Physiotherapy for Car Accident Injuries
Physiotherapy for Car Accident Injuries
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, life can get extremely stressful and challenging. Not only do you have to deal with getting your car fixed or replaced, having a car accident can cause a lot of financial stress. A lot of drivers in NSW are unaware, CTP insurance is able to cover some of these costs, including lost wages, support at home while you are recovering and treatment costs. Motor vehicle accident compensation in NSW is available to all injured drivers, passengers and pedestrians through the CTP insurance scheme regardless of who was at fault and caused the accident.
Who can receive Physiotherapy after a car accident?
If you’ve been injured in any motor vehicle accident in NSW you can apply for “personal injury benefits” under the NSW CTP scheme. This includes:
- Drivers and passengers
- Motor bike riders and passengers
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
If you are charged with a serious driving offence in connection with the accident, or if you were the at-fault driver of an uninsured vehicle, then you are not entitled to motor vehicle accident compensation in NSW.
Common injuries that qualify for a CTP claims:
- Broken collar bone or separated shoulder
- Fractures
- Broken or bruised bones
- Cuts and abrasions
- Head or brain injury
- Soft tissue injuries
Threshold Injuries
Your injuries will be classified as ‘threshold’ or ‘above threshold’, and this classification will determine how your claim is assessed.
- Threshold injuries are less serious accident injuries like bruising, cuts, and abrasions, but not fractures. Threshold injuries include musculoskeletal conditions such as general muscular pains due to the accident.
- Above-threshold injuries are more serious injuries which include fractures, head or brain injuries, or injuries that require surgery.
I’ve had a car accident, what do I do next?
- Report the accident to the police. This is important, as you’ll need a police event number to claim your entitlements. This can also depend on the insurer, not all insurance companies will require you to provide a police event number.
- You’ll need details of the vehicle involved to identify the CTP insurer. However, you can still lodge a CTP claim provided you have other evidence to substantiate your claim.
- Keep records of any witnesses and photos of the accident scene. Helmet or bike camera footage can be especially helpful with cycling accident claims.
- See your GP and get a full medical assessment. Even if you don’t need to go to hospital, it’s important to get a medical assessment as some injuries can worsen over time, and if your injuries do worsen you might need time off work or further treatment. It’s paramount your GP lists all of your symptoms on your medical certificate, regardless of how minor the symptom may be. Symptoms can worsen days or even weeks after the accident.
- If you need any time off work or treatment, submit an ‘application for personal injury benefits’. This will allow you to receive 80-95% of your lost wages, covered by the CTP claim.
- It’s important to submit your claim within 28 days of the accident to be eligible for your lost wages to be backdated to the date of the accident. The final date for lodgement is three months from the date of the accident.
Physiotherapy Treatment for CTP Claims:
- Physiotherapy treatment is covered under your CTP claim with no out of pocket charges to the patient
- We directly bill the insurer once you have been issued with a claim number
- We provide in clinic sessions in our Parramatta clinic
- We also provide mobile Physiotherapy services for CTP claims.
- We are passionate about helping patients reach their pre injury levels.
- Reach out to us if you have any questions.
Support available after a car accident
- Below Threshold Injury: Income support, medical, Physiotherapy and home care expenses for up to 12 months
- Above Threshold Injury: Income support, medical and home care expenses that can extend beyond 12 months
Steps you need to take after the accident to lodge your claim:
1. Inform your insurer, lodge a police report (Police report may not be required, depending on the extent of the injuries)
2. You should go to the hospital or your general practitioner (GP) and obtain treatment for any injuries you have sustained. Make sure your GP or the hospital records how your accident occurred and records all the injuries you have sustained, even those injuries that might seem minor at the time. If you went to the hospital first, you may need to consult your GP who will provide you with an “Accident Notification Form” or a medical certificate. You will need this form to lodge your CTP claim.
3. If because of the car accident you need time off work or payment for medical treatment, you need to submit an Application for Personal Injury Benefits form.
4. You will need certain details before you can lodge your CTP Claim:
- The details of the vehicle that hit you (to identify the CTP insurer)
- Police event number
- Medical certificate from your GP (Filled by your GP)
- Personal injury benefits form (Filled by you)
5. It is best to submit your claim as soon as possible. To receive lost wages, you must submit your claim within 28 days of the accident.
7. Once your claim has been accepted, the insurer will issue you with a claim number. You can provide this claim number to a Physiotherapist who will assist you with your injury and provide rehabilitation services.
Contact Us:
Do you need assistance with your injury? Experienced Physiotherapists with essential knowledge. You can call us anytime to have a confidential discussion with our expert Physiotherapists. For more information on how we can further assist you, please call our clinic number on 0479 080 800 or send us an email on [email protected] for further details. Our Physiotherapists are Medicare, NDIS, DVA and Work Cover approved, specialising in injury management and rehabilitation to get you back on track.
