Compensation, Injury & Insurance Lawyers and Solicitors in Sydney

Compensation and injury law covers claims for harm caused by an accident, a workplace injury, medical treatment or another person's negligence, together with disputes over insurance policies. In New South Wales the main schemes are workers compensation under the Workers Compensation Act 1987 and the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998, motor accident benefits and damages under the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017, and negligence claims governed by the Civil Liability Act 2002. Insurance disputes include total and permanent disability, income protection and home or vehicle claims.

Where these matters are decided

The Personal Injury Commission decides disputes in both the workers compensation and the motor accident schemes. Claims for common law damages, public liability and medical negligence are heard in the District Court or the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Complaints against banks, insurers and superannuation trustees can go to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. Victims of violent crime may also seek support through Victims Services NSW.

Legal aid and funding

Legal Aid NSW does not generally fund personal injury claims, but it has some civil law services and can refer people on. The Law Society of NSW and LawAccess NSW provide information on current options. Many injury solicitors act on a conditional costs basis, and the Legal Profession Uniform Law requires written disclosure of costs and limits what may be charged.

What to bring to a first meeting

• Any incident report, police event number or workplace injury notification
• Medical certificates, reports and a list of treating practitioners
• Payslips and tax records showing earnings before the injury
• The insurance policy and any letters from the insurer
• Photographs, witness names and receipts for expenses

Checking credentials

Solicitors must hold a current practising certificate, searchable on the Law Society of NSW register. Barristers who appear in injury cases are members of the NSW Bar Association.

The firms below act for people injured at work, on the road and in public places across the Sydney CBD, Parramatta and Western Sydney, the North Shore, the Eastern Suburbs, the Inner West, the South West, Sutherland, the Hills District and the Northern Beaches.

The listings below are alphabetical and are not ranked.

Common questions

What is the difference between a workers compensation claim and a common law claim?

A workers compensation claim provides weekly payments and medical expenses on a no-fault basis through the employer's insurer. A work injury damages claim is a separate common law claim that requires proof of negligence and a minimum level of permanent impairment. The two operate under different rules and are decided in different forums.

How do motor accident claims work in New South Wales?

For accidents on or after 1 December 2017, the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 provides statutory benefits, such as treatment costs and income support, regardless of who was at fault, for a limited period. Damages for non-economic loss and some economic loss depend on fault and on an assessed degree of impairment. Disputes go to the Personal Injury Commission.

Who decides a dispute with my insurer?

It depends on the policy. Many disputes with banks, general insurers and superannuation funds can be taken to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority at no cost to the complainant. Larger or more contested claims, including those about total and permanent disability, may be decided in the District Court or the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Compensation, Injury & Insurance lawyers by suburb

Eastern Suburbs

Bellevue Hill, Ben Buckler, Bondi, Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction, Bondi Junction Plaza, Bronte, Centennial Park, Charing Cross, Clovelly, Clovelly West, Coogee, Daceyville, Darling Point, Diamond Bay, Double Bay, Dover Heights, Edgecliff, Hmas Rushcutters, Hmas Watson, Kensington, Kingsford, Maroubra, Maroubra South, Moore Park, North Bondi, Paddington, Pagewood, Point Piper, Queens Park, Randwick, Rose Bay, Rose Bay North, South Coogee, St Pauls, Tamarama, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay, Waverley, Woollahra

Hills District

Beecroft, Castle Hill, Cheltenham, West Pennant Hills

Inner West

Annandale, Balmain, Balmain East, Birchgrove, Chullora, Concord West, Drummoyne, Homebush, Homebush South, Homebush West, Leichhardt, Liberty Grove, Lilyfield, Rhodes, Rozelle, Stanmore, Westgate

North Shore

Artarmon, Cammeray, Carlingford, Carlingford Court, Carlingford North, Castle Cove, Castlecrag, Chatswood, Chatswood West, Cremorne, Cremorne Junction, Cremorne Point, Crows Nest, Denistone, Denistone East, Denistone West, East Killara, East Lindfield, Eastwood, Epping, Gordon, Gore Hill, Greenwich, Hmas Platypus, Hmas Waterhen, Killara, Kingsdene, Kirribilli, Kurraba Point, Lane Cove, Lane Cove North, Lane Cove West, Lavender Bay, Lindfield, Lindfield West, Linley Point, Longueville, Marsfield, McMahons Point, Meadowbank, Melrose Park, Middle Cove, Milsons Point, Mosman, Naremburn, Neutral Bay, Neutral Bay Junction, North Epping, North Sydney, North Sydney Shoppingworld, North Willoughby, Northbridge, Northwood, Osborne Park, Putney, Riverview, Roseville, Roseville Chase, Royal North Shore Hospital, Ryde, Spit Junction, St Leonards, Waverton, West Ryde, Willoughby, Willoughby East, Willoughby North, Wollstonecraft

Northern Beaches

Allambie, Allambie Heights, Balgowlah, Balgowlah Heights, Beacon Hill, Brookvale, Clontarf, Curl Curl, Fairlight, Forestville, Frenchs Forest, Frenchs Forest East, Freshwater, Harbord, Killarney Heights, Manly, Manly East, Manly Vale, North Balgowlah, North Manly, Oxford Falls, Queenscliff, Seaforth, Warringah Mall

South West Sydney

Fairfield, Fairfield East, Fairfield Heights, Fairfield West

Sydney CBD and Inner South

Alexandria, Barangaroo, Beaconsfield, Broadway, Camperdown, Chippendale, Darling Harbour, Darling Island, Darlinghurst, Darlington, Dawes Point, Eastlakes, Elizabeth Bay, Enmore, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Golden Grove, Haymarket, Hmas Kuttabul, Kings Cross, Millers Point, Missenden Road, Newtown, Parliament House, Potts Point, Pyrmont, Redfern, Rosebery, Rushcutters Bay, Surry Hills, Sydney, Sydney South, Taylor Square, The Rocks, The University Of Sydney, Ultimo, Waterloo, Woolloomooloo, Zetland

Western Sydney

Auburn, Auburn South, Bass Hill, Berala, Birrong, Blaxcell, Camellia, Carramar, Chester Hill, Clyde, Constitution Hill, Dundas, Dundas Valley, Ermington, Girraween, Granville, Greystanes, Guildford, Guildford West, Harris Park, Holroyd, Homebush Bay, Kings Langley, Lalor Park, Lansdowne, Lidcombe, Lidcombe North, Mays Hill, Merrylands, Merrylands West, Newington, North Parramatta, North Rocks, Northmead, Norwest, Oatlands, Old Guildford, Old Toongabbie, Parramatta, Pemulwuy, Pendle Hill, Potts Hill, Regents Park, Rookwood, Rosehill, Rydalmere, Sefton, Seven Hills, Seven Hills West, Silverwater, South Granville, South Wentworthville, Sydney Olympic Park, Telopea, Toongabbie, Toongabbie East, Villawood, Wentworth Point, Wentworthville, Westmead, Yennora