Everyone hopes to make it through the day safely and arrive home in one piece. However, when car accidents happen, if you’re injured, the injuries can cause havoc with your life. It can lead to pain, the need for costly and ongoing treatment and it can interfere with your ability to work and your future options.
A Queensland motor accident compensation claim assists people who are injured in road accidents to access rehabilitation and treatment. It can also provide a lump sum damages payout to compensate you for the impact the injury has had on your life.
In Queensland, we have a terrific compensation regime for victims of motor vehicle accidents. You are eligible to bring a Queensland motor vehicle claim if:
You might also be eligible for additional workers compensation benefits if your accident occurred between work and home, or on a lunch or smoking break.
Being injured is distressing enough. Trying to find money to pay for lawyers to protect your rights can also seem impossible for most. But don’t feel like you have to take action with Motor Vehicle Accident Claims alone.
The statistics from the Motor Accident Insurance Commission reveal that the insurers pay much less to people who don’t have lawyers. This is because gathering enough evidence to prove your case is complex and insurers are not likely to tell you what you should be claiming for. In short, if you go it alone, you could actually end up worse off.
We acknowledge that many injured people cannot afford to pay for a lawyer or for experts to provide medico-legal reports. So, to improve access to justice, we offer No Win No Fee cost arrangements. This means that if we do not get you a compensation pay out for your personal injury claim, then you don’t need to pay our professional fees. Therefore, you can obtain legal advice and commence a claim without the worry of trying to pay for it while you are recovering from your accident, injury or illness.
We offer a NO OBLIGATION INITIAL CONSULTATION to find out if you have a valid Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Claim.
Record as much detail as possible at the scene of the accident, if possible (for example, date and time of the accident, registration numbers and details of the vehicles, name and contact details of the driver who caused the accident and any witnesses, and photographs of the damage).
Report the accident to Police (we can help you do this, so you don’t need to go into the Station).
Obtain a CTP Medical Certificate from your doctor or hospital.
Be very careful and wary of people calling you to encourage you to lodge a claim or pretending to be from an insurer or telling you they will organise rehabilitation. It is likely to be a “claims farmer” which is unlawful in Queensland. Record the numbers and names of the people who call you as you may need to put these details on the claim form documentation.
Complete, sign and lodge the Notice of Accident Claim Form with the CTP insurer of the vehicle at fault (we can help you complete this form and identify the correct insurer).
Arrange treatment to help you recover. We can liaise with the insurer to fund this treatment for you. Keep all receipts and a record of any treatment or medication or paid assistance you receive post-accident.
Gather all other relevant documentation and evidence to prove your loss and the impact of the injury on you.
Once all the evidence has been gathered, negotiations commence with the insurer to settle your damages claim for a lump sum amount. This includes amounts for pain and suffering, treatment expenses (including future expenses), loss of income, future loss of earning capacity, future treatment and care costs.
If the matter does not settle, a court process begins.
Attend a mediation to attempt to resolve your claim. If it does not settle at mediation, it can progress towards a trial. Very few matters get to a trial. But if it does, a court will assess a claim based on the evidence, expert reports and legal submissions.