Motor Vehicle &
Road Accident Lawyers
We help you through the TAC claims process, helping you get the compensation you deserve.
Injured in a Road or Transport accident?
The TAC (Transport Accident Commission) provides support for those injured in a road or transport accident.
Those injured in a road or transport accident can claim compensation for their pain and suffering, loss of income and medical expenses, regardless of who is at fault for their injury.
If you’ve been injured in a road or transport accident, you may have a claim for compensation.
We understand that when you’re injured, your family and friends can feel the impact of your accident too. We know our clients rely on us to get the best outcome, that’s why our road compensation experts will focus on getting you the benefits and compensation you’re entitled to.
We’re here to help
Tell us a little bit about your situation and our friendly team will be in touch.
Who can make a TAC claim?
Are you Eligible to make a TAC claim?
To make a TAC claim, you must be injured as a result of a transport accident involving a Victorian registered vehicle.
You may be covered by the TAC if you are a:
- Driver or passenger of a vehicle regardless of who was at fault
- Pedestrian hit by a vehicle
- Cyclist hit by a vehicle
- Cyclist that collides with a stationary vehicle, open or opening of a vehicle door
- Cyclist injured by taking evasive action to avoid being hit by a vehicle
- Driver or passenger injured on tram/bus/train accident
- Driver or passenger injured due to a defect in a vehicle.
In addition to the above, you may also be entitled to make a TAC claim if you are:
- The dependent of a person who dies as a result of a transport accident, OR
- If you suffer a psychiatric injury because you witnessed a traumatic accident or the aftermath of a traumatic accident, or if a family member dies or is seriously injured as the result of a transport accident.
What do I do if I’ve been injured in a road accident?
It is important to report your accident to the Victorian Police and obtain a police report number. If police did not attend the accident scene, it is important to report the accident to the local police station. We can help assist you if you haven’t done this already.
You have one year from the date of your accident in which to make a claim with the TAC.
It is important to obtain details of any other people involved in the transport accident, including any witnesses.
It is also important to take note of where the accident occurred, what time and details of how the accident happened.
Consult your Doctor to assess your injuries and seek appropriate treatment.
It is important to obtain a medical certificate from your doctor outlining the details of how you sustained your injuries due to your accident.
If you need to take time off work and/or require ongoing medical treatment due to your injury, you must complete and lodge a TAC claim form.
Zaparas lawyers can help assist you in lodging your TAC claim form and provide it directly to the TAC free of charge. Having an experienced TAC lawyer present during this process can help ensure you maximize your entitlements. Call us today to set up a free consultation 8527 0200
What types of
injuries are
covered?
- Back Injury
- Neck Injury
- Spinal Injury
- Whiplash
- Nervous Shock
- Brain Injury
- Psychological Injury
- Broken Bones and Fractures
- And others
What TAC entitlements
are available?
These are entitlements that you can claim, regardless of who was at fault for an accident.
Weekly Payment/ Loss of income
If you cannot work due to your injury (or have modified duties/hours) you may be entitled to weekly payments calculated by reference to your Pre – Injury Average Weekly Earnings (PIAWE).
Weekly payments are available and can continue for up to 3 years and in certain circumstances beyond to retirement age.
Medical and Like Expenses
The TAC can pay for medical treatment that are reasonable and related to your accident.
These can include:
- GP and specialist appointments
- Physical Therapies
- Psychological/Psychiatric treatment
- Medication
- Surgery
Others include:
- Travel to and from medical appointments
- Inpatient hospital care
- Radiological investigations
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Home help and garden maintenance.
It is important to seek our advice to ensure that you are accessing all your entitlements.
Once your injury is deemed stable and permanent, you may be entitled to an impairment benefit lump sum.
A lump sum is payable if your injuries meet or exceed a particular threshold.
Please contact us to obtain advice as to whether you are entitled to this benefit, 8527 0200
In addition to your No-Fault entitlements above, you may also be entitled to Common Law Damages – Lump sum payment for loss of earnings into the future and loss of enjoyment of life.
To be entitled to Common Law entitlements, you must establish that your injury is serious and that someone else was at fault for your accident.
If you believe you may have an entitlement to common law damages, we recommend that you contact us for advice as to whether your injury meets the relevant tests.
What other types
of road accidents
can you claim for?
When should I consult a TAC Road Compensation Lawyer?
If you have sustained an injury or a pre-existing injury has been aggravated or has worsened because of the road or transport accident, you may be entitled to compensation.
Without representation, many people are unaware of their rights and potential entitlements.
Zaparas Lawyers understands how stressful and complicated making a TAC claim can be, our firm is here to assist you every step of the way.
We offer a free no no-obligation appointment.
How long do you have to lodge a TAC claim?
- You have one year from the date of the accident or injury in which to make a claim with the TAC.
- The TAC can accept or reject a claim up to three years after the accident.
- Claims made outside three years, will not be accepted.
What We Offer
Obligation-free
appointments
We get to know your story and understand your circumstances.
Home or hospital
appointments
If you can’t come to us, we can come to you.
Case
management
We advocate for your rights and manage discussions with the insurance companies.
Keep you
updated
Our team will regularly update you about the progress of your claim.
No Win,
No Fee
In the unlikely event that we don’t secure compensation for you, we will not charge you for any of our professional fees.
We can help you
find out if you have a claim
Why Zaparas Lawyers?
At Zaparas Lawyers, we have over 40 years of experience in TAC Claims. Our TAC Lawyers will be able to maximise the benefits you receive.
Every claim is important to us. Our dedicated team of TAC specialists will approach your claim with skill, knowledge, and care. Your file will be conducted by a lawyer who specialises and has experience in TAC claims.
Our dedicated TAC Lawyers can guide you through the process and help make a claim for a benefit at the time you need it most.
We are committed to doing everything in our power to make the legal process as straightforward and stress-free as possible and we will fight to get the best outcome.
Our Fees
We’ve seen how traumatic and life-changing an injury can be, so we understand how important it is that you don’t have to worry about the financial side of your claim.
Learn More About No Win – No Fee
We are a family business – and we will treat you as one of our own.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation appointment.
Award-winning law firm multiple years in a row.
FAQs
Have a
question?
We have
the answer.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Victoria, you have a legal right to claim compensation from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).
Zaparas Lawyers specialise in TAC law. The firm’s expert team of TAC solicitors are dedicated to protecting the rights of injured individuals.
We can ensure your entitlement to benefits is determined fairly and reasonably and can dispute a decision made by the TAC on your behalf.
Medical and like expenses
This includes all medical services and treatments that are reasonable and related to the accident. A medical excess applies before the TAC commences payment, but we are happy to help you reach your excess while protecting your entitlements.
Loss of earnings and loss of earning capacity
Loss of earnings benefits may be paid for up to 18 months to a wage earner who is unable to return to their pre-accident employment as a result of injuries sustained. After this period, loss of earning capacity benefits may be paid for a further 18 months.
Impairment benefit
A permanent impairment arising from an injury may entitle you to a lump sum compensation amount. Your level of impairment is assessed by independent examiners before the TAC determines whether you will receive a payment or not. It’s our job to ensure you are assessed fairly and reasonably and to dispute any decision made by the TAC that we believe to be unjust.
Common law damages
Over and above these benefits, you may be entitled to Common Law damages where it can be shown that the transport accident was wholly or partially the fault of another party and that you have been ‘seriously injured’. Damages may include lump sum payments for pain and suffering and/or economic loss. TAC claims have time limits, so it is vital that you speak to us as soon as possible after you have been injured in a transport accident.
In order to make a request for a particular service or treatment, your doctor will need to send a written request to the Commission to ask it to fund the treatment.
We recommend putting in the medical justification for the treatment, and, if there has been a gap in treatment, explain the reasons for that gap as well. This will hopefully help the Commission in its consideration of the request and prevent unnecessary delays.
Once the Commission has received the material, it will make a decision on the merits of the request. If the decision is to approve the treatment, then you can arrange with your treatment provider to undergo the treatment or with a service provider to the assistance. If the decision is to deny funding, we recommend that you seek legal advice to help you determine whether this a decision that should be challenged.
Understanding your right to medical expense coverage can provide a sense of safety and security for you and your family.
You have entitlements as an injured person regardless of who caused the accident. These entitlements include:
- Medical and related expenses;
- Weekly payments if you are unable to work;
- A lump sum for permanent injury, called an ‘impairment benefit’.
Strict time limits apply, so we recommend seeking advice as soon as possible. A lawyer will be able to help you through this process and negotiate on your behalf.
In addition to your No-Fault entitlements above, you may also be entitled to Common Law Damages – Lump sum payment for loss of earnings into the future and loss of enjoyment of life.
To be entitled to Common Law entitlements, you must establish that your injury is serious and that someone else was at fault for your accident.
If you believe you may have an entitlement to common law damages, we recommend that you contact us for advice as to whether your injury meets the relevant tests.
This is an inevitable question. Assigning a dollar value to a person’s pain and suffering is an imperfect practice. These decisions are guided by a legal framework. For a more detailed breakdown of the calculation read our blog on TAC Claims.
If you receive a decision letter from the TAC in relation to one of your ‘no fault’ entitlements, you have 12 months from the date that you become aware of the decision in which to contest it.
It is important that you contact us as soon as possible if you’re unhappy with any TAC decision.
A claim for compensation must be made within one year of the date of the injury or the date when you first realise you are injured as a result of a transport accident.
However, the TAC may consider a claim made outside this one-year limit if reasonable grounds exist for the delay in making a claim, and it is made within three years from the date of the accident or the date you first realised you were injured.
The TAC will not consider any claims made outside this three-year period, unless the injured person is less than 18 years of age at the time of the accident. In this case they have until the day before they turn 21 years old to make a claim.
With Zaparas Lawyers we have a No Win, No Fee Policy.
This means that in the unlikely event that we don’t succeed in securing compensation for you, we will not charge you for any of our professional fees.
- For the first 90 days after a transport accident, the TAC will reimburse your medical and like expenses without a formal request.
- After the first 90 days, your doctor will need to write to the TAC to request approval for treatment or services required as a result of your transport accident.
- The TAC will then consider funding the requested treatment and issue a decision.
- Please note that if there are medical and like expenses you wish to claim from the TAC, they must be lodged with the TAC within 2 years of the date of the expense being incurred by you.
If you were involved in a transport accident that occurred outside of Victoria, you will still be entitled to TAC benefits if:
- You are a Victorian resident who was injured in an accident involving a Victorian registered vehicle; or
- You are a non-Victorian resident who was injured as an occupant of a Victorian registered vehicle.
If a Victorian registered vehicle was not involved in your accident, your claim will be governed by the relevant authority in the state in which the accident occurred.
If your child or minor has been involved in a transport accident, there are additional benefits available.
You may be able to claim a weekly benefit that will help with the cost of looking after your injured child or minor. The payment will be made to the parent/s or guardian until they are 18 years of age.
If a person has suffered a psychological injury as a result of the death of another person in a transport accident, a claim for compensation can be made. This can include a witness at the accident scene, or a family member of the deceased.
Make an appointment to see one of our specialist compensation lawyers who will answer any questions you have and give a comprehensive overview of your legal rights.
Currently we have seven offices around Melbourne to assist clients all around Victoria and an office in Queensland. Our solicitors are also happy to make a home visit if required.
Our locations can be found here: Zaparas Lawyers office locations
When an injury is sustained, it often causes great financial strain to the injured party and their family. This is why, since its beginning, Zaparas Lawyers has fought cases on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis. In simple terms, this means that in the unlikely event that we don’t succeed in securing compensation for you, we will not charge you for any of our professional fees.
Please bring all relevant documentation you have such as completed claim forms, letters from the TAC, medical reports, radiology investigations and any other documents that may be relevant.
Being specialists in personal injury claims, we know how hard it can be to navigate the legal process, but it can be even harder when English is your second language. That’s why we employ a diverse group of people who speak over 15 different languages to make the process as smooth as it possibly can be.
If we don’t have a lawyer who can speak your language, we also have access to a wide network of professional interpreters, meaning we’re here to help you every step of the way in a language that you understand.
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