Macarthur & Wollondilly · Motor vehicle accident claims

Hit riding or walking in Narellan? Motor accident lawyer

A bike, a bus or a footpath can change the answer. We help you work out whether it's a CTP matter.

If you were hurt near Narellan while riding a motorbike, cycling, walking, or travelling in a truck, bus, taxi or rideshare, the first question is whether it counts as a motor accident. In broad terms, NSW CTP covers injuries caused when a registered motor vehicle is used or operated. Most crashes with one are covered. Some are not. Our free check sorts out which side of that line you're on.

Postcode: 2567

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Which crashes count as a motor accident

Riders, pedestrians and passengers often aren't sure whether their crash counts. The first list shows situations that are usually covered. The second shows ones that often aren't, and are worth checking before you give up on a claim.

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.

Riding, walking and cycling around Narellan

Picton Road and Appin Road carry commuters and locals alongside trucks. Riders hit by a heavy vehicle on these roads claim through the truck's CTP insurer, just as a driver would. Around Campbelltown station, people step on and off buses, cross to platforms and wait for rideshare pick-ups. A person hit on foot there, or hurt getting out of a vehicle, may have a motor accident claim. On Narellan Road or a side street, a crash with a motor vehicle is generally a CTP matter. If only the road surface brought you down, a cyclist usually has no CTP claim, though a motorcyclist's own Green Slip may still pay.

Around Narellan Town Centre, 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.

Region
Macarthur & Wollondilly
Postcode
2567
Getting around
Campbelltown station · bus services to Campbelltown and Camden
Main roads
Narellan Road · Camden Valley Way
Local landmarks
Narellan Town Centre · Camden Valley Way junction
Nearest public hospital
Campbelltown Hospital

Is what happened near Narellan a motor accident?

In NSW, a motor accident is generally an incident involving the use or operation of a motor vehicle that causes an injury. You don't need to have been driving, or even in a vehicle. A pedestrian, a cyclist, a pillion passenger and a bus passenger can all be injured in a motor accident. For accidents from 1 December 2017, the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 sets the rules.

Getting into or out of a vehicle is a common grey area. If a passing car hit you as you stepped out, or your driver moved off while you were halfway out, the injury may come from the use of a motor vehicle. Whether it does depends on exactly what happened, so write it down while it's fresh and have it checked.

If you were on a bike or e-scooter

Electric bikes are generally treated like pedal bikes for this purpose, so if a motor vehicle hit you on one, you claim against that vehicle's insurer. E-scooters are less settled. A car that hit you on a scooter still carries a Green Slip, but expect questions about where you were riding and the type of device. Check before accepting a refusal.

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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Motorcycle riders and pillion passengers

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

Passengers, drivers for hire and delivery work

Rideshare and taxi drivers are in a different position from their passengers. Many rideshare drivers are engaged as contractors rather than employees, which can make CTP their main path after a crash: statutory benefits from the at-fault vehicle's insurer, or their own vehicle's if they caused it. It depends on the actual arrangement, so have it checked before lodging.

Food and parcel delivery puts riders on busy roads for long hours. When a car hits one, the claim may go to that car's CTP insurer. A rider working as an employee at the time usually claims workers compensation first, so the details of the arrangement matter. Platform insurance, where it exists, has its own terms and doesn't necessarily replace either claim.

Read next:Rideshare and taxi accident claims

If a heavy vehicle was involved

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

Not every pedestrian injury happens on a street. Shopping centre, station and hospital car parks are open to the public, and a person hit there by a car that is reversing or turning can usually claim. A vehicle rolling down a home driveway can also be a motor accident, sometimes involving a child and a family car. The details matter, so check before assuming you can't claim.

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

Evidence that matters for riders, cyclists and pedestrians

If you ride, your own devices may hold the strongest evidence. Helmet and handlebar cameras, bike computers and tracking apps can show your speed, your line and the moment of impact. Copy the original files somewhere safe straight away, before a device loops over them, and don't trim or edit anything. Keep your damaged helmet and gear as they are.

  • Helmet, handlebar or dashcam footage, saved as the original file
  • The vehicle's registration, company name or route number
  • Photos of the crossing, lane markings or bike lane
  • Your damaged helmet and gear, kept unrepaired

Read next:At-fault self-check

Riders, pedestrians and passengers: when a lawyer helps

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

  • You were delivering or driving for a platform and aren't sure which claim comes first
  • You were hurt getting into or out of a vehicle and the insurer disputes cover
  • Your injuries include fractures, a head injury or nerve damage
  • A driver forced you off the road without contact and denies it

You may not need one

  • A pedestrian claim against an identified car is progressing smoothly
  • You were a bus or rideshare passenger and the insurer has accepted the claim
  • You came off a bicycle alone and just need to confirm it isn't a CTP matter

Riders, cyclists and pedestrians often have several injuries at once. We can point you to doctors and allied health who work with CTP claims and can record each one on the Certificate of Fitness.

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 Narellan
  • If the vehicle that hit you drove off or had no insurance, or you aren't sure what claim this is, start with the car accident claim page. Car accident claim in Narellan
  • If your real question is whether you need a lawyer at all for a CTP claim, the CTP lawyer page answers that directly. CTP lawyer in Narellan

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