Starting a CTP claim after a crash near Coogee

Lodging is mostly a matter of answering the form honestly and completely. Describe every injury you know about, even ones that seem small, and list each practitioner you've seen. If you're unsure of an answer, give the most accurate answer you can and say so, rather than leaving it blank. The insurer can ask follow-up questions, and it generally will, so a clear first account saves trouble later.

Income support is the part of a CTP claim most people ask about first. The insurer can only pay the right amount if it knows what you earned before the accident and what you can earn now, so send your earnings records early and tell it about any return to work. A maximum weekly amount applies and is indexed every year, so check the current figure with the insurer rather than relying on an old one.

Your CTP insurer covers treatment and care for accident injuries where it's reasonable and necessary, within whatever benefit period applies to you. That can include doctor visits, physiotherapy, medication and some travel for treatment. The insurer decides each request, and decisions can be reviewed, so ask before committing to large treatment costs.

Some claims are capped at 52 weeks. For accidents on or after 1 April 2023, people whose injury is classed as a threshold injury can receive weekly payments and treatment and care for up to 52 weeks after the accident. The threshold label replaced the older term “minor injury” on that date. Whether an injury is threshold is a medical question in its own right; for running the claim, the point is the time limit it sets.

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.

• Ask for important decisions in writing
• Send updated certificates before the old one runs out
• Keep copies of everything you send

The claim goes more smoothly with a few things ready: the police event number, the other vehicle's registration, your Certificate of Fitness, payslips or tax records showing what you earned, and your employer's details. If you've paid for treatment or medication, keep the receipts too. Missing something shouldn't stop you lodging on time.

• Date, time and place of the crash
• Registration numbers of the vehicles involved
• Your Certificate of Fitness
• Hospital discharge summary, if you were admitted
• Recent payslips, tax returns or business records

In NSW CTP claims, your doctor fills in a Certificate of Fitness recording your injuries and your capacity for work. The first one generally goes in with your claim, and updated certificates follow as you recover. It's the document insurers rely on for weekly payments, so make sure it lists all your injuries, including any that appeared days later.

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.