St George & Bayside · CTP claims

A plain guide to CTP claims for Arncliffe

The 28-day and 3-month deadlines, the Certificate of Fitness and weekly payments, explained plainly.

You don't need a lawyer to lodge a CTP claim, and many people never use one. What helps most is having the police event number, a Certificate of Fitness from your doctor, your earnings details and the insurer's name. If you're in Arncliffe and unsure where to start, our free claim check walks you through it and flags anything that may need more than a form.

Postcode: 2205

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How a CTP claim unfolds over time

A CTP claim runs to a clock that starts on the day of the accident. Here are the main points on it. Some depend on your accident date, so check which rules apply to you.

  1. Day 0

    The accident

    Get medical help first. Then report the crash to police and note the event number, which the claim form asks for. The other vehicle's registration helps identify the right insurer later.

  2. Within 28 days

    Lodge your claim

    The 28-day mark is the one to aim for: claims received by then generally have weekly payments back-paid to the day after the accident. Lodging sooner also means the evidence is fresh.

  3. Within 14 days of your explanation

    A late claim, explained

    Lodged late, but inside 3 months, for an accident from 1 April 2023? Explain the delay fully. An explanation the insurer hasn't rejected within 14 days is treated as accepted, so back-pay can still apply.

  4. Within 3 months

    The last point to claim

    Three months after the accident is the practical cut-off. Later claims can only be accepted in limited circumstances, usually with a full and satisfactory explanation. If you're past it, speak to a lawyer straight away.

  5. Weeks 1–13, then 14+

    Weekly payment rates

    Weekly payments are up to 95% of your pre-accident earnings for the first 13 weeks. From week 14 they're up to 80% or 85%, depending on your earning capacity. An indexed maximum applies.

  6. 52 weeks

    The threshold and at-fault line

    For accidents from 1 April 2023, statutory benefits for a threshold injury, or where you were wholly or mostly at fault, generally end 52 weeks after the accident. Children 16 and under keep treatment and care as long as needed.

  7. 104 weeks

    Weekly payments generally end

    At the 104-week mark, weekly payments generally end. They can run longer only while a common law damages claim is pending, and how much longer depends on the level of impairment.

General information, not legal advice. Dates depend on your accident date and circumstances. Rules change, so check the current rules.

Lodging your claim: the practical steps

You can lodge a claim for statutory benefits online through Service NSW, or directly with the relevant CTP insurer. If you're not sure which insurer that is, CTP Assist (1300 656 919) can help you identify it. The form asks about the accident, your injuries, your work and the treatment you've had so far, so have those details close by.

Not sure which insurer?

If more than one vehicle was involved, or you don't have the other driver's details, CTP Assist on 1300 656 919 can help identify the right insurer.

Read next:CTP formsThe personal injury claim form

The Certificate of Fitness

The Certificate of Fitness is where your medical story meets the insurer. It lists your injuries and says what work, if any, you can do. If a certificate misses an injury or overstates your capacity, weekly payments may not reflect your situation, so read each one before it goes to the insurer and raise anything wrong with your doctor.

Read next:The Certificate of Fitness

What people in Arncliffe need to lodge a claim

Whether the crash was on General Holmes Drive, Forest Road or the M5 East, the order is the same: see a doctor, report it to police, then lodge within 28 days if you can. St George Hospital records help with the first step. Lodging a claim doesn't mean a trip to Hurstville, 6 km away. From Arncliffe, the claim form can be completed online, most insurer contact happens by phone and email, and our free claim check works the same way.

Region
St George & Bayside
Postcode
2205
Nearest public hospital
St George Hospital
Distance to Hurstville
~6 km
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Threshold injuries and your benefit period

Plan around the 52-week mark if it applies to you. Keep your Certificates of Fitness current, keep treatment going as your doctor recommends, and ask the insurer in writing what will happen to payments and treatment when the period ends. If you think the threshold decision itself is wrong, you can ask for an internal review, generally within 28 days of receiving it.

Read next:Threshold vs non-threshold injury

What statutory benefits cover

Weekly payments replace part of your income while the injury keeps you off work or on reduced hours. The insurer sets your rate from what you earned before the accident, so give it the full picture from the start: every job you held and the hours you usually worked. A legislated maximum applies and is indexed each year, so the cap itself changes over time.

Treatment and care is the other half of statutory benefits. The insurer generally funds treatment for your injuries, such as GP care, physiotherapy or psychology, where it's reasonable and necessary and within your benefit period. Approval isn't automatic: your practitioner usually requests it, the insurer decides, and you can ask for a review if you disagree.

Rules change

Benefit rules depend on your accident date and have changed over time. This is general information; check the current rules or ask CTP Assist.

Read next:CTP weekly paymentsCTP entitlements

Your claim paperwork checklist

Think of the claim as three bundles of evidence: what happened, what it did to your body, and what it's costing you. The first is police and vehicle details. The second is hospital records and your Certificate of Fitness. The third is proof of earnings and receipts. Lodge on time even if one bundle isn't complete yet.

  • Police event number
  • Registration numbers of the vehicles involved
  • Recent payslips, tax returns or business records
  • Your employer's name and contact details
  • Receipts for treatment, medication and travel

Read next:Checklist: your first 30 days

Dealing with the insurer day to day

Your case manager will ask for updated Certificates of Fitness, may request medical reports and may arrange an assessment with a doctor the insurer chooses. Attend any assessment you're asked to, and keep your own notes afterwards. If you think a decision is wrong, ask for an internal review rather than letting it sit.

  • Log every call with the date and the name of the person
  • Note the date on any decision letter
  • Ask what a request is for if it's unclear

Read next:Dealing with your insurer and case manager

When to get more help

Many people lodge and manage a CTP claim on their own. It's worth getting help when the insurer refuses the claim, classifies your injury as threshold when your doctor disagrees, stops payments, or argues about fault. It's also worth asking a lawyer about damages if your injury is more than threshold and someone else was at fault.

Read next:What help do I need?

Is this a claim you can run yourself?

Lodging a CTP claim is something most people do without any legal help. A few situations change that. Here's a quick guide to which is which.

Often worth talking to a lawyer

  • Another driver was at fault and your injury is more than threshold
  • The insurer's reasons for a decision don't make sense to you
  • Someone died in the crash
  • Weekly payments stopped earlier than you expected

You may not need one

  • You just need to know which insurer to claim against
  • Your injury is healing well within the first months
  • The insurer has accepted your claim

A claim runs on medical evidence. If you don't yet have a GP who'll complete a Certificate of Fitness, we can point you to doctors and allied health who know the CTP scheme.

Not quite your situation?

  • If you're not sure a CTP claim is even the right claim, for example because only your car was damaged, start with the car accident claim page. Car accident claim in Arncliffe
  • If you're weighing up whether your claim needs a lawyer at all, the CTP lawyer page covers when one helps and when it doesn't. CTP lawyer in Arncliffe
  • If the insurer has already refused your claim or cut off payments, the page on denied claims covers the review steps and deadlines. CTP claim denied in Arncliffe

Frequently asked questions

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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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