Not in a car? A motor accident lawyer for South Turramurra

Dooring is one of the more common ways cyclists are hurt in busy streets. A car door opened into your path is generally part of using that car, even while it's parked, so the injury claim goes to its CTP insurer. Before the car leaves, record its plate and who opened the door, and photograph the door and where you fell.

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.

Arguments in rider claims tend to centre on where the bike was and whether it was visible. Lane position, moving between lanes of slow traffic, headlights and the driver's sightline all come up, and the road rules for motorcycles are detailed. Write down what you were doing and where, as precisely as you can, and have someone who knows those rules look at it before you accept a fault finding.

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.

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.

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.

Heavy-vehicle crashes often draw in more people than a car crash: an operator, perhaps a separate trailer owner, a company that loaded the truck, and other drivers. Your injury claim still starts in one place, the CTP insurer of the vehicle at fault. Questions about the other parties can wait, and a lawyer can look at them if a damages claim follows.

Injuries from a crash with a heavy vehicle are often serious: fractures, head injuries and injuries to the spine. Medical evidence needs to cover every injury, and early legal advice can be worth having because more parties and more records are involved. That doesn't mean you need a lawyer to lodge, only that the file can become complex.

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.

• Your ride-tracking or GPS file from the day
• The vehicle's registration, company name or route number
• Your damaged helmet and gear, kept unrepaired
• Written requests for shop, station or bus footage