How to lodge a CTP claim in Queensland

There are a number of steps you will need to take in order to lodge a CTP claim for personal injuries.

What steps do I take to report an accident to the police?

Report the accident to the police

Where a person is injured in a motor vehicle accident, the law requires the drivers involved to report the matter to police. It also requires the person making a CTP claim to ensure the accident has been reported before their claim can be commenced.

Injured? Get expert advice now: Smith's are Queensland's only 100% risk-free injury compensation lawyers. Insist on our 'No Win. No Fee. No Catch' ® promise. Check your rights with no risk or obligations now and talk direct to our Principal lawyer, Greg Smith. Call 1800 266 801 OR  check if you can claim

Find out who the ‘at fault’ vehicle’s CTP Insurer is

If you don’t know who the ‘at fault’ vehicle’s insurer is, contact the Motor Accident Insurance Commission on 1300 302 568.

Complete a claim form

Download a claim form for personal injuries and fill in all the sections. You will need to get your medical practitioner to complete the medical certificate part of the claim form and you should attach ay medical certificates, documents and receipts that relate to your medical treatment.


In order to complete the claim form you will need the following:

• registration number of the ‘at fault’ vehicle (if it cannot be identified or is unregistered your claim can be addressed to “the Nominal Defendant, GPO Box 2203, Brisbane QLD 4001)
• police accident report reference number
• medical reports, certificates, receipts and accounts relating to your medical treatment

Lodge the claim

Your claim form can be lodged directly with the ‘at fault’ vehicle’s CTP insurer. Make sure you do this as soon as possible as there are strict legal timeframes for lodging your claim.

What time limits apply to lodge a CTP claim?

If you are lodging with a CTP insurer you have 9 months from the date of the incident or the date symptoms of your injuries first appear (if you did not know about them at the time the incident occurred).

If you are lodging your claim with the Nominal Defendant because the ‘at fault’ vehicle was unidentified or unregistered, then you only have 3 months.

Strict time limits apply - seek legal advice ASAP - In most circumstances, the time limit to start a compensation claim is 3 years from the date of incident. Some processes need to be started much sooner. Seek expert legal advice ASAP. Call us on 1800 266 801 or start a live chat

How long will it take to process my CTP claim?

Once you lodge a CTP claim, it generally takes 12 to 18 months to settle a CTP claim however it can take up to 3 years.
CTP insurers are required to make a decision as to whether the vehicle they insured was ‘at fault’ for the accident within 6 months of claim lodgement, however it may take much longer than this for your claim to settle, especially if your injuries are severe or there is dispute over who was at fault.

Do I need to get a lawyer? 

In order for your claim to be successful you will need to be able to prove that the CTP insurer’s driver is liable for your injuries which may require specific expert evidence. CTP insurers have their own lawyers advising them of how to limit their liability and reduce the amount they have to pay out.


It is therefore strongly recommended that injured persons seek their own professional legal advice early in the claims process.Smith's Lawyers are Queensland injury compensation experts and run all claims on a truly risk-free basis, '
No Win. No Fee. No Catch®'. Unlike the vast majority our competitors, this means no upfront costs or risks.

Get Expert Advice Now 

For free & no obligation initial advice, please call us on 1800 266 801, request a call back via case review below or start a live chat with our experts now.