Lime Lawyers can help you if you are injured in the following situations:

• Slip and falls;
• Working as a Contractor;
• Working in Labour Hire arrangements;
• Accidents in public places or at public events;
• Accidents in rental properties;
• Boat accidents;
• Plane accidents; or
• Defective products.

If a family member or loved one is killed in a public liability accident the dependents (spouse, parents or children) may have a right to compensation.  This may include the cost of funeral expenses, compensation for the loss of their loved one’s income or assistance with day to day household activities.

If you have any queries as to whether you may be able to make a claim please speak to one of our expert lawyers.

You can claim compensation for any injuries you sustain in a public liability accident, both physical and emotional.

Examples of the type of injuries include:

• Whiplash (neck or back)
• Neck and Back (strains, protrusions, fractures, paraplegia, quadriplegia)
• Shoulder (strains, tendon tears and fractures)
• Upper limb (hand, wrist, fingers, elbow, collar bone)
• Lower limb (feet, toes, ankles, knees, legs, hips)
• Head and Brain (loss of memory, brain damage, dental, eyesight, hearing)
• Internal (Ribs, lungs, spleen, liver, stomach, kidneys)
• Burns and scarring
• Emotional (nightmares, flashbacks, PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic attacks)

This is not a complete list of the type of injuries you can claim compensation for. You should contact one of our lawyers to get expert advice regarding your specific circumstances.

The circumstances around each claim are different. Initially, your claim involves the treatment of your injury – the more serious the claim the longer the treatment period. The main determining factor is the time it takes for your injuries to ‘stabilise’, the amount of treatment you need and how well you recover from the injuries. It is only when the injury is stable that negotiations can commence.

There is also a legal process that must be followed in all cases and time frames associated with each stage of the process. Therefore the earlier you commence your claim the earlier those timeframes commence.

Once we know the circumstances of your case and severity of your injury we will be in a better position to estimate how long your claim would take to finalise.

There are several components (heads of damage) that make up someone’s compensation claim.

These include:

• Pain and suffering;
• Past and future loss of income, overtime or other employment benefits (including superannuation). This may include loss of business income or opportunities if you are self-employed;
• Expenses for medication, treatment, travelling expenses or specialist attendances that you have incurred;
• Reimbursement for paid assistance, eg. cleaning, gardening or pool cleaning;
• Assistance provided by family members or friends for personal care, such as dressing or showering, household activities (such as vacuuming or meal preparation) or the time taken to drive and accompany you to medical appointments;
• Future medical expenses including medication, physical or psychological treatment or surgery.

Contact one of our experts for advice that is specific to you.

Lime Lawyers assist people injured in public liability accidents on a ‘no-win no-fee’ basis. You will not pay anything up-front nor will you have to pay any legal expenses This includes our legal fees and the cost of all medical reports until you are successful in obtaining compensation for your claim.

You will not be required to borrow money or take out a high interest litigation loan. We do not require the money we pay on your behalf to be paid back until your claim settles.

Please contact one of our lawyers to discuss this further.

There are strict time limits that apply to public liability claims in Queensland. Failure to commence a claim before these time limits expire may result in the loss of your legal right to claim compensation.

In most circumstances, there is a three (3) year time limit from the date of your accident to bring a claim.

Speak to one of our expert lawyers about your accident as soon as possible to ensure you protect your legal rights.

When your claim is finalised the money you receive is generally not classed as income and is therefore not taxable.

Please note that any interest/income that you earn by investing your compensation money may be taxed.

If injuries sustained in an accident cause you to stop work for an extended period, lose your job or cause financial impact on your business you will be able to claim this loss or future loss.

You will need to ensure that this is documented fully so any income you lose can be claimed.

In the short term, you may have an entitlement to access income protection benefits, a lump sum through Total and Personal Disability or ‘trauma’ insurance or seek an early release of your superannuation balance. Follow this link for more information on TPD and superannuation claims.

Lime Lawyers can assist in determining if any of these options are open to you.

If you have any queries or wish to speak to one of our lawyers please call us on 1800 LIMELAW or complete our online enquiry form.

Lime Lawyers provides free initial consultations and case appraisals.   We can also come to you if necessary.