Trust matters when someone is handling your injury claim. The reassuring part is that solicitors in NSW work under professional rules, and anyone can check that a solicitor is entitled to practise. For people in Leonay after a crash, this guide covers what a solicitor does, what they need from you, and where to turn if the relationship breaks down.
Penrith & the Nepean · Personal injury solicitors explained
Leonay: how to check a personal injury solicitor
Your solicitor advises and acts on your instructions. The big decisions stay yours.
Postcode: 2750
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- Helping people in Leonay & Lapstone
Who does what on your claim
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.
Instructing a solicitor from Leonay
Nepean Hospital in Kingswood is the main public hospital here. If it treated you, your solicitor can generally obtain the records once you give written authority. Your council, Penrith City Council, has no part in a CTP claim or in regulating solicitors. Those rules are set for the whole state, which is why a solicitor's standing can be checked the same way from anywhere.
- Region
- Penrith & the Nepean
- Postcode
- 2750
- Nearest public hospital
- Nepean Hospital
- Local government area
- Penrith City Council
Do you need a personal injury solicitor?
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
- You already have a solicitor, but the relationship has broken down
- You would rather someone else dealt with the insurer for you
- You need formal advice on a decision the insurer has made about you
- Your injury is serious and the claim is likely to run for a long time
You may not need one
- You only want a general explanation of how the scheme works
- You want help reading a form, not help challenging a decision
- Your injury has healed and your benefits have been paid
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?
- Hurt at work, or in a crash while you were working? That is usually a workers compensation claim first, which is a different scheme from CTP. Tell us what happened and we can point you to the right help. Free claim check
- If you're still dealing with the injury itself, what to record and how to choose a lawyer, the personal injury lawyer page starts there. Personal injury lawyer in Leonay
- 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 Leonay
- For the stages of a CTP file, from statutory benefits through to settlement, see the car accident solicitor page. Car accident solicitor in Leonay
Free claim check
Check your claim before engaging a solicitor
Call (02) 7238 7379 or request a callback. If a solicitor fits your case, we'll connect you with an independent one.
Solicitors, barristers and 'lawyers' explained
You'll hear three words used, often loosely. A lawyer is anyone admitted to practise law. A solicitor is a lawyer who works directly with clients, handling advice, correspondence and the running of a claim. A barrister is a lawyer who mainly appears at hearings and advises on particular issues, and is usually engaged through your solicitor. For an injury claim, your main relationship is with a solicitor.
Read next:Do I need a lawyer for my CTP claim?
Who decides what on your claim
'Instructions' is the word for what you tell your solicitor to do. Your solicitor advises you on the options and the risks, but acts on your instructions. That means the key decisions are yours: whether to lodge a particular claim, whether to challenge a decision, and whether to accept an offer. A solicitor can recommend firmly, but shouldn't decide for you.
A solicitor can't follow an instruction to do something improper, such as mislead the insurer or hold back material they may be obliged to disclose. Their duties to the court and the law come first. That protects you as much as anyone, because a claim built on a full, honest account stands on firmer ground.
Keeping your information confidential
Solicitors owe you a duty of confidentiality. In general, what you tell them about your claim isn't shared with others without your permission, except where the law requires it. Separately, legal professional privilege can protect certain communications made for the purpose of getting legal advice. The details are technical, so if something sensitive worries you, ask your solicitor how it would be handled.
Others in the room
Having a family member on a call is usually fine, but a third party's presence can sometimes affect whether a conversation stays privileged. Ask your solicitor before sharing sensitive details in front of others.
Changing solicitors
Changing solicitors part-way through a claim is allowed, and people do it for many reasons: poor communication, a move interstate, or a loss of trust. It's worth being clear about why before you switch. The new solicitor can generally request the file. Ask both what happens to fees for work already done, because arrangements vary and surprises help nobody.
What 'accredited specialist' means
When a solicitor describes themselves as an accredited specialist, they mean a Law Society of NSW scheme that recognises depth of experience in one area of law. Solicitors apply voluntarily, pass an assessment and must keep working in the area to keep the title. It is a useful signal, but only one. It tells you nothing about fees, availability or how clearly a solicitor explains things.
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.
How to check who you're dealing with
Every solicitor practising in NSW needs a current practising certificate. You can generally check a solicitor's details on the Law Society of NSW's online Register of Solicitors, which lists solicitors who hold a current certificate. It is a quick check, and it is reasonable to do it before you sign anything. A solicitor won't be offended that you looked.
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
Complaints, and where they go
Most concerns are worth raising with the solicitor first, or with the principal of their practice. If that doesn't resolve it, complaints about lawyers in NSW generally go to the Office of the NSW Legal Services Commissioner, an independent body that deals with complaints about conduct and about legal costs. That is separate from a complaint about a CTP insurer, which goes elsewhere. Time limits can apply, so don't leave it too long.
Frequently asked questions
In NSW, solicitors need a current practising certificate, issued by the Law Society of NSW. You can generally confirm that a solicitor holds one by searching the Law Society's online Register of Solicitors using their full name. If they don't appear, check the spelling or ask them how they're registered. It only takes a few minutes, and it's reasonable to check before you sign anything.
No. Accreditation is optional, and a solicitor doesn't need it to handle a motor accident claim. What matters more is real experience with NSW CTP claims, which you can ask about directly, along with how the solicitor will keep you informed. The title is one signal among several, not a requirement, and its absence isn't a warning sign on its own.
Generally, yes. If the relationship isn't working, you can move your claim to another solicitor, who will usually arrange for the file to be transferred. Your first solicitor may be entitled to payment for work already done, depending on the agreement you signed, so ask how that will be handled before you switch. It's often worth raising your concerns directly first, because many problems can be fixed.
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.
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.
A conflict can arise where a solicitor's duty to you clashes with a duty to someone else, or with their own interests. One example is acting for two people from the same crash whose interests may pull in different directions. Solicitors generally must avoid acting where there's a conflict, or manage it within strict rules. If you're worried about one, ask the solicitor directly; they should explain.
Personal injury solicitor: suburbs near Leonay
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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.