What to do after a car accident in Victoria

Knowing what to do after a car accident in Victoria is important. If you've been involved in a road accident, the first four steps you should take are: 

1. Stop immediately at the scene of the accident where safe to do so
2. Provide support to anyone who’s injured and call emergency services if medical attention is needed, or if you need help moving the vehicles from the road
3. Exchange details (name, address, contact details, registration number and insurance details) with the vehicle owner or any witnesses
4. Report the car accident to the police.

If you've been injured in the car accident, it can be very daunting to understand what your options are and what to do next. Below we have a Q&A with Janine Gregory, Head of our Victorian Road Accident Injuries team, to help explain the road injury claims process and how to ensure you receive all your entitlements. 

How does car accident insurance work in Victoria?

In Victoria, the Transport Accident Commission (or the TAC) is the relevant insurer. When Victorians pay to register their car or other vehicle, part of that money goes to the TAC. 

The TAC spends some of this money on road safety but it also uses the money to pay for benefits and compensation to people who are injured in road accidents. 

Why get a lawyer involved if you have a car accident, why not just go direct to the TAC?

There are two key reasons to get legal advice from an experienced road injury lawyer:

Firstly, it is really important for people to understand what benefits are available and how to access them.  Our specialist lawyers can explain how the TAC insurance scheme works and provide individualised advice about what you will or won’t be entitled to.  We can guide you through the entire road accident compensation claim process and be your advocate.

Secondly, it is important to ensure that you obtain the best outcome.  We are experts in this area, we deal with the TAC every day and we know what your case is worth and how to get you what you deserve.

What type of things can you make a TAC claim for?

You may be able to claim for lost wages, medical, hospital and rehabilitation expenses. Travel costs, attendant care, home help and a lump sum payment.

If the motor vehicle accident is the result of someone else’s negligence you may also be entitled to bring a common law claim for pain and suffering and future loss of wages.

How can Maurice Blackburn help me with a TAC claim?

As Australia’s #1 Plaintiff law firm our team will fight to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. In Victoria, we have more personal injury accredited specialists than any other law firm—so you can be assured that the lawyer assigned to your case is an expert in the area and will maximise your entitlements.  In one case, our client’s road accident injury claim was rejected by the TAC and we ultimately secured them a million-dollar settlement.

But can’t involving a TAC lawyer be expensive?

We work on a no win no fee^{^} basis, so if you don’t get a payout, we won’t charge you anything, and in most cases unlike many other law firms you won’t need to pay disbursements such as medical reports, court or barrister fees^*. But you don’t need to worry as we’ll explain exactly how legal fees work from the outset of your claim to ensure full transparency.

What if you’re unsure of whether you are eligible to make a road accident injury claim?

The best thing to do is get in contact with us to book in your free first consultation or use our free claim check tool to see if you are eligible to make a road accident injury claim. We will be able to determine whether you have a case and discuss all of the options with you. We will ensure your case is set up to ensure you get the best possible outcome.

You should contact us even if you were at fault or if you have an existing claim as we can assist at any stage of the process. We do find that a number of our clients will have lodged an initial claim but come to us when their medical or income expenses have been rejected or payments have ceased. We can assist clients with these issues as well as advise about other possible entitlements. 

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