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 Stanwell Park after a crash, this guide covers what a solicitor does, what they need from you, and where to turn if the relationship breaks down.
Wollongong & the Illawarra · Personal injury solicitors explained
Personal injury solicitors explained for people in Stanwell Park
What a solicitor does, what stays with you, and how to check who you're dealing with.
Postcode: 2508
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- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in Stanwell Park & Helensburgh
Dividing the work: you and your solicitor
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.
From Stanwell Park: meetings, records and language
The South Coast Line runs to the city, but after a crash a long ride may not suit you. You can ask your solicitor to take instructions by phone or video. Hospitals serving the area include Wollongong Hospital and The Sutherland Hospital. Chasing records from them is usually the solicitor's job. Turning up for treatment, and telling your solicitor about any new referral or diagnosis, stays with you. Your council, Wollongong 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
- Wollongong & the Illawarra
- Postcode
- 2508
- Nearest public hospital
- Wollongong Hospital
- Local government area
- Wollongong City Council
Is engaging a solicitor the right step yet?
Not sure whether you're ready to instruct a solicitor? Look at what has happened in your claim so far. These lists sum up when it tends to be worth it and when it usually isn't.
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
- The insurer wants statements or documents and you're unsure what to give
You may not need one
- Your injury has healed and your benefits have been paid
- You're managing your own claim comfortably and it's on track
- What you mainly need is medical help or a new treating doctor
Legal help and medical care run side by side. Ask us about doctors and allied health who know CTP claims, including GPs who complete the Certificate of Fitness.
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 Stanwell Park
- If your question is about the first meeting, what to bring and the costs documents, the compensation solicitor page fits better. Compensation solicitor in Stanwell Park
- For the stages of a CTP file, from statutory benefits through to settlement, see the car accident solicitor page. Car accident solicitor in Stanwell Park
Free claim check
Check your claim before engaging a solicitor
We'll look at where your claim is up to and tell you whether a solicitor would help. Many claims don't need one.
Solicitors, barristers and 'lawyers' explained
Most people deal with only one lawyer during a motor accident claim, and that is their solicitor. The solicitor gives advice, deals with the insurer and keeps the file moving. If a claim needs a hearing or an opinion on a difficult point, the solicitor may brief a barrister, who then works alongside them. Knowing who is who tells you who to ask, and who answers for what.
Read next:Do I need a lawyer for my CTP claim?
Accredited specialists, in plain terms
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.
If you want a different solicitor
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.
Checking a solicitor's practising certificate
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
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
What you tell your solicitor, and who else sees it
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.
Giving instructions: what it means
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Stanwell Park
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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.