Have you been injured in a car accident? Our specialised and experienced team of personal injury lawyers will fight for the compensation you deserve.

CAR ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS

If you, or one of your loved ones or friends, have been injured in a car accident in New South Wales, for which someone else was totally or partly to blame, compensation is available under our CTP/Green Slip insurance scheme.

All cars registered in New South Wales are covered Green Slip insurance. If a car is uninsured and unregistered any claim for compensation will be made against the Nominal Defendant, which is a special fund set up by insurers to cover accidents caused by unregistered/uninsured motor vehicles and unidentified motor vehicles e.g. hit and run.

Some compensation may also be available, even if no one is at fault, or if you or your injured loved one or friend were at fault. This is the no-fault part of the current compensation regime for motor vehicle accidents, called Statutory Benefits. This covers payment of medical expenses and loss of wages for a limited period of time.

Making a car accident claim in NSW can be a very complicated and stressful process, particularly if the insurance company on risk is difficult or obstructive. Unfortunately, this is often the case. It is therefore highly advisable that you or someone you know who has been injured in a car accident should seek expert legal advice without delay. Time limits apply so it’s important to consult an expert personal injury car accident lawyer as soon as practical.

WHY CHOOSE STACKS GOUDKAMP FOR CAR ACCIDENT INJURY CLAIM?

Tom Goudkamp, our Managing Director and Karina Goodall are the expert leaders in car accident injury claims in New South Wales. They have successfully acted for car accident victims over many decades, with very considerable success.

They have a very strong reputation for being respectful and empathetic towards their injured clients. At the same time they never take a backward step when it comes to dealing with the insurance companies and/or their lawyers. Their reputation is such that most insurance companies and their lawyers know that they have to take claims seriously when they are dealing with Tom and Karina.

Tom and Karina have a very thorough knowledge of injury and compensation laws not only in New South Wales but also throughout Australia. They have a deep understanding of the car accident injury claim process involved and of the suffering and stress experienced by people injured in car accidents.

They also know how to fully prepare claims for settlement, resulting in a very high settlement success rate.

Stacks Goudkamp’s fees are always reasonable. Our motor vehicle accident lawyers are flexible and will not allow fees to stand in the way of settlements. Stacks Goudkamp offers “no win, no pay” and will also pay all the disbursements, e.g. for medical reports etc on its clients’ behalf.

At the end of cases Stacks Goudkamp endeavours to recover the maximum in legal fees from the insurers on risk.

Tom and Karina and members of their team try and put themselves ‘in the shoes’ of their injured clients who are suffering financial losses and stress and who need to be guided by expert advice in relation to establishing liability and the amount of car accident injury compensation which their clients need and deserve.

GLENN’S STORY

Glenn was involved in an horrific car accident that left him with a catastrophic brain injury. In a moment of sheer stupidity, a drug-affected driver destroyed Glenn’s life and devastated his family when her car collided head-on with Glenn’s motor scooter. Watch Glenn’s story and see how Stacks Goudkamp were able to help.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAR ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS

Your claim will be lodged with the CTP insurer of the motor vehicle at fault. CTP means compulsory third party insurance which all owners of motor vehicles including motorcycles etc have to take out in New South Wales, in compliance with the law. This is commonly known as “Green Slip” insurance.

If you are unable to exchange these details with the driver who caused your accident we can easily find the CTP insurer of that vehicle. Therefore you should not worry if you are unable to exchange or obtain these details with the at-fault drive.

Alternatively, you can call the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) who will assist you in identifying the correct CTP insurer.

Yes, definitely. It is not necessary to prove that the other driver was totally at fault. If you were partly at fault your claim will probably need to be compromised to the extent of your contribution to the accident. This is called “contributory negligence”. For example, if were 50% to blame for the accident and your injuries your claim will be discounted by 50%.

The most efficient way is to contact an expert lawyer in a motor accident compensation and provide that lawyer with full particulars of the accident and your injuries and to seek advice as to how and when a personal injury claim form should be lodged with the insurance company on risk, or against the nominal defendant.

This really depends on the extent and seriousness of your injuries. If your injuries are serious you will probably be entitled to submit a claim for damages which will cover “pain and suffering, loss of past and future earning and loss of future earning capacity”. The CTP insurer will be obliged to pay statutory benefits, regardless of who was at fault, for a period of at least six months. These benefits include the payment of medical expenses which are deemed reasonable and necessary and also to provide domestic assistance in more serious cases where injuries have created the need for care.

Compensation for damages is paid on a once and for all basis after the injured person’s injuries have fully stabilised and it is known whether or not the person’s whole person impairment will exceed the requisite threshold of greater than 10% to entitle the injured person to receive compensation for “pain and suffering”, also known as “non-economic loss”.

This will depend on the severity of your injuries. If you consider that the assessment of “minor” is unfair you should instruct an expert in motor vehicle compensation law to submit an application for a review with the insurer.

Yes. Psychological injuries can be as serious as physical injuries. A post-traumatic stress syndrome and depression, anxiety etc are all compensable if they result in an inability to earn an income and, if the psychological injuries are sufficiently severe, for the sufferer of the psychological injuries to receive compensation for “pain and suffering”.

That really depends on the age of the person who has been injured. For example, if a claim is made for an infant who has suffered a brain injury it will often be wise to wait until the infant has reached maturity before the claim for past and future losses can be properly quantified. In other cases, claims are generally completed within two years of the accident, but that will depend on the severity of the injuries and whether the person’s whole person impairment has been assessed be greater than 10% which is the gateway for compensation for “pain and suffering”. If the insurance company concedes that the injuries constitute a greater than 10% whole person impairment, claims can be settled and finalized reasonably quickly. If however the insurer fails to or refuses to concede, then it will be necessary to have the percentage of whole person impairment formally assessed by specially trained doctors engaged by the Personal Injury Commission. This can delay cases quite significantly.

Compensation “damages”, will be paid as a once and for all lump sum of money. It will not be paid as a pension or weekly payments. However, the insurer will have to continue paying your medical expenses and for domestic and other assistance, if required, indefinitely.

No. The compensation you receive from the insurer, whether it be statutory benefits or a lump sum damages payment, will be tax-free.

This means that unless your claim is successful you will not be charged any legal fees by your lawyer. If your claim is unsuccessful your lawyer will “write off’ his or her costs.

MEET THE TEAM

Tom Goudkamp OAM

Managing Director
Tom is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law. He has had over 40 years of experience successfully acting for seriously injured accident victims.

Karina Goodall

Practice Group Leader
Karina joined Stacks Goudkamp in 2014. She manages one of the firm’s four practice groups under Managing Director, Tom Goudkamp.

WHAT COMPENSATION AM I ENTITLED TO?

If you have been injured in a car accident, it can have devastating impacts on your life and finances. You may be able to initially receive compensation through at least the payment of your medical expenses and wages.

You may also be entitled to receive compensation for the following:

The amount of compensation you will receive depends on many factors. These include:

  • The types of injuries you have suffered
  • The severity of your injuries
  • Your age
  • Your work situation
  • Your home situation
  • Your need for medical treatment
  • Your overall expenses
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If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident and believe you may be entitled to compensation, you should contact us today.

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Such as:

The Stacks Goudkamp way

We are dedicated and the leading No Win, No Fee personal injury lawyers in NSW. For over 40 years, Stacks Goudkamp has been helping injured Australians to receive the compensation they need and deserve.

We are dedicated and the leading No Win, No Fee personal injury lawyers in NSW. For
over 40 years, Stacks Goudkamp has been helping injured Australians to receive the
compensation they need and deserve.

Reach Out

Call or Email us to start the process and to receive expert legal advice for personal injury or compensation claims. Seek the professional support you deserve on (02) 4058 2715 or enquire online through our website.

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We are just a call or email away. Do not struggle with complex personal injury claims processes and in dealing with insurance companies on your own. We are here to listen and to help you to get the compensation you deserve.

Free Initial Consultation

We will not charge you for a comprehensive initial consultation where we will listen to your needs and provide you with free detailed advice. Compassion is what drives us. You can be sure that your questions will be answered.

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Here, we will explain the next steps and what it takes to achieve the best possible outcome.

No Win, No Fee

We will not require you to pay our legal fees, or any expenses (disbursements), unless we win your personal injury claim i.e you receive compensation. We know that being injured can result in terrible financial pressures.

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We pride ourselves on giving every injured Australian the peace of mind that we will look after them by acting on a no win no fee basis for their compensation claims.

CONTACT US

Contact your local team for a free consultation to find out if you are eligible for compensation

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I could write a book as to how the last 4 years would have been different if not for Tom and his team.
The support, assistance, advice from the first conversation till even after the settlement was second to none from the team at Stacks Goudkamp.
Four years on and after many downs, my children and I have our lives back.
We are unable to THANK YOU enough, but know that you have changed our lives for the better in so many ways since the accident.