Motor Vehicle Accident | By Lawyers
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Motor Vehicle Accident

QLD

This publication assists practitioners in advising and representing clients who are injured in motor vehicle accidents in Queensland and have a right to claim.

2 Matter Plans

Overview

The commentary covers the strict time limits for making a claim, gathering all the information required, lodging the claim, and resolution by settlement or court proceedings.

The Reference materials folder includes guidance on electronic signing and witnessing, and the comprehensive Getting the matter underway folder includes compliance and client care documents. Using the extensive Retainer Instructions when gathering information ensures nothing is missed.

Also included is 101 Subpoena Answers, which is a useful reference guide.

Precedents in this publication include:

  • Letters to the client explaining the process at each stage;
  • Library of letters to relevant parties gathering information;
  • Example statement of claim for common law damages.
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2 Matter Plans Included

  • Item icon Matter Summary (Personal Injury)
  • Item icon ALERTS - Nil
  • Item icon Full Commentary - Motor Vehicle Accident (QLD)
  • Folder icon Reference materials
    • Item icon AI Prompts
      An AI prompt defines a specific task for AI to perform, like drafting a particular document, and provides clear instructions on how to execute that task. The goal is for the AI to quickly create a useful first draft of a document, which the user verifies and refines into a final version, ultimately ...

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    • Item icon Looking to the Future
    • Item icon Electronic Signing and Witnessing
    • Item icon Medical Glossary
    • Item icon 101 Subpoena Answers
    • Item icon 101 Costs Answers
    • Folder icon Papers and articles - Litigation
      • Item icon Improving written submissions - A paper by Judge Alan Troy
      • Item icon Plain language – A paper by the Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG
    • Folder icon Demonstrating the use of precedents
      • Item icon Demonstrating the Use of Precedents
        To demonstrate the range of precedents available in the guide and to illustrate how they can be adapted to a particular matter, one set of precedents are based on a set of facts in a debt recovery that escalates when a cross-claim is brought alleging a course of conduct between the parties and a ...

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      • Item icon Demonstration - Letter of demand
      • Item icon Demonstration - Response to letter of demand
      • Item icon Demonstration - Pleadings and particulars
      • Item icon Demonstration - Request for further and better particulars
      • Item icon Demonstration - Defence
      • Item icon Demonstration - Affidavit of defendant
      • Item icon Demonstration - Cross-claim or counterclaim
      • Item icon Demonstration - Defence to cross claim or counterclaim
      • Item icon Demonstration - Calderbank offer
      • Item icon Demonstration - ADR order - Referral to mediation
      • Item icon Demonstration - Mediation position paper - Plaintiff
      • Item icon Demonstration - Mediation position paper - Defendant
      • Item icon Demonstration - Consent orders
      • Item icon Demonstration - Deed of release - Settlement of proceedings
    • Item icon Further information
  • Item icon Overview and limitation periods
    Queensland's compulsory third-party insurance scheme covers personal injuries arising from motor vehicle accidents, including where the vehicle at fault is uninsured or unidentified. The Motor Accidents Insurance Act 1994 (the Act) established the scheme and the claims procedure. The objects of the ...

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  • Folder icon A. Getting the matter underway
    • Item icon File cover sheet - Motor vehicle accident
    • Item icon First steps
    • Item icon Client details and verifying identity
    • Item icon Retainer instructions - Motor vehicle accident
    • Item icon Conflict of interest check
    • Item icon Initial letter to client enclosing costs agreement
    • Item icon Costs agreement - QLD
    • Item icon Conditional costs agreement - QLD
    • Item icon Conditional costs agreement - Uplift fee - QLD
    • Item icon Scope of work - Motor vehicle accident
    • Item icon Abbreviated costs disclosure - Costs under $3000
    • Item icon Taking instructions in motor vehicle accident matters
      Strict time limits apply for lodging and responding to claims. Instructions should not be accepted unless the practitioner is well aware of the time limitations and confident of the firm's capacity to deal with the matter and comply with time limits. If a client is seen but does not provide ...

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    • Item icon Letter to client explaining the process and requesting initial information - Third-party insurer
    • Item icon Letter to client explaining the process and requesting initial information - Nominal defendant
    • Item icon Details of a motor vehicle accident
    • Item icon Statement of loss and damage arising from a motor vehicle accident
    • Item icon Duty to notify police
      No claim can be made unless details of the accident have been provided to the police as set out in s 34 of the Act:

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    • Item icon Report of Traffic Incident to Police Form
    • Item icon Time and costs estimates
    • Folder icon If required - Updating costs disclosure
      • Item icon Letter to client updating costs disclosure
      • Item icon Charge securing costs
      • Item icon Guarantee securing costs
      • Folder icon Costs disclosure before settlement in litigation matters
        • Item icon Letter to client - Costs disclosure before settlement - NSW, VIC, and WA
        • Item icon Letter to client - Costs disclosure before settlement - QLD, SA, TAS, ACT, and NT
    • Folder icon General deeds, agreements, execution clauses, and statutory declarations
      • Item icon Deeds and Agreements
      • Folder icon Deeds
        • Item icon Deed for general use
        • Item icon Deed of guarantee
        • Item icon Deed of release
        • Item icon General deed of indemnity
        • Item icon Deed of assignment of agreement
        • Item icon Deed of gift
        • Folder icon Library of standard clauses for deeds
          • Item icon Amendment
          • Item icon Confidentiality for defined information - All parties
          • Item icon Confidentiality for defined information - One party
          • Item icon Confidentiality for terms of deed - All parties
          • Item icon Confidentiality for terms of deed - One party
          • Item icon Costs
          • Item icon Counterparts
          • Item icon Dispute resolution
          • Item icon Events beyond control
          • Item icon Governing law and jurisdiction
          • Item icon Interpretation
          • Item icon No assignment
          • Item icon Notices
          • Item icon Severance
          • Item icon Waiver
          • Item icon Whole agreement
      • Folder icon Agreements
        • Item icon Agreement for general use
        • Item icon Heads of agreement
        • Item icon Non-disclosure agreement - Formal
        • Item icon Non-disclosure agreement - Informal
        • Folder icon Library of standard clauses for agreements
          • Item icon Amendment
          • Item icon Confidentiality for defined information - All parties
          • Item icon Confidentiality for defined information - One party
          • Item icon Confidentiality for terms of agreement - All parties
          • Item icon Confidentiality for terms of agreement - One party
          • Item icon Costs
          • Item icon Counterparts
          • Item icon Dispute resolution
          • Item icon Events beyond control
          • Item icon Governing law and jurisdiction
          • Item icon Interpretation
          • Item icon No assignment
          • Item icon Notices
          • Item icon Severance
          • Item icon Waiver
          • Item icon Whole agreement
      • Folder icon Execution clauses
        • Folder icon Library of execution clauses for agreements
          • Item icon Attorney
          • Item icon Authorised officer
          • Item icon Company
          • Item icon Company - Sole director
          • Item icon Individual
          • Item icon Individual - No witness
        • Folder icon Library of execution clauses for deeds
          • Item icon Attorney
          • Item icon Authorised officer
          • Item icon Company
          • Item icon Company - Sole director
          • Item icon Individual
      • Folder icon Statutory declarations
        • Item icon Commonwealth statutory declaration
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - ACT
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - NSW
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - VIC
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - QLD
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - TAS
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - SA
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - WA
        • Item icon Statutory declaration - blank - NT
        • Item icon Standard annexure note for documents
      • Item icon Standard annexure note for documents
  • Folder icon B. Gathering information
    • Item icon Record of information requested, received, and served
    • Folder icon Client
      • Item icon Letter to client confirming initial actions with authorities to sign
      • Item icon Letter to client for tax returns and identification
      • Item icon Letter to client enclosing authorities
      • Item icon Letter to client on claim for domestic assistance
    • Folder icon Ambulance
      • Item icon Authority for ambulance service report
      • Item icon Letter to ambulance service for reports with authority and fees
    • Folder icon Centrelink
      • Item icon Centrelink - Authority to release personal information - personal injury, insurance, superannuation or other matter
      • Item icon Letter to Centrelink with FOI form for details of benefits
      • Item icon Centrelink - Freedom of Information - request to access or change document(s)
    • Folder icon Doctors
      • Item icon Authority for medical records - General
      • Item icon Letter to doctor for report
      • Item icon Letter to doctor seeking time for payment
      • Item icon Irrevocable authority to pay doctor
    • Folder icon Employer
      • Item icon Authority for employer to provide loss of income details
      • Item icon Letter to employer for income details
    • Folder icon Hospital
      • Item icon Authority for information from hospital
      • Item icon Letter to hospital for clinical notes
    • Folder icon Medicare
      • Item icon Letter to Medicare for details of payments with authority
      • Item icon Medicare compensation recovery - Medicare history statement request
      • Item icon Medicare Australia - Request for Medicare claims information
      • Item icon Medicare Australia - Request for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme claims information
      • Item icon Medicare compensation recovery - Third party authority (no bar code)
      • Item icon Medicare compensation recovery - Section 23A statement
    • Folder icon Police
      • Item icon Authority for police reports
      • Item icon Letter to police for incident report
    • Folder icon ATO
      • Item icon Letter to ATO for information
  • Folder icon C. The claim
    • Item icon Law practice certificates
      Claim farming is the practice of giving or receiving consideration for a claim referral or potential claim referral or soliciting or inducing a claimant to make a claim, in contravention of the various provisions of legislation governing personal injury, workers’ compensation, and motor accident ...

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    • Item icon Law Practice Certificate
    • Item icon Law practice certificate - Legal Services Commission QLD
    • Item icon Claims process
      Law practice certificates Claim farming is the practice of giving or receiving consideration for a claim referral or potential claim referral or soliciting or inducing a claimant to make a claim, in contravention of the various provisions of legislation governing personal injury, workers’ ...

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    • Item icon Duty to notify the insurer
      Notifying claims within the prescribed time is critical – see Limitation periods above. Notification, including certain prescribed information, is given by the Notice of Accident Claim form – use the link and the precedent Notice of accident claim forms on the matter plan.

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    • Item icon Letter to CTP insurer
    • Item icon Duty to notify NIIS
      If a claimant has either applied for or been accepted into the NIIS, they are required, within 14 days of making a motor accident injury claim, to give notice to the NIIS agency stating:

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    • Item icon Electronic Notice of Accident Claim Form
    • Item icon Notice of Accident Claim Form - Non-fatal
    • Item icon Notice of Accident Claim Form - Fatal
    • Folder icon If required - National Injury Insurance Scheme forms
      • Item icon Application form - Interim participation
      • Item icon Application form - Insurer
    • Item icon Initial letter to defendant with claim form
    • Item icon Letter to defendants insurer with claim form
    • Folder icon If required - Uninsured or unidentified
      • Item icon Uninsured or unidentified motor vehicles
        Claims for accidents that involve unidentified or unregistered motor vehicles are made to the nominal defendant. The Act provides for proceedings against the nominal defendant for injury caused by the fault of the owner or driver of a vehicle that was not insured at the time of the accident.

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      • Item icon Letter to the nominal defendant
    • Item icon Duty to resolve
      Section 41 of the Act obliges the insurer, within six months of receiving a complying notice, to:

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    • Item icon Letter to client on response by insurer to the claim
    • Item icon Letter to defendant's insurer with particulars of economic loss only
    • Item icon Offer of compromise - Calderbank example
    • Item icon Offer of compromise
    • Item icon Compulsory conference
      Before a claimant can commence court proceedings seeking damages for personal injuries – arising out of a motor vehicle accident – the parties must attend a compulsory conference within six months of the claimant giving notice of claim: s 51A of the Act. The parties may dispense with the ...

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    • Item icon Letter to other side enclosing certificate of readiness
    • Item icon Certificate of Readiness
    • Item icon Letter to client - Costs statement
    • Item icon Mandatory final offer
  • Folder icon D. Going to court
    • Item icon Going to court
      This commentary does not cover the procedure for bringing proceedings – see the By Lawyers Personal Injury (QLD), District Court (QLD), and Supreme Court (QLD) publications for more information as required. Spencer v Downie and Anor [2019] QSC 98 is a helpful case on negligence, the conduct of ...

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    • Item icon Costs
      Section 100A of the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 provides for the indexation of prescribed limits on costs in motor vehicle personal injury claims and defined terms. The Minister must make a notice fixing these amounts before the start of each financial year: s 100A(1). Where a claim ...

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    • Folder icon Library of UCPR forms
      • Item icon ADR consent order
      • Item icon ADR referring order
      • Item icon Affidavit (Form 46)
      • Item icon Affidavit accompanying payment into court
      • Item icon Agreement to change of venue
      • Item icon Appearance slip - for use in Townsville District & Supreme Courts
      • Item icon Application
      • Item icon Application for approval as a costs assessor
      • Item icon Application for costs assessment and costs statement
      • Item icon Application for reduction of fees by an individual
      • Item icon Application for review
      • Item icon Certificate of exhibit multiple documents with Index to exhibits
      • Item icon Certificate of exhibit single document
      • Item icon Certificate of explanation of duty of disclosure
      • Item icon Certificate of readiness - District Court
      • Item icon Certificate of solicitor under rule 244
      • Item icon Claim
      • Item icon Conditional notice of intention to defend
      • Item icon Consent adjournment of application
      • Item icon Consent of litigation guardian
      • Item icon Costs assessor's certificate
      • Item icon Costs statement
      • Item icon Default judgment
      • Item icon Defence
      • Item icon Defence and counterclaim
      • Item icon Document plan
      • Item icon Enforcement hearing summons - order
      • Item icon Enforcement hearing warrant
      • Item icon Enforcement warrant - possession of land
      • Item icon Enforcement warrant - redirection of earnings
      • Item icon Enforcement warrant - seizure and sale of property
      • Item icon Judgment
      • Item icon List of documents
      • Item icon List of documents (electronically managed)
      • Item icon Mediator's certificate
      • Item icon Memorandum of agreement to dismissal of appeal
      • Item icon Notice claiming contribution
      • Item icon Notice of acceptance of offer
      • Item icon Notice of address for service
      • Item icon Notice of address for service - District Court
      • Item icon Notice of appeal
      • Item icon Notice of appeal - District Court
      • Item icon Notice of appeal subject to leave - District Court
      • Item icon Notice of appointment of solicitor
      • Item icon Notice of cessation or default
      • Item icon Notice of change of address for service
      • Item icon Notice of change of solicitor
      • Item icon Notice of discontinuance
      • Item icon Notice of intention to defend
      • Item icon Notice of non-party disclosure
      • Item icon Notice of objection
      • Item icon Notice of withdrawal of notice of intention to defend
      • Item icon Notice of withdrawal of solicitors
      • Item icon Notice proposing application without oral hearing
      • Item icon Notice that debtor not employee
      • Item icon Notice that party acting in person
      • Item icon Notice to admit documents
      • Item icon Notice to admit facts
      • Item icon Notice to employer - redirection of earnings
      • Item icon Order
      • Item icon Originating application
      • Item icon Registrars order for costs
      • Item icon Request for consent order of registrar
      • Item icon Request for default judgment
      • Item icon Request for fee refund
      • Item icon Request for subpoena
      • Item icon Request for trial date
      • Item icon Special witness jurat (for UCPR)
      • Item icon Statement of claim
      • Item icon Statement of financial position (company)
      • Item icon Statement of financial position (person)
      • Item icon Statement supporting application for enforcement warrant
      • Item icon Subpoena for production
      • Item icon Subpoena for production and request for subpoena
      • Item icon Subpoena for production and to give evidence and request for subpoena
      • Item icon Subpoena to attend enforcement hearing
      • Item icon Subpoena to give evidence and request for subpoena
      • Item icon Subpoena to produce documents (Commercial Arbitration Act)
      • Item icon Third party notice
      • Item icon Title (long)
      • Item icon Title (short)
      • Item icon Undertaking re letter of request
    • Item icon Statement of claim
    • Item icon Clause - Statement of claim - Motor accident injuries
    • Item icon Letter to client advising medical appointment
    • Item icon Letter to client advising hearing date
    • Item icon Letter to witness with arrangements for attendance at hearing
    • Item icon Letter to doctor for final report for hearing
    • Item icon Letter to other side serving expert report
    • Item icon Subpoena for production and request for subpoena
    • Item icon Letter serving subpoena for production
    • Item icon Letter to doctor with subpoena to give evidence
    • Item icon Subpoena to give evidence and request for subpoena
    • Item icon Letter to witness serving subpoena to give evidence
    • Item icon Letter to police officer serving subpoena to give evidence
    • Item icon Letter to defendant serving copy of subpoena to produce
  • Folder icon E. Deductions and preclusions
    • Item icon Deductions and preclusions
      Before seeking instructions to settle or to proceed to an assessment of the claim, it is essential to obtain a complete and detailed summary of all amounts likely to be deducted from any sum payable to the claimant and to be aware of the extent of any preclusion from benefits otherwise payable to ...

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    • Item icon Letter to Centrelink
    • Item icon Letter to client with Medicare authority
    • Item icon Letter to client to complete Medicare and electronic funds transfer forms
    • Item icon Summary of medical expenses
  • Folder icon F. Finalising the matter
    • Item icon Letter to client finalising the matter
    • Folder icon If required - Not proceeding
      • Item icon Letter to client when not proceeding after retainer
      • Item icon Letter to client not proceeding before retainer
    • Folder icon If required - Insurer denied liability
      • Item icon Letter to client finalising matter following denial of liability
    • Folder icon If required - Medicare and Centrelink
      • Item icon Medicare compensation recovery - Notice of judgment or settlement
      • Item icon Medicare compensation recovery - Section 23A statement
      • Item icon Medicare compensation recovery - Bank account details collection (no bar code)
      • Item icon Centrelink - Compensation advice of lump sum payments
    • Item icon Authority to receive
    • Folder icon If required - Finalising when no non economic loss claimed
      • Item icon Letter to client finalising matter when no non economic loss claimed
    • Item icon Example invoice incorporating notification of client's rights - QLD
    • Item icon Invoice recital - Injuries, works compensation, victims support
    • Item icon Closing the file
    • Item icon File closing checklist
  • Item icon Comments and suggestions for By Lawyers

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