Get on the road to recovery

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is a Victorian Government owned organisation whose role is to promote road safety and support people who have been injured on our roads. The TAC achieve the latter of their goals by operating Victoria’s no-fault accident compensation scheme. The TAC is funded through our annual car registration fees via VicRoads, this is to ensure that compensation is available to anyone, in the unfortunate event a road accident occurs.

TAC entitlements are designed to help people who have been injured on our roads get back on their feet and on with their lives. You may be entitled to make a claim if you are:

• A driver or passenger injured in a motor vehicle or motorcycle accident, no matter the cause, and even if the vehicle is unidentified or unregistered;
• Claiming for a child injured in a road or transport accident;
• A pedestrian or cyclist injured by a vehicle;
• A passenger injured on a tram, train, bus or any other public transport;
• A road user injured when taking evasive action trying to avoid a road accident;
• Involved in a single vehicle accident;
• A family member who has suffered psychological trauma.

Check if you have a claim online in just a few minutes.

Your claim for compensation with the TAC must be submitted within 12 months of the date of your accident. If you fail to lodge your claim within 12 months, the TAC can exercise it’s discretion to accept a claim submitted after 12 months but within 3 years of the date of the accident. However, if you do not submit you claim within 3 years, then you will not be entitled to any benefits from the TAC.

Some common expenses you can claim include:

• Medical expenses, including hospital costs, surgery, specialists visits and rehabilitation expenses;
• Loss of income from the time of the accident to up to three years after the accident, unless an exception applies to you;
• An impairment benefit, based on the type of injury you have;
• Common law damages if the accident was caused (or partly caused) by the negligence of someone else;
• Benefits to dependants who have lost a family member in an accident;
• Mental trauma, as the impacts aren’t always physical;
• Out of pocket expenses (which can really add up).

In Victoria, you are entitled to claim compensation via the TAC if you’ve been injured in a road accident, regardless of who was at fault. However, if another party was at fault (even partially), you may be entitled to take action against the at-fault party for compensation for your pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and past and future loss of earnings. Claims for compensation under common law will be in addition to your TAC entitlements.

Compensation claims are often complex processes. Getting the assistance of an experienced lawyer can help you navigate TAC and road accident law to help you achieve the best outcome possible with minimal stress.

A lawyer can help:

• advise you on your entitlements, including any potential common law and statutory entitlements;
• gather evidence and supporting materials for your claim, including examinations with independent medical professionals;
• negotiate on your behalf during mediations;

with the review and appeals process for your claim.

When you work with us, you'll have a dedicated team of experts working hard to help get you the compensation you're entitled to so you can concentrate on making tomorrow better than today. With over 85 years' experience, we've been working on cases like yours for years. We'll listen to your story, because we know that everyone's needs and circumstances are different. And, when we know the ins and outs of your case, we will know exactly how to help you get the compensation you need in the most efficient and stress-free manner possible.

Once you’ve lodged your TAC claim, you should contact Slater and Gordon as soon as possible. We will then understand your situation, give you some initial information on your options and arrange a free initial appointment** with you.

At your free initial appointment, we’ll take you through your legal rights and entitlements, our fee arrangement, and the next steps involved should you choose to proceed.

Once you decide to go ahead with your matter with our assistance, we will gather the evidence for your case, including your file from the TAC, police materials, witness reports, and medical reports. We’ll also organise any medical examinations you need with independent medical professionals.

Once we’ve gathered al the relevant evidence, we will make applications for an impairment benefit on your behalf. If you have a common law claim, we will also make applications for a serious injury certificate.

Click here for more information on how we can help.