Tell us what happened, and we will provide you with the various options so you know where you stand.
Car Accident Lawyers Sunshine Coast
Who can make a car accident claim?
If you are injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim for compensation through Queensland’s compulsory third party insurer.
If you have been injured in a Queensland car accident or other road accident, you may be entitled to claim damages by submitting a personal injury claim. This includes injuries sustained as a bicycle or motorcycle rider, passengers on public transport or pedestrians involved in motor vehicle accidents. If you were dependant on someone who is fatally injured in a motor vehicle or pedestrian accident, you may be eligible to claim compensation from our sunshine coast office.
Types of Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can lead to many different physical and/or psychological injuries including:
- Whiplash
- Neck Injury
- Brain Injury
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Fractures
- Nervous shock/psychological injuries
- Scarring and more.
Sunshine Coast Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers
Meet our team
How do I go about the process?
Our car accident claims process
Starting a car accident claim with Turner Freeman you’re guaranteed to receive compassion and professionalism from our lawyers. We try to take the legal stress out of your hands through 7 easy steps.
- Obtain details, report the crash and seek medical attentionYou must take all reasonable steps to obtain the registration number and contact details of the at fault driver. To be able to pursue car accident compensation where you are injured in a car accident you must report the crash to Police. If the Police do not attend the scene, then a Report of Traffic Incident must be provided to the police station nearest to the crash scene. As soon as you become aware of your personal injury you should seek medical attention. You must have your doctor complete a CTP medical certificate and ensure that all injuries sustained are listed.
- Contact UsContact Turner Freeman Lawyers on 13 43 63 or fill in our online form when you have sought medical treatment for further advice. Our car accident lawyers will then gather all necessary medical evidence to substantiate your compensation claim.
- Lodge a Notice of Accident Claim form with the CTP insurerOne of our car accident lawyers will prepare the Notice of Accident claim in the approved form and lodge it with the compulsory third party (CTP) insurance company of the at fault vehicle.
- Participate in rehabilitationOnce the notice of accident claim form is deemed compliant by the insurer, they will assist with your reasonable and necessary rehabilitation and medical treatment. You will need to continue to consult your doctor to ensure up to date treatment plans are prepared and provided to the insurer.
- Assess injuries sustained and offer to settleIt can take up to 12 months for injuries to stabilise, at which point we will arrange to have you assessed by specialist medical practitioners to report on your personal injuries. We will use the injuries sustained and other evidence to advise you on the amount of compensation you may receive and make an offer to the insurer to settle your car accident claim.
- You Attend a Compulsory Settlement ConferenceWe will advise you on the value of your compensation claim and we will organise a time to negotiate your settlement.
- If the Matter Settles, You Receive Your CompensationA majority of car accident claims are settled before a court trial. We will keep you informed and updated at every stage so you always know where your claim is up to. If the insurer is not prepared to offer a reasonable settlement, we will issue court proceedings for you to claim compensation for your injuries.
What can I claim for?
What and how much compensation you can claim depends on the extent of your injuries and your personal circumstances. You may be eligible to claim:
- Loss of earnings
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Care and help provided by friends, family or any other individual
Damage to your own car including the contents within it can usually be claimed through your own car insurance provider. It is possible that the insurer will agree to pay for some or all of the costs for your ongoing treatment as well, so that you are not out of pocket while waiting for the insurance claim amount to be finalised.
WANT TO KNOW MORE
Frequently asked questions
I have been in a car accident. Can I claim?
Can I claim compensation if I was injured in a car accident in Sunshine Coast?
Most likely. There are only a few circumstances that would stop you from claiming. Here are some frequently asked questions relating to claiming compensation for car accidents that you may wish to explore with your car accident lawyer:
Passenger injured – driver at fault
If you are a passenger in a car or vehicle and you suffered injuries as a result of the driver causing the accident; yes you have a claim.
Passenger injured – driver of other vehicle at fault
If you are a passenger in a car or vehicle and you suffered injuries as a result of the driver of the other vehicle causing the accident; yes you have a claim.
Driver injured – driver of other vehicle at fault
If you are the driver of a vehicle and you suffered injuries as a result of the driver of the other vehicle who caused the accident, yes you have a claim.
Passenger or Driver injured – driver of other vehicle drunk
If you are a passenger or the driver of a vehicle and you suffered injuries caused by the driver of other vehicle who is charged with drink driving; yes you have a claim.
Passenger injured – driver of your vehicle drunk
If you are a passenger and you suffered injuries as a result of the driver of your vehicle, who was drunk or over the limit; yes you have a claim.
Accident caused by driver of vehicle which is unregistered
If you suffer injuries due to a car accident caused by the driver of vehicle and if the registration of that vehicle has expired; yes you have a claim
Please note – very short time limits apply for making this claim and you should seek legal advice urgently. You only have three (3) months from the date of accident or injury to lodge the claim form or one (1) month from your first meeting with a lawyer about the claim, whichever is earlier.
Hit and Run accident
If you are run down or hit by another vehicle and the driver leaves the accident scene and you don’t know the registration number of the vehicle; yes you have a claim.
Please note – very short time limits apply for making this claim and you should seek advice as soon as possible to protect your rights as you only have three (3) months from the date of accident or injury to lodge the claim form or one (1) month from your first meeting with a lawyer about the claim (whichever is earlier).
I’m a pedestrian and I was hit by a car on a road
If you are walking along a road or crossing a road and you are hit by a car; yes you have a claim.
I’m a bicycle or push bike rider and I was hit by a car or truck on a road?
Yes, you have a claim.
I have also suffered injury from whiplash and the accident was not my fault. Is a whiplash injury serious enough to make a claim or see a personal injury lawyer about?
Yes, especially if the symptoms are persisting and ongoing.
I caused the car accident injury, and I’ve been injured– Do I have any insurance cover?
Possibly. Even if you caused the accident and if you have suffered serious injuries, you may be able to claim for income protection, partial permanent disablement (PPD), total and permanent disablement (TPD) from your superannuation fund or funds if you have multiple policies. Talk to your compensation lawyers about the options that are available to you.
If you also have trauma insurance you will be able to claim on this as well.
Some people also have an “At Fault” insurance policy with their insurer and if you have this type of cover, you may be entitled to recover compensation including substantial compensation. It is always worthwhile to check and see if you have this type of cover with your insurer and we can assist if necessary.
How long does it take to receive compensation after personal injury claims?
If you suffered a physical or psychological injury during a car crash, they need to settle before an accurate assessment of the future effects can be made. Depending on the complexity of the injury, you can expect most cases to be resolved
Are there any time limits for making a claim?
Generally speaking, you have 9 months from the date of the motor vehicle accident to have the claim form lodged with the insurer or 1 month from your first meeting with a lawyer (whichever is the earlier) about the motor accident claims’ process. If you think you have a claim, it is important that you seek legal advice as soon as possible as strict time limits apply. Delaying your claims process could mean that you miss out on compensation or damages that you are entitled to receive.
What if I suffered very minor injuries?
If you have a very minor injuries which will largely or completely recover or heal and if your claim has been accepted by the insurer, we advise all our clients and potential clients to seek appropriate legal advice and at the earliest possible time to remove any doubt or worry about your rights or where you stand.
If I go ahead with my claim, how much will it cost?
Generally speaking, most compensation claims for motor vehicle accidents are able to be resolved within 6 to 18 months from the date of the road accident. If the case goes to trial (which is highly unlikely in our experience) this can add a further 6 to 12 months to the time estimate. Approximately 98% to 99% of our car accident compensation claim are resolved or settled prior to going to court or well before going to court.
I have medical expenses and rehabilitation needs right now. What can I do?
Once your Notice of Accident claim form has been submitted to the insurer of the vehicle at fault, we can arrange for your reasonable medical and/or rehabilitation needs to be paid by the insurer.
Will my case go to court?
In our experience as motor vehicle accident lawyer over the past 70 years, very few cases end up in court. About 1% to 2% of all of our cases proceed to trial or end up in a court room. Very few motor vehicle accident claims require court supervision and the vast majority of these claims are capable of early resolution and this is what we aim to achieve.
Do you offer 'No Win - No Fee' for motor vehicle accident compensation claims?
We are happy to assist you and investigate your potential claim on a speculative or No Win – No Fee basis. Your initial consultation with us is free and obligation free. If we advise you that you have a strong claim, we will offer our legal services to you on a No Win No Fee basis which simply means that we will only ever be paid for the work we have done, if and only if your claim is successful and only at the end of the claim.
In our experience 98% to 99% of the claims we pursue for our clients are able to be settled or resolved without having to go to court or proceed to trial.
No Win No Fee Car Accident Lawyers Sunshine Coast
Our experienced sunshine coast lawyers are dedicated in getting the full compensation you deserve from your injury or accident. Our Sunshine Coast lawyers operate on a no win no fee basis, which means you are only liable to pay for legal costs if you win and recover compensation. With our NO WIN NO FEE guarantee and with our free initial consultation, you have nothing to lose to know where you stand.
Motor Vehicle Claims