Pambula: choosing a personal injury lawyer after a crash

In NSW, compensation for an injury usually runs through a scheme rather than a simple lawsuit, and which scheme depends on how you were hurt. If the injury came from a motor accident on or after 1 December 2017, it is generally claimed through CTP insurance under the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017. That is the kind of claim we help with, whether you were driving, a passenger, riding, cycling or on foot.

The effect of an injury on your life is a large part of any claim, and it's often the least recorded. Time off shows up in payslips. What doesn't show up is the lifting you now avoid, the shifts you swapped, the sport you stopped, or the help you need with children or shopping. Note these as they happen, with dates, in plain words.

Don't forget the costs of being injured. Medicines, taxis or parking for treatment, a pillow or brace your physio suggested: keep the receipts, even small ones, in one place. The insurer generally pays for treatment and care that is reasonable and necessary, and receipts are how you show what you've spent along the way.

Choosing a lawyer is less about the name on the letterhead and more about who will actually run your file. Ask whether the person you meet will handle it day to day, or pass it to a colleague. Either can work well. What matters is knowing who to call, and that they know your injury and your dates.

Notice how a lawyer treats you before you sign anything. Did they listen to your account, or jump to conclusions? Did they explain what they don't know yet? Did they mention that some claims don't need a lawyer at all? Early signs like these tell you a lot about the working relationship ahead.

If your injury changes, your records should change with it. A symptom diary that stops after a fortnight can suggest you recovered, even if you didn't. Keep it going, even at a line or two, until your treating doctor says things have settled. What a change means for your claim is a separate question, and someone can answer it once the change is written down.

Tell every doctor and therapist that the crash caused your injuries, and describe all your symptoms, not just the worst one. It sounds obvious, but a headache or low mood mentioned to nobody won't appear anywhere. Your GP completes the Certificate of Fitness, and the insurer relies on it. Specialist reports and treatment notes then build on that base.

Expect to be asked what happened, in your own words, and what has happened since. The lawyer is listening for the things that shape a claim: the date, whether someone else caused the crash, how serious the injury looks and whether the insurer has already decided anything. If you don't know an answer, say so. A guess causes more trouble later than a gap does.

• What injuries do you have, and who is treating them?
• Have you lodged a claim yet, and on what date?
• How is the injury affecting your work and home life?
• Were you hurt or unwell in the same area before?

Get in touch when something changes: a new symptom, a letter from the insurer, a return to work that isn't working, or an offer you're unsure about. Those are the points where advice tends to matter. Many people simply want someone to confirm they're on track, which is a good reason too. We'll tell you honestly if you don't need a lawyer.