Your CTP claim from Brighton-Le-Sands: forms, dates, payments

There are two main ways to lodge: the Service NSW online form, or the CTP insurer itself. Either way, you'll be asked for the accident date and place, the vehicles involved, your injuries, your employer and income, and any witnesses. Most people can complete it themselves in one go if they have the details to hand.

You don't need a perfect file to lodge. Start with the basics you have, then add documents as they arrive. Insurers generally ask for more information later, and it's better to lodge within 28 days with a gap in the paperwork than to wait for every page and lose back-pay.

• Police event number
• Registration numbers of the vehicles involved
• The other driver's name and contact details
• Recent payslips, tax returns or business records
• Receipts for costs you've paid because of the crash

If the injury affects your work, weekly payments are generally based on your pre-accident earnings, and the percentage steps down after the first 13 weeks. The insurer relies on your earnings records to set the rate and on your Certificate of Fitness to know what work you can do. There's an indexed maximum, and payments generally stop after 104 weeks.

Think of treatment and care as a benefit the insurer decides case by case rather than a blank cheque. The test is whether it's reasonable and necessary, and the benefit period that applies to you sets the outer limit. Keep a running list of what's been requested, approved and declined. That list is useful if you ever need to challenge a decision.

Once your claim is lodged, the insurer usually assigns a case manager. They're your main contact for payments, benefit requests and paperwork. Keep a simple log of each call: the date, who you spoke with and what was agreed. If something is promised by phone, ask for it by email so you have a record.

• Ask for important decisions in writing
• Note the date on any decision letter
• Ask what a request is for if it's unclear

Lodging starts the insurer's clock as well as yours. The insurer generally confirms it has your claim, gives you a claim number and puts a case manager in charge of it. Expect requests for more detail about your earnings and the crash, and a form asking for your consent to collect records. Reply quickly and keep copies, because slow replies can hold up a decision on your weekly payments.

The 52-week limit isn't only about threshold injuries. For accidents from 1 April 2023, it generally applies too if you were wholly or mostly at fault, whatever your injury. For accidents between 1 December 2017 and 31 March 2023, both limits were 26 weeks instead. Children who were 16 or under at the time of the accident are an exception: they can receive treatment and care for as long as they need it, regardless of fault.

Help comes in different forms. For general questions about the scheme, CTP Assist on 1300 656 919. For statutory benefits questions, SIRA's free CTP Legal Advisory Service. For disputes and damages, an independent CTP lawyer. Our free claim check helps you work out which of these you need, if any.