Civil Liability Claims Sydney

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Industry Experts: 20+ years of experience

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5-Star Client
 Rating

Free Case
Assessments

Industry Experts: 20+ years of experience

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).

What others say

Lisa L.

05:18 13 Jul 24

Outstanding service and commitment to my case was delivered from the first point of contact right until the end of my successful case.Highest recommendations to the team at Garling and Co. Matthew... got me an excellent result and was available and informative throughout the entire foreign process of legal proceedings. He was wonderful and so was his team.If i could rate higher than 5 stars i would!read more

J B

07:12 02 Jul 24

Matthew Garling and all of the team were extremely professional and supportive throughout what was a very long and arduous CTP battle. I am happy with the result and feel that their fees were fair... and well deserved.read more

Nelson B.

02:11 30 Jun 24

Professional, prompt & honest service

Brad M.

02:19 28 Jun 24

I worked with Garling & Co for 3+ years, the team has been incredible and I could not have been happier with Kerry's support and the results produced!I highly recommend choosing them as your... representatives!!read more

Ray H.

07:33 13 Jun 24

Matthew Garling and Team are kind, patient, polite, professional, empathetic and efficient. I was treated terribly by the at fault insurer. Garling and Co. had my back. Matthew gently and patiently... kept me up to speed on all the steps to go through. From my personal experience I recommend these guys. They are safe hands. Thank you team.read more

Jo L.

05:58 07 May 24

So very impressed with the professional team who looked after me throughout the last 4 and 1/2 years. A special mention to Kerry and Nathan who navigated each request to fight for my right to gain... access to further treatments and physio and to ensure medical treatment would be covered moving forward. I was so grateful I could hand it all over to you and not have to go through this very challenging time without your support.I thank you for the compassion you have provided to me, from the first contact with Matthew and Natasha, to finalisation with Kerry and Nathan.I highly recommend the team at Garling and Co for any third party compensation claims. You are in good hands with them all.read more

Linda O.

21:53 06 May 24

Emma, Rebecca and the team at Garling and Co have worked diligently throughout my workers compensation claim. The level of professionalism, support and communication has been faultless. Of particular... note has been the sensitivity displayed to me throughout the lengthy process. Worker’s compensation claims are complex and not easy to navigate, particularly when you are unwell. I do not hesitate to recommend Garling and Co to help you find a way through this otherwise unfathomable system.read more

Keith H.

20:51 23 Apr 24

After my case stalled with another firm, I decided to give Matthew Garling a call. He took my case and not only won, but achieved an outcome that far exceeded my expectations. This firm is the best... in the business in my opinion and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone.read more

Anthony T.

00:50 16 Apr 24

Thank you Matthew and his team who guided me through the legal process, a truly positive experience with total professionalism.

Mikaele N.

03:01 15 Apr 24

Garling &Co Lawyers were awesome, I called every compensation law firm and was told that I couldn't claim for compensation.The whole experience and process was simple and stress free.Mr Matthew... Garling and Allison deserve an accolades for the very best in client service. I would highly recommend their service to anyone.read more

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.

Call now to start your claim 02 8329 9500

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.

Lisa L.

05:18 13 Jul 24

J B

07:12 02 Jul 24

Nelson B.

02:11 30 Jun 24

Professional, prompt & honest service

Brad M.

02:19 28 Jun 24

Ray H.

07:33 13 Jun 24

Jo L.

05:58 07 May 24

Linda O.

21:53 06 May 24

Keith H.

20:51 23 Apr 24

Anthony T.

00:50 16 Apr 24

Thank you Matthew and his team who guided me through the legal process, a truly positive experience with total professionalism.

Mikaele N.

03:01 15 Apr 24

Find out more about Public Liability

Slips, Trips and Falls Claims

If you've suffered an injury following a slip, trip, or fall you may be able to claim. Our expert lawyers have helped thousands of people to get the compensation they deserve.

Learn More

Dog Bite Compensation

A dog attack claim can be made against the owner personally for compensation.

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Assault & Sexual Assault

Assault is the act of creating apprehension of such contact.

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Occupiers Liability

If you are injured whilst on someone else’s property, this is sometimes known as an occupier’s liability claim

Learn More

Duty of Care

The legal obligation to take reasonable care not to injure or harm another person.

Learn More

Slips, Trips and Falls Claims

If you've suffered an injury following a slip, trip, or fall you may be able to claim. Our expert lawyers have helped thousands of people to get the compensation they deserve.

Learn More

Dog Bite Compensation

A dog attack claim can be made against the owner personally for compensation.

Learn More

Assault & Sexual Assault

Assault is the act of creating apprehension of such contact.

Learn More

Occupiers Liability

If you are injured whilst on someone else’s property, this is sometimes known as an occupier’s liability claim

Learn More

Duty of Care

The legal obligation to take reasonable care not to injure or harm another person.

Learn More

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;

Complete our FREE case assessment form HERE
Email us at info@garlingandco.com.au
Give us a call on (02) 8518 1120

More Faqs

Workers Compensation Lawyers

Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers Sydney

Medical Negligence Lawyers Sydney

Public Liability Lawyers

Superannuation Lawyers Sydney

Civil Liability Claims

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

Can I sue the person responsible for my injuries?

What others say

Would you like assistance with your claim?

No Win No Fee

Industry Experts

Maximum Compensation

Find out more about Public Liability

Slips, Trips and Falls Claims

Dog Bite Compensation

Assault & Sexual Assault

Occupiers Liability

Duty of Care

Slips, Trips and Falls Claims

Dog Bite Compensation

Assault & Sexual Assault

Occupiers Liability

Duty of Care

Frequently Asked Questions

Non-economic loss

Economic loss

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