Have you ever been involved in an accident or do you know of someone that has? A few scratches and dents on the bumper may be common but unlike those that result in all but a bruised ego, some motor vehicle accidents can have devastating effects that can be quite traumatic for all parties involved. Not only can these incidents result in physical and emotional harm, they can also cause huge financial distress. It doesn’t have to be all bad, however, because generally speaking, compensation may be available. It does depend on the state or territory of where the accident took place, but you’d be surprised as to how many people would have no clue about what may be required to make a successful claim, let alone if they can claim to begin with.
So, what can you claim?
There are plenty of variables to consider when claiming compensation in a motor vehicle accident, like the overall value of the claim, the severity of your injuries, whether the responsible party has insurance etc. However, some of the things you can claim for include:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of earnings due to injury and psychological trauma
- Psychological trauma itself
- Even loss of support in the case where your partner is the one involved in the accident and they’re the sole financial provider
- And many more
Who can make a claim?
Each state and territory differs to some degree in their CTP (Certified Third Party) and compensation claims, so among other things, it does depend on where the accident took place. In our state of NSW, however, the government brought changes to their legislation on December 1st 2017 that meant regardless of who was at fault, you were able to make a compensation claim in relation to both physical and psychological injuries; whilst in some other states, their scheme allows only for claims to be made by those who are not at fault.
How can you claim?
The new laws in NSW can be very complex and exceedingly difficult to understand for someone with no experience dealing with an insurer. To protect your legal rights to compensation, you need to inform the police of your injuries, obtain an event number, and lodge a claim form with the motor accident’s CTP insurer within three months.
But in any case, there are quite a few potential complexities when submitting a claim so in order to maximise your chances of success, it’s best to seek the help of a qualified professional who is well-versed in the area as soon as you can. Particularly when considering you only have one chance to be compensated for injuries, getting the best result on your first and last attempt is imperative.
Taylor and Scott law firm has been providing expert legal counsel and representation to motor vehicle claimants since 1905, so no claim is out of our depth and you can rest assured you’ll be in the best possible hands!
