New England & North West · CTP claims

Starting a CTP claim after a crash near Manilla

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

Starting a CTP claim from Manilla is mostly about getting the basics in on time. The claim form, the Certificate of Fitness and proof of income do most of the work. Things get harder when the insurer questions your injury, your fault or your delay. That's when an independent CTP lawyer may help, and our free claim check can tell you if you've reached that point.

Postcode: 2346

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Key dates in a NSW CTP claim

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

    Your health comes first, then the paperwork. Report the accident to police, keep the event number, and write down the date, time and place while they're fresh, since the claim form asks for all three.

  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

    For accidents from 1 April 2023, a claim made after 28 days but within 3 months may still be back-paid if you give a full and satisfactory explanation. If the insurer doesn't reject it within 14 days, it's treated as accepted.

  4. Within 3 months

    The last point to claim

    Claims can still be made up to 3 months after the accident, though weekly payments may then only start from the date of the claim. After 3 months, claims are accepted only in limited circumstances.

  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

    Two years in, weekly payments generally stop unless you've lodged a damages claim that's still pending. To keep them going past 2 years, that damages claim must be lodged within 2 years of the accident.

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

Getting your claim in

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.

Not sure which insurer?

CTP Assist, run by SIRA, can help you work out which CTP insurer to claim against. Call 1300 656 919, 8:30am to 5pm weekdays.

Read next:CTP formsThe personal injury claim form

What statutory benefits cover

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.

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.

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

Manilla: treatment, paperwork and your claim

If Tamworth Hospital, Armidale Hospital or a district hospital treated you, gather your records early. Requests from a distance can take time, and the insurer will want them to process your claim. Lodging a claim doesn't mean a trip to Tamworth, 44 km away. From Manilla, 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
New England & North West
Postcode
2346
Nearest public hospital
Tamworth Hospital
Distance to Tamworth
~44 km
Two people going through a form together at a kitchen table, with a calculator and a laptop

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Your doctor's part in the claim

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.

Read next:The Certificate of Fitness

What you'll need to lodge

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.

  • Date, time and place of the crash
  • Hospital discharge summary, if you were admitted
  • Recent payslips, tax returns or business records
  • Your employer's name and contact details
  • Names and numbers of any witnesses

Read next:Checklist: your first 30 days

When the 52-week limit applies

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

Your case manager and what to expect

Once your claim is lodged, the insurer usually assigns a case manager. They're your main contact for payments, treatment 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.

  • Log every call with the date and the name of the person
  • Keep copies of everything you send
  • Reply to requests promptly

Read next:Dealing with your insurer and case manager

Help beyond lodging

Help comes in different forms. For treatment and medical evidence, doctors and allied health practitioners who know the CTP scheme are often the right first call. For disputes and damages, an independent CTP lawyer. For general questions, CTP Assist on 1300 656 919. Our free claim check helps you work out which of these you need.

Read next:What help do I need?

Lodging alone, or with help?

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
  • Your injury has been classed as threshold and your doctor disagrees
  • The insurer has refused to accept the claim
  • The insurer says you were mostly at fault

You may not need one

  • You're lodging within 28 days with the paperwork ready
  • You need help understanding a question on the form
  • 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 still working out what kind of claim you have after the crash, the car accident claim page for Manilla sorts that out first. Car accident claim in Manilla
  • 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 Manilla
  • If a decision has already gone against you, the claim denied page explains internal review and what comes after it. CTP claim denied in Manilla

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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