Upper North Shore & Hornsby · Motor vehicle accident claims

Hit riding or walking in Gordon? Motor accident lawyer

Riders, pedestrians, cyclists and passengers: whether the NSW motor accident scheme covers what happened to you.

Hurt as a passenger on a bus, in a taxi or in a rideshare car? Knocked down on foot, or doored on a bike? For people in Gordon, these are motor accidents in most cases, and the claim goes to a CTP insurer. We help you confirm it, point you to the right insurer, and tell you whether you need a lawyer at all.

Postcode: 2072

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Which crashes count as a motor accident

Whether you can make a motor accident claim depends on whether a motor vehicle was involved in how you were hurt, not on whether you were driving. Use the two lists as a rough guide. The details decide the harder cases.

Usually a CTP (motor accident) claim

  • A car, truck, bus or motorbike hit you while you were walking, riding or cycling
  • You were a pillion, or a passenger on a bus, in a taxi or in a rideshare car
  • Someone opened the door of a parked car into your path
  • An unsecured load or a loose trailer caused your crash (generally)
  • A driver forced you off the road without touching you (it turns on the evidence)

Often not a CTP claim: check first

  • You came off your bicycle and no motor vehicle played any part
  • An e-scooter or bicycle rider knocked you down on a footpath
  • You were hurt at a track day, race meeting or other closed-circuit event
  • A pothole or loose gravel was the only cause of your fall
  • A quad bike or unregistered trail bike on private land was involved

General information, not legal advice. Whether an incident is a motor accident depends on the facts. Time limits apply.

Getting around Gordon on two wheels, on foot or by bus

Freight uses NorthConnex and the M1, but local delivery trucks still travel Pennant Hills Road and the Pacific Highway. A crash with one is claimed through the truck's CTP insurer, like any other vehicle. Near Gordon station, buses pull in and out, taxis and rideshare cars stop briefly, and people cross between them. Injuries in that mix are often motor accidents, so note the vehicle's registration or route number. Around the Ku-ring-gai Council chambers, shared paths, driveways and car park entries are where cars most often cross the path of cyclists and walkers. Photograph the layout and any signs, because fault can turn on who should have given way.

Hospitals serving the area include Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital. Fractures, hip and pelvic injuries and head injuries are common after crashes involving unprotected road users, and each one should be recorded, not only the most obvious.

Region
Upper North Shore & Hornsby
Postcode
2072
Getting around
Gordon station · bus stops on Pacific Highway
Main roads
Pacific Highway · Ryde Road
Local landmarks
Ku-ring-gai Council chambers · Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden
Nearest public hospital
Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital

Is what happened near Gordon a motor accident?

You don't need to own a car or hold a licence to claim under the CTP scheme. What you need is an injury caused by a motor vehicle being driven or used. Once that's established, the usual rules apply: most people can claim statutory benefits whoever was at fault, and a damages claim may be possible where another driver was at fault and the injury is more than a threshold injury.

Where you were matters too. Crashes on public roads are the core of the scheme, but a car park open to the public or a driveway can also be covered, depending on how the vehicle was being used. A crash at a racetrack, or on private land with an unregistered vehicle, usually isn't. When the setting is unusual, get it checked before assuming either way.

If you were on a bike or e-scooter

Cyclists often assume they need insurance of their own to claim. They don't. The claim runs through the CTP insurance of the motor vehicle involved, so if a car, truck, bus or motorbike hit you while you were riding, it generally goes to that vehicle's insurer. Solo falls, collisions with other cyclists and crashes caused only by the road surface usually sit outside the scheme.

E-scooters raise a question of their own. A scooter isn't covered by CTP insurance itself, so if a scooter rider knocked you down on a footpath, a CTP claim is unlikely and another path may apply. If a car hit you while you were on a scooter, a claim against the car's insurer may still be possible. Have the specific facts checked.

Read next:Cyclist accident claims

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Trucks and heavy vehicles

Something falling from a truck, such as an unsecured load or a trailer coming loose, can be part of the truck's use or operation, so its CTP insurer may be responsible. Note the company name, any fleet number and the registration if you can. Company markings and the direction it was heading make a truck much easier to trace later.

Interstate trucks are a constant presence on the Hume, Pacific and Newell highways. A crash with one in NSW is generally still handled under the NSW scheme, though identifying the insurer can take longer. Make sure the claim records the truck's home state and the precise location, so the paperwork doesn't stall.

If you were on foot

Pedestrian injuries can be serious because there's nothing between you and the vehicle. Fractures, hip and pelvic injuries and head injuries are common. Statutory benefits are available to most injured pedestrians whoever caused the crash, and a damages claim may be possible where the driver was at fault. Ask your doctors to note each injury, including the less obvious ones.

For an older person, being knocked down by a vehicle can mean weeks away from home and help with everyday tasks afterwards. Record what support they now need, from shopping to personal care. Age doesn't affect the right to claim, and a family member can help manage the claim if the injured person agrees.

Read next:Pedestrian accident claims

Passengers, drivers for hire and delivery work

A passenger thrown forward when a bus braked hard, or hurt when a taxi was hit side-on, has a motor accident claim in most cases. Write down the route or cab number, the time, and whether you were seated or holding a rail. Screenshot the rideshare trip if there was one. These records show you were on board and help identify the right insurer.

Delivery riders use bikes, e-bikes, scooters, motorbikes and cars, and a motor vehicle is often involved when they're hurt. A rider who is an employee and working at the time generally needs to claim workers compensation first, with a CTP damages claim against an at-fault driver still possible. Some platforms also carry their own injury cover, on terms that vary, so keep any policy you were given.

Read next:Rideshare and taxi accident claims

If you were on a motorbike

A rider hit by a car or truck makes the same kind of claim a driver would, against the insurer of the vehicle at fault. A rider who came down alone isn't shut out either: the bike's own Green Slip may pay statutory benefits. For a rider found wholly or mostly at fault, those generally run for the first 52 weeks only, with no damages claim, which is still far from nothing.

Riding pillion puts you in much the same position as a car passenger. You weren't steering, braking or choosing the line, so the fault question is mostly about the riders and drivers involved. Your claim goes to the insurer of whichever vehicle caused the crash, which may be the bike you were on. It is made against the insurer, never the rider personally.

Read next:Motorcycle accident claims

Evidence by road user

For crashes involving trucks, buses and rideshare cars, the operator may hold records you don't: onboard cameras, telematics, trip logs and driver hours. They aren't kept forever. Note the company, the route or fleet number and the time, and ask early. For passengers, a trip receipt or card record shows you were on board.

  • Helmet, handlebar or dashcam footage, saved as the original file
  • Photos of the crossing, lane markings or bike lane
  • Your damaged helmet and gear, kept unrepaired
  • Names and numbers of witnesses who stopped

Read next:At-fault self-check

Do you need a lawyer after a motor accident?

The CTP scheme covers most road users, but the edge cases are where people get stuck. If the insurer says your crash isn't a motor accident, or your working arrangement complicates things, advice is often worth having.

Often worth talking to a lawyer

  • Your injuries include fractures, a head injury or nerve damage
  • Cover is disputed because you were riding an e-bike or e-scooter
  • A truck or bus operator's records may matter and need to be kept
  • You were hurt getting into or out of a vehicle and the insurer disputes cover

You may not need one

  • The crash clearly involved a registered vehicle and nobody disputes cover
  • What you need first is a doctor to treat and record your injuries
  • You were a bus or rideshare passenger and the insurer has accepted the claim

If treatment is what you need now, start there. We can put you in touch with doctors and allied health experienced with CTP claims, who can complete the Certificate of Fitness and link your injuries to the crash.

Not quite your situation?

  • If you were inside a car when it crashed, whether driving or as a passenger, the car accident lawyer page covers fault for you. Car accident lawyer in Gordon
  • If you're not sure what kind of claim you have, or the vehicle drove off or wasn't insured, the car accident claim page sorts that out. Car accident claim in Gordon
  • If you already know it's a motor accident and just want to know whether a lawyer is worth it, see the CTP lawyer page. CTP lawyer in Gordon

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