From April 2010, anyone injured in a motor vehicle accident in NSW regardless of who was at fault, may be able to access the benefits available under the Accident Notification Form.
The Accident Notification Form provides for the early payment of reasonable and necessary medical expenses and/or lost earnings up to a maximum of $5,000.
The MAA has produced an information sheet to help injured people understand the benefits available under the Accident Notification Form and the CTP scheme.
For more information, contact the MAA’s Claims Advisory Service on 1300 656 919.
Completing the Accident Notification Form
You will need to:
- identify the registration number of the vehicle that caused the accident
- report the accident to the police if they did not attend the accident scene and obtain a police event number
- get an Accident Notification Form here
- call the MAA’s Claims Advisory Service on 1300 656 919 to find out the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) or Green Slip insurer of the vehicle that caused the accident
- complete the Accident Notification Form and have your doctor complete the medical certificate
- send the Accident Notification Form to the relevant Green Slip insurer within 28 days of the accident.
If you need help filling out the Accident Notification Form, please call the MAA’s Claims Advisory Service on 1300 656 919, or email cas@maa.nsw.gov.au
For help with legal advice phone the NSW Law Society on 02 9373 7300.
Please note, the Accident Notification Form does not pay for any legal expenses.
If you were the driver at fault
The Accident Notification Form provides for treatment expenses and lost earnings up to $5,000 regardless of who was at fault. If you were the driver at fault, you should send your completed Accident Notification Form to the CTP insurer of the vehicle that you were driving at the time of the accident. You can still access the benefits available under the Accident Notification Form, but you may not be eligible to make a full claim for compensation under the Motor Accidents Scheme.
For more information about who can make a full claim for compensation, see Who Can Claim or contact the MAA’s Claims Advisory Service on 1300 656 919.
If you cannot identify the vehicle that caused the accident
You cannot use the Accident Notification Form if you are unable to identify the vehicle that caused the accident, for example, if your accident was a ‘hit and run’.
You will need to complete a Personal Injury Claim Form instead.
Contact the Motor Accident Authority’s Claims Advisory Service on 1300 656 919 for assistance.
What happens next
The insurer will provide you with a reference, which must be used in all correspondence. Within 10 days, the insurer will let you know whether it will pay for your reasonable and necessary medical treatment and lost earnings.
The maximum amount the insurer has to pay for treatment provided by a doctor, is the amount set out in the Australian Medical Association (AMA) List of Medical Services and Fees. Set fees may also apply for other services.
Important additional information
The agreement by the insurer to pay these expenses is not an admission of liability or an agreement to pay any other expenses.
The Accident Notification Form allows you to claim up to $5,000 for treatment provided and loss of income suffered within six months of the date of the accident. In paying these expenses, the insurer must give priority to payment of treatment expenses which means they will pay expenses for reasonable and necessary treatment provided in the first six months before making any payment for lost earnings.
For this reason, the insurer will not make payment for any loss of income until the end of the six month period following the accident.
If your expenses are greater than $5,000
If your expenses are more, or are likely to be more than $5,000 you may need to make a full claim for compensation by submitting a Personal Injury Claim Form. You may also like to make a full claim if you wish to claim other compensation such as payment for your pain and suffering.
Your entitlement to make a full claim may depend on the circumstances of the accident you were injured in. You may not be eligible to make a full claim if you were the driver completely at fault.
For more information about who can make a full claim, see Who Can Claim or contact the MAA’s Claims Advisory Service on 1300 656 919.