A solicitor is a regulated professional with duties to you and to the court. Knowing what those duties are, and what you can expect in return, makes the relationship easier from the first call. For people in Kareela hurt on the road, this is a plain guide to working with a personal injury solicitor: checking them, instructing them, and what to do if something isn't right.
Sutherland Shire · Personal injury solicitors explained
Personal injury solicitor Kareela
What a solicitor does, what stays with you, and how to check who you're dealing with.
Postcode: 2232
- Free claim check, no obligation
- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in Kareela & Jannali
Dividing the work: you and your solicitor
Knowing where your solicitor's role ends and yours begins saves a lot of frustration. The split below is general, and a good solicitor will explain it for your own claim at the start.
Your solicitor's job
- Advising you on your rights and options, in plain terms
- Dealing with the insurer and preparing formal documents
- Gathering the evidence you authorise them to obtain
- Explaining any offer, then acting on your instructions about it
What stays with you
- Your treatment, and keeping your own records of it
- Giving clear instructions and accurate information
- Telling your solicitor promptly about any change
- Deciding whether to accept an offer or keep going
General information, not legal advice. How the work is split can vary, so ask your solicitor to explain it for your claim.
Solicitors, barristers and 'lawyers' explained
In NSW, 'lawyer' is the umbrella word. Most lawyers who help people with injury claims are solicitors: they advise you directly, run the claim, deal with the insurer and prepare documents. Barristers are lawyers who concentrate on advocacy and particular kinds of advice, usually briefed by a solicitor for a hearing or a difficult question. In most motor accident claims, the solicitor is the person you deal with.
Read next:Do I need a lawyer for my CTP claim?
You instruct, your solicitor advises
Good instructions start with good information. Tell your solicitor everything relevant, including the parts that don't help you, like an old injury or a gap in treatment. They can only advise properly on the whole picture. Then, when a decision is needed, they will set out the options. You choose, and they act on your choice.
If you're unsure what your solicitor is asking you to decide, say so. It's reasonable to ask what happens under each option, what the risks are, and what they would recommend and why. You can also ask for time to think or to talk it over with family. Instructions given under pressure are the ones people most often regret.
Working with a solicitor from Kareela
From the Shire, a meeting in the city means the Illawarra Line or a long drive on the Princes Highway. Many solicitors take instructions by phone and video, so ask what works for both of you. Your solicitor will want a list of everywhere you were treated, starting with The Sutherland Hospital if you went there. Leave nothing out, even a brief visit. A gap you forgot to mention is harder to explain later than one raised at the start. Solicitors aren't licensed council by council. Whether you live in the Sutherland Shire Council area or across the state, the same professional rules apply to any NSW solicitor, and their practising certificate can be checked the same way.
- Region
- Sutherland Shire
- Postcode
- 2232
- Nearest public hospital
- The Sutherland Hospital
- Local government area
- Sutherland Shire Council
Is engaging a solicitor the right step yet?
Many motor accident claims are handled by the injured person with no solicitor at all. Others reach a point where formal advice makes a real difference. These lists are a general guide to which is which.
Often worth talking to a lawyer
- Your injury is serious and the claim is likely to run for a long time
- You already have a solicitor, but the relationship has broken down
- The insurer wants statements or documents and you're unsure what to give
- An offer has arrived and you want advice before you decide
You may not need one
- SIRA's free CTP Legal Advisory Service can answer your statutory benefits question
- You want help reading a form, not help challenging a decision
- You only want a general explanation of how the scheme works
A solicitor can't treat your injury. If you need a GP who understands the Certificate of Fitness, or physiotherapy or psychology, we can point you to doctors and allied health experienced with CTP.
Not quite your situation?
- If the injury happened at work, including on the road for work, workers compensation is usually the scheme that applies first, not CTP. After a crash, a CTP damages claim may still be possible. We can point you to the right help. Free claim check
- For what to do after an injury, the records worth keeping and choosing a lawyer in the first place, see the personal injury lawyer page. Personal injury lawyer in Kareela
- If you're ready to engage a solicitor and wondering about the first meeting and the costs paperwork, the compensation solicitor page covers that ground. Compensation solicitor in Kareela
- To see how a solicitor generally runs a CTP claim from start to finish, stage by stage, turn to the car accident solicitor page. Car accident solicitor in Kareela
If you want a different solicitor
You can generally change solicitors if the relationship isn't working. Your new solicitor usually arranges for the file to be transferred. The first solicitor may be entitled to be paid for work already done, and how that's handled depends on the arrangement you signed, so check it or ask before you switch. Try raising the problem directly first; plenty of issues can be fixed.
Is this solicitor entitled to practise?
A practising certificate is, in effect, the licence a solicitor needs to provide legal services. In NSW the Law Society of NSW issues them, and you can generally search its online register to confirm a solicitor holds a current one. If you can't find someone, check the spelling, ask them for their full registered name, or contact the Law Society.
Titles on websites
A firm's website can describe its people however it likes. The practising certificate and any accreditation are what the register and the Law Society actually record.
Read next:Do I need a lawyer? Quick check
Keeping your information confidential
It helps to know what stays private. Conversations with your solicitor are generally confidential, and some may be privileged. But a claim runs on evidence, so medical reports and records relevant to your injury are generally shared with the insurer. If there's something in your history you would rather not see in the file, raise it with your solicitor early and ask what must be disclosed.
Others in the room
If a friend or relative joins your meetings, check with your solicitor first about anything sensitive. Who is present can sometimes matter to whether advice stays privileged.
Accredited specialists, in plain terms
'Accredited specialist' is a title with a specific meaning in NSW. The Law Society of NSW grants it to solicitors who have shown substantial experience in one area of law and passed the scheme's assessment. Personal injury is one of the areas covered. The title is optional: a solicitor doesn't need it to handle injury claims, and plenty of experienced ones don't hold it.
About the lawyers we connect people with
The lawyers we connect people with are described as independent and experienced in motor accident claims. If a formal title matters to you, ask the solicitor directly which ones they hold.
If something goes wrong
Many problems with a solicitor come down to communication: calls not returned, decisions made without you, or a bill you didn't expect. Say so in writing, and be specific about what you want to change. If the problem is serious, or raising it gets nowhere, the NSW Legal Services Commissioner's office deals with complaints about lawyers' conduct and legal costs. Changing solicitors is a separate option.
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Want another view before you instruct anyone?
Questions about the solicitor relationship, or whether you need one at all? Start with a free claim check.
Frequently asked questions
It's a title granted under the Law Society of NSW's specialist accreditation scheme to solicitors who have shown substantial experience in one area of law, such as personal injury, and passed the scheme's assessment. It's voluntary, and plenty of experienced injury solicitors aren't accredited. If a solicitor uses the title, you can ask which area it covers. The lawyers we connect people with are described by their experience, not by this title.
It depends on the stage. Some weeks are busy; others are quiet while the solicitor waits on medical reports or the insurer. A reasonable arrangement is one you agree at the start: how you'll be contacted, roughly how often, and who covers when your usual contact is away. If a long silence worries you, ask. Solicitors are generally expected to give clear and timely advice as a matter progresses.
A solicitor works directly with you: advising, dealing with the insurer, preparing documents and running the claim. A barrister is a lawyer who focuses mainly on advocacy at hearings and on advice about particular issues, and is usually engaged by your solicitor rather than by you directly. Most motor accident claims are handled by a solicitor alone. Where a barrister is involved, your solicitor generally stays your main contact.
Probably not. Most motor accident claims are resolved without a barrister, through dealings with the insurer and, where needed, the Personal Injury Commission. A solicitor may brief a barrister for a hearing, a complex legal question or court proceedings. If that's suggested, ask why, what the barrister will do and how it affects what you'll pay, so you can give an informed instruction.
It means telling your solicitor what you want done. Your solicitor advises on the options and their risks; you decide. Some instructions are big, such as whether to accept an offer or challenge a decision. Others are everyday, like how you want to be contacted. Your solicitor acts on your instructions, within the law and their professional duties, and should tell you if they can't follow one.
Start by putting your concern in writing to the solicitor or the principal of their practice; many problems are resolved that way. If not, complaints about NSW lawyers generally go to the Office of the NSW Legal Services Commissioner, which deals with conduct complaints and disputes about legal costs. Time limits can apply to costs disputes. Complaints about how a CTP insurer has treated you are a separate matter for a different body.
Personal injury solicitor: suburbs near Kareela
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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.