review doesn't resolve things. Our free claim check helps people in Longueville understand the decision, the deadlines and whether an independent lawyer would help.

Postcode: 2066

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What a review looks like from Longueville

If Royal North Shore Hospital or Ryde Hospital records show an injury the insurer has overlooked, that's review material. Include it when you ask for an internal review, and keep copies of everything you send. Longueville is about 4 km west of North Sydney, but challenging a decision doesn't mean travelling there. Internal reviews are generally requested in writing, and our claim check runs by phone and online. Coming under Lane Cove Council makes no difference to a CTP dispute. The same review steps and deadlines apply in Longueville as in any other part of NSW, because the scheme is statewide.

Region
Lower North Shore & Ryde
Postcode
2066
Distance to North Sydney
~4 km
Local government area
Lane Cove Council

A refusal isn't the end of the road

Before deciding what to do, pin down three things: exactly what was decided, the reasons given, and the date you received the letter. The first two tell you what evidence might change the outcome. The third starts the clock, because an internal review is generally requested within 28 days. With those in hand, choosing between a review on your own and getting advice becomes much clearer.

Read next:CTP claim denied?

Disputing a threshold-injury decision

A threshold decision about a psychological injury can be disputed like any other. If the insurer has classified yours as threshold and your treating practitioner disagrees, their written opinion is the starting point for an internal review. If the review doesn't resolve it, the dispute can go on to medical assessment at the Personal Injury Commission, where the 28-day window for a certificate review applies.

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

Taking a dispute further

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 IRO and what it handles

It helps to keep a dispute and a complaint apart. If the problem is the outcome, use internal review and then the Personal Injury Commission. If the problem is the way the insurer is handling your claim, the Independent Review Office can take a complaint. Sometimes both apply, and it's fine to use each path for a different part of the problem.

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
  • A treatment request was declined
  • Your pre-accident earnings were set lower than you expected

Read next:Claim denied? Quick check

Making your internal review count

Reviews are often decided on the papers, so what you send matters. If the decision was about your injury, ask your treating doctor to explain their findings in writing. If it was about earnings, send payslips or tax records. If it was about fault, include police details, photos and witness contacts.

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 review deadline is short: generally 28 days from receiving the decision. If you're unsure which date counts, work from the earlier one.

Read next:Insurer stopped my weekly payments

What a dispute might cost

Because some disputes don't allow legal costs to be recovered, it's worth asking early whether paying for help makes sense in yours. For a straightforward review, you may manage alone with good evidence. For a threshold dispute that affects a damages claim, or a refusal of the whole claim, advice is more often worth it.

Read next:What does a CTP lawyer cost?

How to challenge a CTP decision, step by step

Here's the usual route when you disagree with an insurer's decision. Not every dispute needs every step, and some decisions have their own rules, but this is the general shape.

  1. Step 1

    Read the decision letter

    Read the letter twice: once for what was decided, once for why. Write down the date you received it. If the reasons aren't clear, ask the insurer to explain them in writing.

  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 internal review leaves the decision in place, the next step is generally an application to the Personal Injury Commission, an independent tribunal. What you're disputing decides which of its paths applies, such as merit review or medical assessment.

  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?

Whether you need a lawyer depends on what was decided and what's at stake. Use these lists to get a sense of it, then get a free claim check for your own situation.

Often worth talking to a lawyer

  • Weekly payments were stopped and you can't work
  • The dispute is heading to the Personal Injury Commission
  • Your injury was classed as threshold and it affects a damages claim
  • The whole claim has been refused

You may not need one

  • A treatment request was declined for lack of information you can supply
  • You agree with the decision once it's explained
  • Your doctor can clearly answer the insurer's question in a report

Many disputes turn on medical evidence. If you need a clear report on your diagnosis, or an up-to-date Certificate of Fitness, we can point you to doctors and allied health familiar with CTP claims.

Not quite your situation?

  • If you're not sure a dispute is worth taking on with legal help, the CTP lawyer page explains when a lawyer tends to be worth it. CTP lawyer in Longueville
  • If the dispute turns on whether your injury is more than threshold, the injury compensation page explains what the medical evidence needs to show. Injury compensation lawyer in Longueville
  • If you haven't had a decision yet and are still getting the claim in, start with the CTP claims page for Longueville. CTP claims in Longueville

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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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