Car accidents happen on our roads every day. They can be stressful, costly, and in some cases fatal.
One of the most common debt recovery actions that we are involved with includes the recovery of money or damages that arise from car accidents or motor vehicle accident claims in NSW.
What types of car accident or motor vehicle claims are there?
There are normally a few types of claims that can flow from a car accident or motor vehicle claim. These include:
Property Damage
These are claims usually between car owners or their respective insurance companies to recover the costs of the costs of damages and repairs to your motor vehicle, the cost of a hire car or replacement vehicle while your vehicle is being repaired, and any other monetary losses that flow from the accident. If both parties have insurance, then your insurers will handle this aspect.
However, in many cases, some or all the parties do not have insurance and need to recover the damages themselves, or are self-insured, like some of our clients, and require an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer to handle their car accident claims in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Our clients have included well-known car and truck hire companies who lease their vehicles and are frequently involved in motor vehicle claims as well as large insurance companies that need their claims dealt with in a swift and reliable manner.
As a result, we have extensive experience in both recovering car accident debts and resisting or defending these motor vehicle claims.
Insurance Disputes
We are also often involved in disputes between motor vehicle owners and their insurers. This can arise out of an unreasonable or unjust refusal of an insurance claim, to a dispute over the quantum or amount of damages that the insurance company will pay, or a dispute over the wording and construction of an insurance policy.
There are various types of insurance policies that a car owner can have. However, all car owners in NSW must have Compulsory Third Party (CTP) also known as a Greenslip, that provides compensation for people killed or injured in a motor vehicle accident.
Other optional insurance policies include:
Comprehensive Car Insurance – This is generally the highest level of insurance you can have on your vehicle, covering accidental damage, theft and fire, as well as third-party property damage.
Third Party Property – This is the lowest level of insurance coverage, and covers you for the damage caused by your car to other person’s property.
Third Party, Fire and Theft – The title is self-explanatory, and this insurance covers any third party property damages, as well as fire and theft to your vehicle.
Personal Injury Claims
These are claims for compensation for a personal injury that arises from a motor vehicle accident, usually between CTP insurer’s of the vehicles, to determine who is at fault, and to settle the compensation claim.
At Rockliffs Lawyers, we like to focus on what we know and do best. Our expertise and vast experience are in property and insurance claims, not personal injury matters.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident and would like to make a personal injury claim, you can contact us for a referral to a personal injury lawyer or obtain one directly from the Law Society of NSW.
You might also want to visit the State Insurance Regulatory Authority which handles motor vehicle personal injury claims or download the following article from the Law Society for more information.
How can we help after you’ve had a car accident?
At Rockliffs Lawyers, we have acted for large insurance companies and underwriters and have acquired extensive experience in making and defending insurance claims, from both sides. Our detailed knowledge of the process and regulations will give you the confidence in successfully recovering what is owed to you!
If you have been involved in a car accident and would like us to assist you with your motor vehicle claims, contact our experienced car accident and motor vehicle claims lawyers in Sydney CBD.