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 Oak Flats 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.
Wollongong & the Illawarra · Personal injury solicitors explained
Personal injury solicitors explained for people in Oak Flats
Solicitors are regulated professionals. Here's how that protects you, in plain terms.
Postcode: 2529
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Your solicitor's job, and what stays with you
Working with a solicitor is a partnership with clear roles. Your solicitor brings legal knowledge and handles the formal work. You keep control of your treatment, your information and the decisions that matter most. Here is how that generally divides.
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
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?
How to check who you're dealing with
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
Words like 'expert' on a website are marketing, not formal titles. 'Accredited specialist' is a formal title. If a solicitor uses it, you can ask which area of law it covers.
Read next:Do I need a lawyer? Quick check
Instructing a solicitor from Oak Flats
Tell your solicitor whether Wollongong Hospital or Shellharbour Hospital treated you. Requesting those records, once you've signed an authority, is generally part of their work. Solicitors aren't licensed council by council. Whether you live in the Shellharbour City 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
- Wollongong & the Illawarra
- Postcode
- 2529
- Nearest public hospital
- Shellharbour Hospital
- Local government area
- Shellharbour City Council
A solicitor for your claim: needed or not?
Engaging a solicitor is a serious step, usually with a written agreement and an ongoing working relationship. It is worth taking when your claim needs it, and not before. Here is a rough guide.
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
- Your injury is serious and the claim is likely to run for a long time
- You started the claim yourself and it has become hard to manage
You may not need one
- Your injury has healed and your benefits have been paid
- You want help reading a form, not help challenging a decision
- You're managing your own claim comfortably and it's on track
A solicitor works from your medical records, so treatment comes first. We can suggest doctors and allied health familiar with CTP, from the Certificate of Fitness to ongoing therapy.
Not quite your situation?
- Injured at work rather than on the road? That is usually a workers compensation claim, which runs under different rules from CTP. The free claim check 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 Oak Flats
- 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 Oak Flats
- For the stages of a CTP file, from statutory benefits through to settlement, see the car accident solicitor page. Car accident solicitor in Oak Flats
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
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.
Moving your claim to someone else
If you're thinking about moving to another solicitor, first tell your current one what isn't working. Sometimes one frank conversation fixes it. If not, you are generally free to go. The new solicitor will usually handle the transfer of the file. Keep your own copies of key letters throughout, so a change never leaves you without the basic information about your claim.
Giving instructions: what it means
'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.
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.
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.
Concerns about a solicitor
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Personal injury solicitor: suburbs near Oak Flats
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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.