See the latest awards we have won on our Industry Awards page here

Search

Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers Sydney

If you’re a driver, cyclist, or pedestrian who’s been injured by another driver of a motor vehicle, you may be entitled to make a compensation claim. No matter how minor or serious you think your accident may be you can claim compensation for any personal injury sustained in the car accident.

Free Claim Check
5 star client rating icon

5-Star Client Rating

You’ll receive outstanding service. We maintain a 5-star client rating.

Free Case Assessments

Free Case Assessments

We provide confidential, free case assessments.

Industry Experts

Industry Experts

We’re industry experts with over 20 years of experience.

No Win No Fee

No Win No Fee

You won’t be required to pay any fees until we win your case.

5 star client rating icon

5-Star Client Rating

You’ll receive outstanding service. We maintain a 5-star client rating.

Free Case Assessments

Free Case Assessments

We provide confidential, free case assessments.

Industry Experts

Industry Experts

We’re industry experts with over 20 years of experience.

No Win No Fee

No Win No Fee

You won’t be required to pay any fees until we win your case.

We specialise in Motor Accident Compensation Claims

Why choose us for your motor accident claims?

With over 20 years of experience, our accredited motor vehicles accident lawyers understand what needs to be done in order to secure you a successful compensation claim.

At every stage of your claim Garling & Co’s lawyers will be up front and honest with you. Before taking legal action, our team will help you to determine whether you have a valid argument to make a motor vehicle accident compensation claim. We will also discuss the types of compensation you could receive, how much your claim is worth and the timeframe involved with a successful claim.

To contact our motor vehicle accident lawyers about your compensation claim, please call 02 8329 9500 or send us an email now. Alternatively, complete our free, no obligation confidential case assessment form and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

  • We have a 5-star client rating
  • No win no fee cost agreements
  • Confidential, free case assessments
  • We’re industry experts with over 20 years of experience
  • Named “Leading Motor Vehicle Accident and Compensation Lawyers Sydney” in Doyles Guide November 2015

We have a proven track record in winning our clients compensation

At Garling & Co, our priority is securing our clients the motor vehicles accident compensation they deserve. Over the last 20 years, we’ve helped hundreds of people across NSW win their motor vehicles accident compensation claims. Take a look at some examples of how our motor vehicle accident lawyers have helped people like you win huge compensation payments.

What can be claimed under the Motor Accidents Compensation Act?

The Motor Accidents Compensation Act NSW 1999 is here to protect you if you’ve suffered a motor vehicle related accident at no fault of your own. Our experienced team of lawyers will fight for your right to financial compensation and you may be able to recover:

  • Past and future loss of income
  • General damages for pain and suffering
  • Past and future medical and treatment expenses
  • The value or cost of past and future care or domestic assistance
  • Legal costs
Claims Case Studies

Would you like assistance with your claim?

Complete our free, no obligation confidential case assessment form and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

Alternatively, we are available to talk by phone and email. Please contact our experienced accredited specialist personal injury lawyers to find out how we can help.

No Win No Fee

You won’t be required to pay any fees until we win your case.

Industry Experts

We’re industry experts with over 20 years of experience.

Maximum Compensation

Our team of expert injury lawyers will help you get maximum compensation.

S R.
06:56 04 Mar 24
Thank you Garling and Co,For all your help and support, with myself and family going through a very tough process, physically and mentally. The compassion and comfort I've felt, with Garling and Co... representing me, has felt like family.I would highly recommend them, to anyone who is dealing with a Workers Comp issue. They have made a very tough road and process, a very reassuring and secure one, with great communication skills and negotiating to the highest level.Thank you to all the Garling and Co team, I'll be forever grateful, for all your assistance throughout this process.Kind regards, Scottread more
Kimberly B.
23:14 14 Feb 24
Mathew is very knowledgable and has been of great assistance to me. All the staff are friendly and helpful. I'm so happy I found this firm.Thank you Mathew and team for your great work in my case.... I am 100% happy with what you achieved for me.read more
Julie M.
10:16 16 Jan 24
My last stage of Workers compensation claim was managed by Emma Perkins, Natasha Stojanovic, Rebecca Dunshea and Kelli Robinson at Garling and Co. Lawyers who went the extra mile with their service... from the beginning to the end of 3 years of my case. I have become very anxious with almost everything after a workplace injury and a lot of times I probably ask more questions than I need to, but Emma Perkins always finds clear answers to my questions in a short time and explains to me patiently even using her mealtime or between her meeting and make me feel that I have been very well take care and supported. I am so grateful and extremely satisfied. The excellent service, attitude, and culture of Metthew Garling and his team are second to none with a very high success rate. If you going to battle with your workplace injury for a short or long period, you are better off with Garling and Co. lawyers who are able back you up every step of the way. I strongly recommend it to anybody who needs their service like me. Julieread more
patrick P.
01:46 19 Dec 23
I like to say that I had a very wonderful experience,And the support, and also understanding with all my requests,I could not ask for a better team!Thank you Emma and also her assistant Rebecca... thank youread more
Kazi H.
13:38 13 Dec 23
Work cover fund is GOVT’S money but insurer think that it is from their 14th generation. So only they can have it. Not only that, people from the work, IME doctor from insurer, back to work... coordinator from work, Rehab provider from any side push the worker as hard as possible that the worker (doesn’t matter how the workers mental or psychical condition) either go back to his pre injury duty or leave the job.More over on that very bumpy any difficult journey some of them only treat the worker as a MONEY MAKING MECHINE .in some point worker feels like, no rooms to breath. On that moment need someone to support legally, someone to care, someone to relive.On my case I believe that, somehow, I manage to make my God happy. That’s why God sends me to Matthew Gerling and his team Allison, Rebecca and Nathan, and all of GARLING & co Lawyers.I am not good enough in English, can’t express my gratitude.Matthew, Allison, Rebecca and Nathan, please accept my appreciation and pass it to others.read more
Carol L.
01:32 29 Nov 23
Professional, understanding and friendly
Sean G.
23:21 14 Nov 23
Matthew Garling and everyone I spoke to at Garling and Co were kind, caring and compassionate. They were sensitive to my psychological condition and were patient in explaining everything to me, so... that I clearly understood the legal process. I am exceptionally grateful for the settlement outcome that Garling and Co obtained for me. Many thanks.read more
waqas A.
08:33 13 Nov 23
Great Experience with Garling & Co. Matthew explained everything in detail during the first appointment. Allison, Nathan, Rebecca and the staff have been extremely helpful. Thank You to the team and... lawyers at Garling & Co. for making the long process easy for me and getting an excellent outcome for my compensation claim.I would highly recommend Garling & Co. Lawyersread more
Saskia L.
21:42 08 Nov 23
The world of workers compensation is long, hard and confusing, but Emma and Rebecca at Garling & Co always treated my case with kindness, respect and understanding. No question was ever silly and... they always had time to make sure I knew what would happen next and how we could best prepare. I am so thankful for their expertise and could not have chosen anyone better to represent me.read more
Antonio P.
08:46 06 Nov 23
Thank you Matthew and his team for taking care of my case couldn’t ask for a better results and couldn’t have better team to do that thank you

Find out more about Motor Accidents

Frequently Asked Questions

1/ What if I don’t know the registration number of the car which caused the accident?

If you are unable to identify the registration number of the vehicle which caused the accident or if the vehicle was not registered, you can claim against the Nominal Defendant.

You still need to make an Application for Personal Injury Benefit through the SORA website.

You must have tried everything possible to find out the registration number of the vehicle, including speaking the police, talking to witnesses, or by putting an advertisement in the newspaper or flyers in local letterboxes. You must do what you can to find out if anyone can identify and provide you with the registration number of the vehicle.

If you have been unable to identify the vehicle which caused the accident, then you can lodge a claim form with the Nominal Defendant.

2/ How do I claim compensation?

To make a claim, you must complete an Application for Personal Injury Benefits through the SIRA Website HERE.

You will need the registration number of the vehicle you consider most at fault.

If you don’t know the registration number (license plate), you might be able to get it from the police. Look at your police report, or contact the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.

You need to take all reasonable steps to find the registration number, but if you can’t, you can still make a claim. Call CTP Assist on 1300 656 919 for assistance.

If you believe you were at fault, you can still make a claim. You will provide the registration number of the vehicle you were driving.

3/ Are there time limits in a Motor Vehicle claim?

Yes, the new Motor Accident Legislation for injuries received on or after 1 December 2017 now provides very strict time limits in which to make a claim.

These include the following: –

The motor vehicle accident must be reported to the police within 28 days of the accident.

  • An Application for Personal Injury Benefits should be completed within 28 days of the accident but can be completed up to three months after the accident.
  • If the insurer makes a decision that affects your ongoing entitlements to statutory benefits, this decision must be internally reviewed within 28 days.
  • If you disagree with the insurer’s internal review, you can apply for a Merit Review to SIRA, which must be done within 28 days of receiving the internal review.
  • A claim to determine the level of whole person impairment (WPI) should be made within two years from the date of the motor vehicle accident. If your WPI has not been assessed or is less than 10%, then weekly benefits cease two years after the motor vehicle accident.
  • A claim for common law damages should be made within two years from the date of the motor vehicle accident. This will allow you to continue to receive weekly payments for up to three years (if your whole person impairment is 10% or less) or for up to a maximum of 5 years (if your whole person impairment is 11% or more).
  • A claim to determine your common law damages must be made in DRS within three years from the date of the motor vehicle accident.

These time limits are very strict with limited rights of appeal. The time limits must be strictly complied with otherwise, there may be difficulty making a claim at a later time.

4/ What is the Lifetime Care & Support Scheme?

The Lifetime Care & Support Authority of NSW is responsible for administering the Lifetime Care & Support Scheme (“the Scheme”)

The scheme provides lifelong treatment, rehabilitation, and care for people who had sustained catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord injury, moderate to severe brain injury, multiple amputations, serious burns or blindness as a result of a motor vehicle accident.

The Lifetime Care & Support Scheme is also responsible for payment of all medical and care needs for all injured people in car accidents after 1 December 2017 where an insurer has accepted that;

  1. The injured person was not wholly or mostly at fault and;
  2. The injured person does not have a minor injury and
  3. Its five years after the motor vehicle accident

The Lifetime Care & Support Scheme takes over from the insurer after 5 years and is responsible for payment of all ongoing medical and care needs.

5/ Should I use a lawyer to represent me?

Yes.

If you believe the accident was not your fault and you have more than a minor injury, you should always get a lawyer to represent you for a claim under the Motor Accident Injuries Act.

If you deal directly with the insurer yourself, you are likely to get significantly less compensation than if you appoint a lawyer to represent you.

The statistics are telling; in 2010 the average settlement amount for persons injured in a car accident who were not legally represented was about $11,000 in the same period the average settlement amount of those who were legally represented was about $90,000 on average.

If you appoint a lawyer, between 50-70% of the legal costs are also payable by the CTP Insurer.

It makes clear financial sense always to appoint a lawyer to represent you as the insurer pays most of the legal costs, and you will receive a much more significant amount of compensation if you appoint a lawyer.

You should also only use a lawyer who is a Specialist in Personal Injury law as accredited by the Law Society of NSW.

6/ How are legal costs paid in motor vehicle claims?

Most lawyers will act on your behalf based on a No Win No Fee Costs Agreement, also called a Conditional Costs agreement.

This means that the lawyer will only be paid legal costs if you are successful in obtaining compensation. If you are not successful, the lawyer will not charge you any legal fees. They may still charge disbursements for the cost of medical reports.

If you are successful in your claim, then part of the legal costs are payable by the CTP insurer in accordance with the Motor Accidents Injuries Regulation NSW 2017.

The CTP insurer pays legal costs based on how far the claim progresses and how much compensation is agreed or awarded to you. This amount is usually 50 -70% of the total legal cost’s payable by you to your lawyer.

Your lawyer is not allowed by the Legal Profession Act to charge an amount or percentage based on what you receive in compensation; this is called Contingency fees and is banned in NSW.

The legal costs and disbursements are payable to your lawyer at the conclusion of your claim.

The amount of legal costs and disbursements payable will be determined by the Conditional Costs Agreement you have signed with your lawyer and is payable from the compensation you receive. You should always make sure you clearly understand how your lawyer will charge legal costs before you sign the agreement.

7/ What do I do if I am injured in a car accident in NSW?

To claim compensation, you must have sustained an injury due to the use or operation of a motor vehicle in NSW.

Any kind of road user can claim the Act, including; the driver, the passenger, pedestrian, cyclist, or motorcyclist.

The system is no longer fault-based; anyone injured by a motor vehicle can claim statutory benefits no matter who caused the accident.

To make a claim, you need to do the following –

 

  1. Seek immediate medical assistance from your local general practitioner or, if necessary, the emergency department of the nearest hospital.
  2. Report the accident to the police within 28 days and obtain an event number.
  3. If you can, get the following information: –
    a. The name, address, licence details, and phone number of any driver of the vehicle involved in the accident.
    b. The make, model, and number plate of any cars involved in the accident.
    c. Contact details of any witnesses.
    d. If possible, take photographs of the accident scene, including the location and damage to any vehicles.

You then need to make an Application for Personal Injury Benefits through the SIRA website HERE.

If the injury is a result of a motor accident that is also work-related, you will also need to make a worker’s compensation claim against your employer’s worker’s compensation insurer.

You cannot claim if you are charged with a “serious driving offence” in connection with the accident or were the at-fault driver of an uninsured vehicle.

More Faqs
Google Rating
4.9