Mildura Car Accident Solicitor - Victoria Compensation Lawyers

LAWYER HELPLINE: ☎ 1800 224 077

Our Mildura personal injury solicitors specialise in road accident compensation claims. Free legal advice and information on No Win No Fee claims is available by calling our helpline or completing the online contact form. Contact our Mildura car accident claim service today to find out how we can help you obtain the compensation that you deserve.

What to do you if you have an RTA in Victoria

If you are involved in a road traffic accident in Mildura, there are a number of worries that can immediately spring to mind. Am I injured, is anyone else injured, how will I pay for all this extra cost etc. If you are involved in a road traffic accident in Victoria, you will be pleased to learn that you can take advantage of the benefits and compensation paid out by the Transport Accident Commission, an organisation funded by the Victorian government.

Should your claim be successful, which in many cases it will be, you can take advantage of a number of payments and benefits, including medical treatment, rehabilitation costs, disability services, assistance with income, travel expenses, and even help around the house should it be necessary due to injuries incurred from an accident.

Each Mildura car accident compensation claim will be looked at on a case by case basis by the TAC, and with a number of different benefits and payments available, depending on your circumstances and what services are necessary to your recovery, there is a good chance that the TAC can help you out.

What is covered?

Coverage from the TAC extends beyond just car accidents and involves other modes of transport including bikes, motorbikes, trams, trains and even pedestrians. You do not have to be a driver of a car to be covered by the scheme and any road traffic accident may make you liable to receive benefits and services that are available.

What compensation is available?

There are a variety of different types of benefit and payment available in a Mildura car accident compensation claim, including the following:

Medical Services
- The TAC can pay for ambulance services, for example the cost of transporting you from the scene of the accident (if necessary) to the hospital as well as transfers between hospitals. The TAC can also pay for treatment at a hospital, whether public, private or rehabilitation, as well as visits to a specialist doctor or even your own family doctor.
  
  Such services also include nursing support should it be necessary, for example home visits after a discharge from hospital, and items prescribed by your doctor and provided by a local pharmacy.
  
  Where therapy is needed after an accident, the TAC may also be able to pay for a variety of different physical and psychological services, including physiotherapy, podiatry, optometry and osteopathy where appropriate.
  
  Where teeth have been damaged in an accident, restoration may be possible through a payment from the TAC for dental services, as well as the replacement of glasses or hearing aids that have been damaged.
Income Benefits
If your ability to work has been interrupted by your accident, either in the short term or the long term, the TAC can pay benefits that help to fill the income gap. In the case of a short absence from work during rehabilitation you may be able to receive income support, as well as rehabilitation and disability services where appropriate. If you are unable to work in the long term, then earning capacity benefits will be paid to someone who has lost the ability to earn income as a result of a road traffic accident.
Travelling Expenses
Reimbursements can be made for expenses incurred from travelling to treatment, either by public transport or by private car, and even for trips to school for eligible students, as long as these costs are reasonable.
Household Support Services
If an accident has left someone injured to the point where looking after a household has become difficult, then payments can be made in the short term to help pay for a person who can help with cleaning, vacuuming, gardening and other similar jobs around the house.
Childcare
Childcare during treatment can be a particular problem, particularly during treatment appointments, and for these occasions payments can often be made to fund a carer to look after children while receiving treatment in hospital for accident-related injuries.
Death Benefits
Should someone die as a result of an accident, depending on the circumstances of the family, payments can be made to help with funeral (burial or cremation expenses), counselling services and financial support for dependents.

If the accident was your fault

If the Mildura car accident was your fault, then you will still be entitled to some benefits, although this will be limited to benefits which are known as “No-Fault” benefits, and include medical expenses, compensation for any injuries and loss of wages. Therefore make a claim to the TAC even if the accident was your fault.

If the accident was not your fault then you may be able to pursue a claim for Common Law compensation. Time limits apply for this particular type of claim, which are explained below.

Time limits for compensation claims

Claims to the Transport Accident Commission for a Mildura car accident compensation claim must be made within 12 months of the date of the accident. In rare cases this limit may be extended to 3 years, although this should be considered unusual rather than common.

There are other time limits which apply with regards to TAC claims that you should also be aware of, which relate to appealing decisions and permanent injuries. If the TAC makes a decision with which you do not approve, then you have 12 months from the date of that decision in which to appeal, which should probably be done with the help of a lawyer.

If you suffer a permanent injury, then you have up to 6 years from the date of the accident in which to make a claim for permanent impairment compensation.

The 6 year time limit also applies to applications for Common law compensation. The time limits should be considered as strict and unchangeable rather than flexible, and dispensations outside these limits will be rarely granted.

No Win No Fee Personal Injury Solicitors

Perhaps the best help that you can get for your TAC claim is to engage the services of a personal injury solicitor or lawyer. Although many applications are relatively straightforward, it will still be beneficial to engage the services of a professional who specialises in road accident claims, is aware of your legal rights and entitlements as well as having your best interests at heart.

Although hiring a solicitor or lawyer is entirely your choice, it is advisable, particularly in the case of an appeal. In these cases a solicitor will be able to advise you on where there are legal grounds for challenge, strengthening your case and the chances of receiving the compensation and payments that you need as a result of your injuries.