I was a driver in a car accident

Being the driver in a car accident can be a frightening experience. Given the large, powerful and fast nature of cars, the sad reality is that being involved in a car accident often results in injuries ranging in severity, both physical and psychological.

As the driver in a car accident, it is not uncommon to replay the scene and wonder what could have been done differently. Many emotions may come up for you as the driver in a car accident, from anger and frustration to worry and fear. Emotions can be complicated further if you had passengers in your vehicle who were also injured, often leaving the driver feeling a sense of responsibility for the passengers. 

Do I have a valid claim if I was the driver in a car accident?

Personal injury claim, CTP, Compulsory Third Party, compensation, compo, damages, reimbursement, and claim are all expressions you may have heard which can mean the same thing. Assessing if you have a valid claim as an injured driver in a car accident will depend on where and how you were injured.

There are laws set out in legislation as well as case law from the Courts which establish who can claim compensation, how to go about making a claim, and how claims will be assessed (put into a dollar value sum). If you have sustained an injury as the driver in a car accident in Queensland and you are within the legal time frames, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation and have a valid claim. 

In assessing if you have a valid claim, lawyers will examine:

1. Location – to have a valid injury claim in Queensland the accident has to have occurred in Queensland.   
2. Time limits – lawyers will establish when the accident occurred and if you are within those important time frames to make a claim. In some cases, if you are outside those important time frames, there may be special circumstances in which the deadline can be extended. 
3. Fault – the identity of the person who caused the accident, that is the negligent party. The party at fault may have been careless, failed to stop, drove without due care and attention, the at fault party may even be unidentified, in the case of a hit and run.  
4. Injury – a claim is to compensate you for any injuries you have suffered and any losses incurred as a result of the injuries sustained. Your lawyer will gather evidence about the injury, the likelihood of recovery or ongoing issues as well as the impact of the injury on your ability to work and care for yourself.

A lawyer can examine the matters listed above and make an assessment as to whether they believe you have a valid claim for being injured as a driver in a car accident. 

What if I am the at fault driver in a car accident?

To be successful in a claim for compensation as the driver in a car accident, you will need to establish that another person was responsible or partly responsible for the accident. Fault is a legal concept which an injury lawyer is highly specialised in. This is something lawyers keep up to date on as laws develop. Regardless of who you believe is at fault, it is highly recommended that you contact a lawyer to discuss the specific circumstances of the accident so they can properly advise you if they believe you have a valid claim. 

What steps should I take if I was the driver in a car accident?

There are some basic general steps that should be taken if you are the driver in a car accident:

1. The first priority is seeking medical attention. If you have sustained an injury it is important that you seek medical attention and get the appropriate advice and treatment. It is important that Preview (opens in a new tab)you report all symptoms to the Doctor so that they can properly treat you. 
2. Record The Details make a note of the date, time, place of the accident. Record any details of other people involved in the accident, their registration number, name, address, phone number will all be required. If there are witnesses, also take a note of their contact details. If you can take photos of the accident scene, and any damage, that will also be helpful.
3. Report the accident to the Queensland Police Service. Where an injury is suffered, it is a requirement that the accident be reported to Queensland Police who will make a report and issue you with a Traffic Incident Number (TIN). You must report the car accident either:

• online
• phoning Policelink 131444
• at your local police station.

Your lawyer will ask you for the TIN and details of where and when you reported the accident. If you have contacted a lawyer before reporting the accident to the police, the lawyer will likely assist you in making the report. 

4. Lodge a Notice of Accident Claim Form with the insurer on the earlier of 1 month from consulting a lawyer or 9 months from the date of accident. A lawyer can help you prepare and lodge this claim form within the right insurer within the necessary time frames. 

There are special rules where an unregistered vehicle or an unidentified vehicle is involved. In this case there is no CTP Insurer and much stricter and shorter time limits apply. There is a limit of 3 months to lodge the Notice of Accident Claim Form with the Nominal Defendant. The Nominal Defendant is a Government body who acts as the insurer in these matters. If you do not lodge the claim form in the 3 month period, it is possible to lodge it within 9 months along with a reasonable excuse for delay. After the 9-month period, if the Notice of Accident Claim Form is not lodged with the Nominal Defendant, the right to claim is lost, in legal terms this is called statute barred. 

Lawyers who specialise in personal injury law are familiar with these laws relating to car accidents and can take care of the necessary steps, claim forms, time frames, and gathering evidence, which allows you to then focus on your recovery and rehabilitation. We recommend speaking with a lawyer to fully understand your rights and obligations specific to your circumstances. 

How much is my claim worth if I was the driver in a car accident?

When someone is injured as the driver in a car accident it can create such a time of uncertainty in many aspects of life. Questions like, will you recover, what treatment will you need, can you return to work, how long will you be without income or receiving reduced income can all be overwhelming. It is therefore natural to want to know how much money you will be awarded for your claim. 

Unfortunately, there is no way to give you a certain answer on how much compensation you will be awarded for your injury. How much a claim will settle for will depend on the unique circumstances of each case.  

Once a settlement is reached in a car accident claim it is called a once and for all settlement. This means it is final and you can not come back seeking further compensation relating to that matter at a later time. Therefore, it is important that all losses and, as best as you can predict, future losses be taken into account when you reach a settlement. In assessing past and future losses it is important that your injury is stable, that means it has reached the maximum medical improvement, a simpler term for this is that the injury has stabilised, it isn’t getting better and isn’t getting worse. If you are seeking legal advice before your injury has stabilised and been medically assessed, lawyers have no way of knowing the long term impact of the injury and will not be in a position to give you that specific advice about the dollar value of the claim. 

During a claim, lawyers will gather evidence about the impact of the injury and the associated financial losses and future losses and any expenses likely to be incurred. Each case is unique and must be assessed looking at that set of circumstances. Once they have this evidence, they will then be in a position to give you very specific advice about how much you would likely be awarded in compensation by a court. 

A common question people have when contemplating making a claim for compensation is whether it is financially worth pursuing. There are two aspects to this, assuming you have a right to make a claim:

• Will you be awarded a sum of money large enough to justify your efforts (in time and emotionally) and;
• Will there be anything left for you after the lawyers and any Government refunds are paid?

It is common for lawyers to offer an obligation-free assessment to look at exactly this issue. While all the medical evidence might not be available at this time and the lawyers can’t give you specific advice, they can make an assessment based on their experience as to whether it is worth pursuing. The lawyers will take your instructions and gather information about the circumstances of the car accident, including: your injury, cost of treatment, medical prognosis, and the impact of the injury on your ability to work. This information will help the lawyer assess the merits of your case and whether it is one worth pursuing. The lawyers will want to be reasonably confident that your case is worth pursuing before they offer you a no win no fee agreement/ arrangement. It is then up to you whether you proceed or not or whether you seek a second opinion from another lawyer.

Are there time limits to make a claim as the driver in a car accident?

The date you are injured is a very important piece of information your lawyer will want to establish as soon as possible so that they can advise you of any important time limits that will apply to your claim. Time limits create a deadline in which notices have to be given to insurers and court documents are to be filed with the Court. These timeframes are very important and missing them can result in you losing your right to make a claim. It is recommended that you call a lawyer as soon as possible and get advice on what time limits will apply to your specific circumstances. Making a note and reminders of these dates is wise as the impact of missing the time limits could mean losing your entitlement to claim. 

A Notice of Accident Claim Form must be lodged with the insurer on the earlier of 1 month from consulting a lawyer or 9 months from the date of accident. A lawyer can help you prepare and lodge this claim form within the right insurer and within necessary time frames. 

There are special rules where an unregistered vehicle or an unidentified vehicle is involved. In this case there is no CTP Insurer and much stricter and shorter time limits apply. There is a limit of 3 months to lodge the Notice of Accident Claim Form with the Nominal Defendant. The Nominal Defendant is a Government body who acts as the insurer in these matters. If you do not lodge the claim form in the 3 month period, it is possible to lodge it within 9 months along with a reasonable excuse for delay. After the 9 month period, if the Notice of Accident Claim Form is not lodged with the Nominal Defendant, the right to claim is lost, in legal terms this is called statute barred. 

In addition to the requirement to give a Notice of Accident Claim Form within the prescribed period, the courts in Queensland have a three year limit for you to file documents to protect your claim. If more than three years has lapsed since the accident, and you have not filed court documents it is likely you have lost your entitlement to claim. However, you should still seek legal advice to establish if there are grounds upon which an extension of time may be granted, although it is in very limited circumstances that the court will exercise their discretion to allow the claim to proceed. 

We recommend contacting a lawyer and discussing the specific circumstances of your car accident so that you are properly advised and protected and do not lose any rights by missing any important time limits.