CTP Claim Lawyer NSW

Every registered vehicle in NSW carries CTP insurance, often called the green slip. It covers people injured in motor accidents: drivers, passengers, riders, pedestrians and cyclists. If your accident happened on or after 1 December 2017, your claim is covered by the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW). Accidents before that date fall under the older Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999.

Many people handle the early part of a claim themselves. A specialist CTP lawyer becomes more useful as the stakes rise: when the insurer disputes something, when your injury may be more than a threshold injury, or when a lump sum damages claim is possible. The earlier you understand where you stand, the less likely you are to lose an option to a time limit.

Who this page is for

• You were hurt in a motor accident in NSW and haven't lodged a claim yet, or you're not sure you lodged it correctly.
• Your claim is open, but a decision from the insurer doesn't look right.
• Your injuries are lasting longer than expected and you're wondering whether you can claim damages.
• You've been offered a settlement and want to understand what it covers before you sign.

What a specialist CTP lawyer typically does at each stage

Every claim is different, and not every claim needs every step. As a general guide, this is where a lawyer usually adds value.

• Lodging the claim: checking it goes to the right insurer, that the Application for Personal Injury Benefits tells the full story, and that it's on time. To get weekly payments back-paid to the day after the accident, the insurer generally needs your claim within 28 days. You can still claim up to 3 months after the accident, but weekly payments may only start from the date of the claim.
• Statutory benefits: checking your weekly payments are based on the right pre-accident earnings, and that treatment requests and Certificates of Fitness are in order.
• Internal review: when the insurer makes a decision you disagree with, asking it in writing to reconsider, with evidence that answers its reasons.
• Personal Injury Commission disputes: if internal review doesn't fix the problem, preparing and running the dispute at the PIC, including medical assessments.
• Damages claim: working out whether you can claim common law damages (a lump sum), gathering evidence of lost earnings and impairment, and lodging it in time.
• Settlement: explaining an offer, negotiating with the insurer, and making sure you understand what you're giving up before you sign.

Statutory benefits and damages are different

Most injured people can claim statutory benefits regardless of who was at fault. These cover weekly payments for lost income, and treatment and care. For accidents on or after 1 April 2023, people with a threshold injury can receive statutory benefits for up to 52 weeks after the accident.

Common law damages are a separate lump sum claim. You may be able to claim damages if another driver was at fault, you were not mostly at fault, and your injury is more than a threshold injury. A damages claim must generally be made within 3 years of the accident, and lodging within 2 years matters if you want weekly payments to continue beyond 2 years. This is the part of a claim where most people find a lawyer's help worth having.

Do you actually need a lawyer?

Often not, or not yet. Many people lodge their claim, receive weekly payments and treatment, and never need a lawyer. SIRA funds a free CTP Legal Advisory Service for statutory benefits questions, and CTP Assist (1300 656 919) can explain how the scheme works.

A specialist CTP lawyer is worth talking to when your case calls for it: the claim is denied, your injury is called a threshold injury and your doctors disagree, payments or treatment are cut off, fault is disputed, the insurer makes an offer, a damages claim may be open, your injuries are serious, or someone has died.

If what you need right now is treatment, a Certificate of Fitness or medical evidence, start with a doctor rather than a lawyer. We can point you to doctors experienced with CTP claims and allied health such as physiotherapy and psychology.

Questions to ask a CTP lawyer

• Do you mainly handle NSW motor accident (CTP) claims?
• Based on what you know so far, which parts of my claim need a lawyer, and which can I manage myself?
• Which time limits apply to me, and what's the next date I need to meet?
• How will you be paid, and can I have your costs disclosure in writing before I sign anything?
• Who will actually work on my file, and how often will I hear from you?

What it costs

Our claim check is free and there's no obligation to go any further.

Many motor accident lawyers offer 'no win, no fee' arrangements. Generally, that means you don't pay their professional fees unless the claim succeeds, but the terms differ between lawyers. Some costs, such as medical reports and filing fees (called disbursements), may be treated differently. Legal costs in NSW CTP claims are also regulated: they are tightly controlled in statutory benefits claims, and the maximum a lawyer can charge in a damages claim is capped by the Regulation.

Before you sign, ask for a written costs disclosure and a costs agreement in plain English. Check what happens if the claim doesn't succeed, and how costs are worked out at settlement.

Where CTP Lawyer fits in

CTP Lawyer is a free NSW service, not a law firm. We ask a few questions about your accident, your injuries and where your claim is up to, then point you to the help your case actually needs. If it calls for legal help, we connect you with an independent, specialist motor accident lawyer, and the lawyer you speak with gives you advice about your own situation. If you need treatment or a Certificate of Fitness, we can point you to doctors and allied health instead, or as well.

You decide whether to go ahead. If your claim looks like one you can manage yourself for now, you'll hear that too.