What to Do After a Car Accident in NSW – With Detailed Checklist

Published: 14 August 2026

Key Things to Know

• Stop immediately, check for injuries, and call 000 if anyone is hurt
• You must exchange details with all other drivers involved, and report the accident to police
• NSW’s CTP (Green Slip) scheme will cover your medical costs and lost wages for the first 12 months regardless of fault, but you should lodge your claim within certain time limits.
• Lodge your CTP personal injury benefits claim within 28 days of the accident to receive back pay of income support from the date of the crash; otherwise the claim should be lodged within 3 months before you need to give an explanation for why you lodged outside the 3 months.
• If your injuries are more serious (non-threshold) and another party was at fault, you may also be able to pursue a lump sum damages claim – speak to a lawyer as time limits apply.

A car accident can happen in seconds and the confusion and stress that follows can make it hard to think clearly. Knowing what to do in the aftermath can protect both your safety and your legal rights. This guide walks you through each step, including a checklist you can save for reference. You can also contact our team to handle much of this on your behalf and negotiate directly with your insurer. In any event, it is highly recommended that you don’t agree to anything prematurely with your insurer or accept their rejection without getting free legal advice first.

Step 1: Stop and Make the Scene Safe

If you’re involved in any road accident, you are legally obligated to stop, check on others involved, and collect the necessary details. Failing to do so is considered a ‘hit and run’ and can result in significant fines, licence suspension, and even jail time, depending on the severity of the accident and injuries sustained.

Switch off your ignition to reduce the risk of fire and turn on your hazard lights. Your first priority is the safety of everyone involved — if anyone is injured, call 000 immediately. In minor accidents where your vehicle is still driveable, move it off the road so you’re not blocking traffic.

Step 2: Exchange Details

You must exchange the driver’s name and address, the vehicle owner’s name and address, and the vehicle registration number with all parties involved in the accident. If there are any witnesses, collect their contact details too – their account of events could be valuable later.

One important caution: you may feel responsible for the accident and want to apologise to the other driver or drivers involved. However, motor vehicle accidents can be complicated and it is not always easy to assess who is responsible. In some cases, both drivers may be partly to blame. Avoid making any admissions of fault at the scene.

Step 3: Report to Police

You do not always need to wait at the scene for police to arrive, but reporting obligations still apply. Under Rule 287(3) of the Road Rules, a crash must be reported to police when any person is killed or injured, when drivers involved in the crash don’t exchange particulars, or when a vehicle involved in the crash is towed away.

For a motor vehicle crash in NSW, make a report to the police to get an event number. Call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 to report the crash. When speaking to the police, make sure you collect an “event number” for your records – this is necessary to show you have followed all the steps required after a road accident and support your claim for motor vehicle accident compensation. Motor accidents legislation furthermore requires you to report the incident within 28 days or explain the delay.

Step 4: Seek Medical Attention

Even if you feel fine, it is a good idea to visit a doctor as some injuries, such as whiplash or internal damage, may not be immediately apparent. Seeing a doctor promptly also creates an official medical record linking your injuries to the accident – something that will matter if you later make a compensation claim.

Step 5: Gather Evidence

Key pieces of evidence that you could obtain include: photographs of the damage to any vehicles or property, a record of what occurred for you to refer back to later (but do not give that to anyone other than a lawyer), contact details of any other witnesses, a diagram of the location of the accident, and quotes for repairing any damage to your vehicle.

Keep copies of everything – medical reports, receipts, correspondence with insurers, and any time off work. Good records make a significant difference to any claim you make down the track.

Step 6: Understand the CTP Insurance Scheme

In New South Wales, all registered vehicles must have CTP insurance, which covers injuries to people caused by motor vehicle accidents. CTP stands for Compulsory Third Party – it is also commonly known as a Green Slip. A CTP claim is separate from a compensation claim for vehicle damage. CTP only covers injuries to people.

Importantly, anyone who is injured in a motor accident can apply for statutory compensation benefits, even if they were at fault. Under the current scheme, almost everyone injured in a motor accident gets access to statutory benefits for at least the first 12 months, regardless of who caused the crash.

Benefits may include income support payments, medical expenses, and/or vocational rehabilitation programmes while you recover.

Step 7: Lodge Your CTP Claim – And Mind the Deadlines

Time limits in the NSW CTP scheme are strict, and missing them can cost you real money.

• Within 28 days: If you lodge your claim within 28 days of the accident (excluding public holidays), your income support payments are backdated to the date of the accident. Miss this window, and income support may only be calculated from the date you actually submitted your claim — for someone unable to work, those lost weeks can add up to a significant amount.
• 3-month deadline: You can submit a claim up to 3 months after the accident, but it is best to submit a claim as soon as possible. If more than three months have passed since the accident occurred, you will need to provide a satisfactory explanation for the delay. The CTP insurer can refuse to accept late claims, so it is strongly advisable to treat this as a hard deadline.
• 3-year limit for lump sum (common law) damages: If your injuries are classified as above-threshold and you were not at fault, you have up to three years from the date of the accident to lodge a common law damages claim (a separate lump sum compensation pathway).

To receive income support payments, submit an Application for Personal Injury Benefits form with a Certificate of Fitness from your GP. Visit Services NSW to find the latest path to do this, or click the links below to access the forms directly.

Threshold vs. Non-Threshold Injuries – What Does It Mean?

Under the NSW CTP scheme, every injury is classified as either a threshold (minor) injury or a non-threshold (more serious) injury. Under the 2017 scheme, every injury is classified as either a threshold injury or a non-threshold injury. This classification matters because it controls how long you can receive benefits and whether you can pursue a common-law lump sum claim.

Threshold injuries are generally soft-tissue injuries (sprains, strains, mild whiplash) and minor psychological conditions like acute stress reactions that resolve within a few months.

If your injury is non-threshold and another party was at fault, you may be able to pursue a lump sum damages claim. This possibly covers pain and suffering, past and future economic loss. You may also be entitled to ongoing medical expenses for life.

Don’t assume your injury is minor before getting proper medical and legal advice — the classification can have a major impact on the compensation you’re entitled to receive.

What if the Other Driver Was Unregistered or Fled the Scene?

If the at-fault vehicle was unregistered, unidentified (such as in a hit-and-run), or stolen, you can still pursue a claim through the Nominal Defendant scheme, which acts as a safety net under the NSW government’s CTP framework. Speak to a lawyer promptly if you find yourself in this situation, as different procedures apply.

Insurer Tactics That Can Quietly Undermine Your Claim

Even a helpful-sounding insurer is ultimately managing its own liability. A few common approaches can end up costing you compensation you’re entitled to, so it’s worth knowing what to look out for.

• Being asked to accept a threshold injury label. If you agree to this without a specialist reviewing your medical evidence first, your benefits will typically stop after 52 weeks and you’ll be barred from a lump sum common law claim. Get advice before you accept this classification.
• Giving a recorded statement early. Insurers often ask for a formal statement soon after the crash. Get advice before providing one — things said while you’re in shock or in pain can later be used to suggest you were at fault, or that your injuries are less serious than they are.
• Accepting a quick ‘full and final’ offer. An early lump sum offer is often made before the true extent of your injuries is known. Once you sign a full and final release, you can’t ask for more later — even if your condition worsens. Have a lawyer review any offer before you accept it.

Key Contacts:

When Should You Speak to a Lawyer?

If your injuries are anything more than very minor, or if you are unsure about any step in the process, it is worth getting legal advice sooner rather than later. A lawyer who specialises in car accident compensation can help you understand what you may be entitled to, make sure you meet all deadlines, and handle negotiations with the insurer on your behalf.

Here’s how our team at Whitelaw McDonald Lawyers can help:

• Initial case assessment: We’ll review your situation and explain where you stand, in plain language, before you commit to anything.
• Medical evidence: If your medical reports don’t fully capture your ongoing symptoms, we’ll help you get the right specialist opinion and make sure it’s properly documented.
• Calculating your full entitlements: We make sure your claim captures everything you may be entitled to — lost income, treatment and rehabilitation costs, and future care needs — not just the insurer’s first offer.
• Handling the insurer: We manage correspondence, disputes, and negotiations with the CTP insurer, so you’re not doing this while trying to recover.
• Related claims and lump sum entitlements: We can advise on whether other entitlements may also be available to you alongside your CTP claim, and whether a lump sum damages claim may be open to you if your injuries are more serious.

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The team at Whitelaw McDonald Lawyers are experienced Car accident lawyers Newcastle who can guide you through the CTP claims process and advise you on your options. If you have more serious injuries, we can also advise you on whether a lump sum damages claim may be open to you. As personal injury lawyers Newcastle, we understand how stressful this time can be, and we are here to help you get the support you need.

This article contains general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation is different. If you have been involved in a car accident in NSW, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your individual circumstances.