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

Search

Civil Liability Claims

Garling and Co can help you with your civil liability claim. We’ve put together a fact sheet below that addresses some of our frequently asked questions but if you have any other concerns about civil liability, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our expert team today.

Free Claim Check
5 star client rating icon

5-Star Client

Rating

Free Case Assessments

Free Case
Assessments

Industry Experts

Industry Experts: 20+ years of experience

No Win No Fee

No Win No Fee Guaranteed

5 star client rating icon

5-Star Client

Rating

Free Case Assessments

Free Case
Assessments

Industry Experts

Industry Experts: 20+ years of experience

No Win No Fee

No Win No Fee Guaranteed

The law is different depending on the circumstances in which you sustain an injury.

Can I sue the person responsible for my injuries?

If you sustain an injury at work, you can sue your employer however this is modified by the Workers Compensation Act (NSW) 1987.

If you are injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident, then this is modified by the Motor Accidents Compensation Act (NSW) 1999.

Other circumstances where you may wish to sue for injuries might be as a result of:

  • An assault by another person;
  • Negligence of a doctor;
  • A slip and fall when you are on someone else’s premises;
  • An injury sustained whilst on public land or;
  • Injury at work where it was caused by someone other than you employer.

These claims are now in a large part modified by the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW).

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

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is negligence under the Civil Liability Act in NSW?

The law of negligence in NSW is now modified by the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW).

An essential element of negligence is the existence of a duty of care. The courts over the years have accepted categories of duty of care or that a special relationship exists between parties that a person must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which are likely to injury another in such a relationship.

Examples would be an employee and an employer, an occupier and an entrant upon premises, a doctor and patient, a school and its students. These are the most common categories.

In most cases, there is little issue that a duty of care exists as most injuries would fall under an accepted category where a duty exists.

The Act sets out three conditions that must exist before negligence can arise.

A person is not negligent in failing to take precautions against a risk of injury unless:

  • It was a risk of which the person knew or ought to have known.
  • The risk was not insignificant.
  • A reasonable person in the circumstances would have taken those precautions.

When considering these matters the court must take into account the following:

  • The probability of the harm occurring if care were not taken.
  • The likely seriousness of the harm.
  • The burden of taking precautions to avoid the risk of harm
  • The social utility of the activity that creates the risk of harm.

Each case is determined on its own facts and circumstances applying the principles as outlined above.

The law of negligence is complex and you will need the assistance of a lawyer who is an expert in personal injury law to advise you whether you have a claim for compensation under the Civil Liability Act.

2. How is compensation paid under a negligence claim?

To receive compensation, you must notify the person you believe has been negligent and is responsible for the injury you have sustained and that you wish to make a claim for compensation.

In the majority of claims the injury will be covered by insurance and you will receive a response from an insurance company to your claim.

You can then negotiate, with the assistance of a lawyer, a resolution of your claim directly with the insurance company or if you are unable to reach an agreement you must commence a claim for compensation in an appropriate court of NSW.

Compensation under a claim for negligence is called Damages.

Damages is broadly defined to include any form of monetary compensation.

Damages usually includes monetary compensation in the form of:

  • Non-economic loss which means a lump sum amount for pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment and expectation of life.
  • Economic loss which is compensation awarded for loss of income such as wages and payment of medical expenses.

Damages are payable at the conclusion of a negligence claim as a lump sum amount for both economic and non-economic loss sustained as a result of the injury.

3. What type of compensation is payable in a negligence claim?

There are 2 broad types of compensation payable:

  • Non-economic loss.
  • Economic loss.

Non-economic loss

Non-economic loss includes compensation for pain and suffering, discomfort, inconvenience, loss of pleasure derived from work, hobbies and sport, marriage and child bearing, loss of independent, curtailment of life, loss of expectation of life and disfigurement.

You are entitled to receive a lump sum amount of compensation for non-economic loss as determined by a table under the Civil Liability Act in NSW, Your injuries are compared to that of a most extreme case and you are awarded an amount of money based on what percentage of a most extreme case your injury is compared to a most extreme case. The maximum amount payable under the Civil Liability Act is $551,100.00 for 100% of a most extreme case.

Economic loss

Economic loss covers the loss of the following:

  • Past and future loss of income.
  • Past and future payment of medical expenses.
  • Past and future loss for the capacity to care for oneself and dependants.
  • Loss of superannuation entitlements.

Payment of compensation or damages is made as a once off lump sum amount at the conclusion of a civil liability claim. The nature and extent of your injuries and how they affect you on a day to day basis will determine the amount of compensation you are entitled to receive.

4. How are negligence claims finalised?

Negligence claims are finalised by one of two ways:

  • Agreement with the negligent party (or its insurer) or;
  • An order of a NSW court.

It is normal to give notice of a claim for negligence to the party you consider has been negligent and to negotiate with them (or usually the insurer) a resolution of the claim prior to the commencement of court proceedings. Often claims can be resolved by agreement with an insurance company prior to commencing any court proceedings.

If, however you are unable to resolve a claim by way of agreement then you must file a claim in a NSW court which has jurisdiction to deal with your matter.

Filing a Statement of Claim in the Court commences a formal claim and will after about 10 months (if you have still not been able to reach an agreement) determined by a Judge. The Judge will hear all the evidence and determine if the defendant was negligent, and if so, how much compensation you are entitled to receive.

5. Are there time limits to make a negligence claim?

Yes. There are various time limits depending on the type of negligence claim and how you are injured. Time limits vary considerably depending on the type of matter such as motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, medical negligence claims and public liability claims.

As a broad rule, you should commence a claim within three years from the date of the accident. However, the law is not so straight forward. The three-year period begins and ends at different times for different types of accidents.

For some types of claims there are also preliminary steps that must be taken before you can claim.

For example, to make a claim for a motor accident you must notify the police within 28 days of your accident and then you must lodge a claim form within six months.

For a work accident, you need to notify your employer immediately and lodge a claim within 28 days.

For some other types of negligence claims, you have three years from the date of “discoverability”. That is, the date which you knew or ought to have known that you had a right to make a claim.

For negligence claims, there is also a 12 year long stop limit which means that after 12 years, you can no longer claim.

The law in relation to time limits is as you can see, complex. If you do miss a time limit you can sometimes get an extension of time to commence proceedings from the court. Again, the rule is different depending on the different type of accident you may have.

The best thing to do is to be aware that time limits do exist and to contact a Lawyer who specialises in personal injury as soon as possible if you think you may have a claim.

If you need assistance or would like further information on the Civil Liability Act in NSW, please do not hesitate to contact us as follows;

  1. Complete our FREE case assessment form HERE
  2. Email us at info@garlingandco.com.au
  3. Give us a call on (02) 8518 1120
More Faqs
Google Rating
4.9