Car Accident Lawyers Queensland

In Queensland, all claims for compensation are individually assessed. The compensation that is paid depends on the type and severity of your injury and your particular circumstances.

Your solicitor will advise you on what you are entitled to claim. This can include:

• treatment and rehabilitation expenses that are considered reasonable and appropriate
• loss of income both past and future
• future treatment expenses
• general damages, meaning damages for pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life
• the cost of care and support services (thresholds apply) 

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Queensland, you should:

1. Report the crash to the police
   The law requires that the driver, of a motor vehicle involved in a crash in which a person is injured, must report the crash, in person, at the nearest police station to where the crash occurred.
2. Obtain the registration number of the vehicle that caused the crash
   To lodge a claim, you will require the registration number of the vehicle at fault. If multiple vehicles were involved in the crash, you will also need to obtain all their registration details and details of any witnesses.

If you can’t identify a vehicle or discover it’s unregistered, and therefore uninsured, you can lodge your claim against the Nominal Defendant.

The Nominal Defendant is a government body that assists in compensating people who are injured as a result of the negligent driving of unidentified or uninsured motor vehicles.

There may be times when you are injured but cannot claim compensation. For example:

• if you were totally at fault
• no-one was at fault.

If you are unable to claim compensation, you will need to rely on sick leave, Centrelink benefits, Medicare and the public health system unless you have other insurance policies such as income protection or private health insurance.

If you have a serious personal injury and your motor accident occurred after 1 July 2016, you may be able to access treatment, care and support through the National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland.

There are strict timeframes for lodgement of your notice of claim under the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 Queensland Legislation.

The notice must be given within three months if it is to be given to the nominal defendant because the motor vehicle cannot be identified.

In any other case, it is whichever of the following dates is earlier:

• within nine months of the motor vehicle crash or, if symptoms of the injury are not immediately apparent, the first appearance of symptoms of the injury
• if you have a solicitor managing your claim, within one month of the first consultation with the solicitor.

Your claim could be rejected if you lodge it outside the timeframes. It is therefore very important that you seek advice from a solicitor at the earliest opportunity after a motor vehicle accident.

If you are under 18 years of age at the time of the crash, different timeframes apply. Timeframes to lodge a claim do not commence until the child turns 18.

At Zaparas Lawyers, we understand that this can be quite a daunting process, so we are happy to assist you with the process of lodging a claim and advising you on your entitlements. Feel free to contact your local Queensland team and arrange your obligation free appointment.

Please bring all relevant documentation you have such as completed claim forms, letters from insurers, medical reports, radiological investigations and any other documents that may be relevant.

Our firm has a diverse and multicultural team comprising of lawyers and law clerks who speak different languages including: Greek, Cantonese, Mandarin, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Turkish and Singhalese. We also have a network of the very best interpreters who can attend interviews and appointments free of charge to our clients.

When an injury is sustained, it is not only a traumatic and often life changing experience, it often causes great financial strain to the injured party and their family. This is why for 40 years Zaparas Lawyers has fought cases on a ‘No win, No charge’ basis.

In simple terms, this means that you do not pay anything unless you win your case.

If there is any injury the answer to this question is a definite ‘yes.’ This also holds true if you may be partially or fully responsible for the accident. If you are the victim, a lawyer will ensure that you get the compensation you are entitled to and that you will not be paying for medical costs or repairs out of your own pocket 

Unfortunately, up-front lawyer costs can be far too much for the average person. As a result, many people involved in accidents which were no fault of their own end up paying for their own medical care and repairs. At Zaparas Lawyers, we are a family firm and understand the need for individuals and families to avoid financial strain. That’s why we’ve instituted our ‘no win, no charge’ policy. If we do not obtain a judgement in your favour, we will not charge you for our services.

You should always obtain the services of a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. Remember – the statute of limitations to file a personal injury claim under the CTP scheme is 9 months after your injury.

Without the advice and expertise of a compensation lawyer, insurance companies often stall while leading you to think they are willing to work with you. Suddenly, the statute of limitations has expired, and they are then in a position to pay you the bare minimum – or nothing at all. By retaining one of our experienced lawyers, you can be sure a strong case will be built from the beginning, resulting in full and fair compensation for you.

The type and amount of compensation awarded to you depends on the severity of your injury and your particular circumstances. It’s difficult to put a value on what your compensation claim will be worth before proper investigation is complete because everyone’s circumstances are different.

For example, most compensation amounts are predominantly based on your income and how much earnings you’ve lost because of the accident and injury. So, a FIFO worker on six figures who was the sole provider for their family of three would likely be awarded more than a single hospitality worker with no dependents.