New educational DVD for patients with whiplash

The MAA has produced a DVD for people to watch at home that clearly and simply talks about whiplash and demonstrates the exercises they need to do to assist in their recovery. 

The DVD reflects the key messages contained in the booklet “Your Guide to Whiplash Recovery in the first 12 weeks after the accident”.  The DVD is a new initiative in response to research published by the January 2008 Bone and Joint Task Force on Neck Pain, supporting the use of educational DVDs focusing on self efficacy and exercises as a more effective strategy for managing whiplash associated disorders.

The DVD has an interactive menu containing a series of sections that the viewer can return to at any time through simple navigation.  Included is a demonstration of the exercises with voice over instructions, and additional material not currently contained in the Whiplash booklet about how to lodge an Accident Notification Form or Personal Injury Claim Form for CTP claimants in NSW.

General practitioners and treating health professionals such as physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths are encouraged to obtain copies of the DVD to give to their patients to keep and watch at home to support their whiplash treatment program. 

The DVD is free of charge and copies can be ordered by contacting the Claims Advisory Service on 1300 137 131 or by email to cas@maa.nsw.gov.au.

The footage can also be viewed on this website, under the Injury Management tab, Guides for Injured People section.

Claims Assessment Guideline Amendments for 1 October 2009

In order to address some difficulties encountered regarding applications for exemption of Compensation to Relatives claims, the Claims Assessment Guidelines will be amended from 1 October 2009.

The changes amend two of the Section 92(1)(a) mandatory exemption criteria in Clauses 8.11 of the Guidelines to clarify that Compensation to Relatives claims may also be exempted on the basis of those exemption grounds. These largely uncontentious changes received the unanimous support of the MAAS Reference Group members and the bodies they represent.

The changes were gazetted on 4 September 2009 in the NSW Government Gazette No. 122 at page 4969 as follows;

Amendment to the Claims Assessment Guidelines issued under section 69 (1) of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999
PURSUANT to section 69 (2) of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999, version 4 of the Claims Assessment Guidelines, as published in the New South Wales Government Gazette No. 97 on 11 July 2008, is amended, with effect from 1 October 2009, by deleting clauses 8.11.2 and 8.11.3 and inserting instead:

8.11.2 the fault of the owner or driver of a motor vehicle, in the use or operation of the vehicle, is not denied by the insurer of that vehicle, but the insurer of that vehicle makes an allegation in its written notice issued in accordance with section 81, that the claimant , or in a claim for an award of damages brought under the Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 the deceased, was at fault or partly at fault and claims a reduction of damages of more than 25%;
(Note: this clause applies to all new applications received at CARS on or after 1 October 2009 and all matters current at CARS on or after that date that have not been determined.)

8.11.3 the claimant, or in a claim for an award of damages brought under the Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 one of the dependents, is a ‘person under a legal incapacity’;

(Note: See definition in Chapter 1 at clause 1.6.27)
(Note: this clause applies to all new applications received at CARS on or after 1 October 2009 and all matters current at CARS on or after that date that have not been determined.)

These amended Guideline provisions will naturally apply to all new applications received at CARS on or after 1 October 2009, and also as a transitional arrangement the amended provisions will apply to all matters current at CARS on or after 1 October 2009 that have not been determined.
An amended version of the Claims Assessment Guidelines reflecting these changes will be available on the MAA website on the Guidelines page from 1 October 2009.

Law and Justice Committee Review Released

The final report of the Law and Justice Committee's ninth review of the exercise of the functions of the Motor Accidents Authority and the Motor Accidents Council has been released.

• http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/BDFBBE30B3B28139CA2574B7000E3CB0

Service provider workshops

Every year, the MAA runs workshops for rehabilitation or care and support service providers who are not familiar with the NSW Motor Accidents Scheme and who are working with CTP claimants. The workshops cover:

• the NSW Motor Accidents Scheme
• the MAA Medical Assessment Service (MAS)
• insurers' claims management processes
• MAA Claims Advisory Service (CAS)
• writing rehabilitation/attendant care plans.

The remaining workshop for 2009 is scheduled for 21 October 2009.
Registrations are now open for this workshop.

To register, please use the registration form in the brochure: Service Provider workshop (111kb)

For additional information about the workshops, email workshop@maa.nsw.gov.au.