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 Singleton after a crash, this guide covers what a solicitor does, what they need from you, and where to turn if the relationship breaks down.
Newcastle & the Hunter · Personal injury solicitors explained
Personal injury solicitor Singleton: who does what
What a solicitor does, what stays with you, and how to check who you're dealing with.
Postcode: 2330
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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.
Who's who in legal help
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?
How to check who you're dealing with
Checking credentials takes a few minutes. Confirm the solicitor's full name, then look them up on the Law Society of NSW register to see that their practising certificate is current. If someone else in the practice will do much of the work, you can ask who will supervise your file and look that person up too. None of this is rude; it's ordinary care with any professional.
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
Instructing a solicitor from Singleton
John Hunter Hospital, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Maitland Hospital or Belmont Hospital may hold your records. Your solicitor generally needs your written authority before requesting them. Your council, Singleton 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
- Newcastle & the Hunter
- Postcode
- 2330
- Nearest public hospital
- Singleton Hospital
- Local government area
- Singleton Council
Do you need a personal injury solicitor?
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
- An offer has arrived and you want advice before you decide
- The insurer wants statements or documents and you're unsure what to give
- 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 may not need one
- You only want a general explanation of how the scheme works
- What you mainly need is medical help or a new treating doctor
- Your injury has healed and your benefits have been paid
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?
- 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
- 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 Singleton
- If your question is about the first meeting, what to bring and the costs documents, the compensation solicitor page fits better. Compensation solicitor in Singleton
- For the stages of a CTP file, from statutory benefits through to settlement, see the car accident solicitor page. Car accident solicitor in Singleton
What 'accredited specialist' means
The Law Society of NSW runs a specialist accreditation scheme. Solicitors with several years of practice, including substantial time in one area such as personal injury, can apply, and those who pass its assessment may call themselves accredited specialists in that area. It is formal recognition of depth in one field. Many capable solicitors are not accredited, and the title says nothing about how a particular claim will go.
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.
Changing solicitors
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.
What you tell your solicitor, and who else sees it
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.
You instruct, your solicitor advises
Your solicitor works for you, on your instructions. In practice, they explain your choices, give their advice, and then do what you decide, within the law and their professional duties. The biggest decision, whether to accept an offer to settle, belongs to you. Take the time you need, and ask for the advice in writing if that helps you think.
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.
Concerns about a solicitor
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.
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Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
Solicitors in NSW practise under the Legal Profession Uniform Law, which sets professional and ethical rules. The Law Society of NSW issues practising certificates and oversees standards, and the Office of the NSW Legal Services Commissioner receives complaints about lawyers. Solicitors also owe duties to the court. In practice, rules about honesty, confidentiality, conflicts and costs disclosure generally apply to any solicitor you work with.
Personal injury solicitor: suburbs near Singleton
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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.