What statutory benefits are
A NSW CTP claim has two halves. Statutory benefits are the ongoing support you receive while you recover — weekly income, treatment, rehab, and care. Damages are a lump sum at the very end, available only in more serious not-at-fault cases. This page is about the first half.
The big thing about statutory benefits is that they're largely no-faultfor the early period. You don't have to prove someone else caused the crash to start receiving them, and you don't need a court. They flow from the CTP insurer of the vehicle involved, designed to support you straight after the accident.
The three things statutory benefits cover
1. Income support (weekly payments)
If your injury stops you working, or cuts your hours, the CTP insurer pays weekly income:
- First 13 weeks: 95% of your pre-injury weekly earnings, up to a regulated cap.
- Week 14 onward: 80% of pre-injury earnings, up to the cap.
- Partial return to work: a top-up that bridges the gap between what you now earn and what you earned before.
This is the part that matters most in the early weeks — it keeps the rent paid while you can't work.
2. Treatment and medical expenses
Reasonable and necessary treatment related to the injury, funded directly by the insurer:
- GP and specialist appointments.
- Physiotherapy, exercise physiology, hydrotherapy.
- Imaging — X-ray, CT, MRI as ordered.
- Surgery and hospital care where needed.
- Medication.
- Psychological treatment.
Larger items usually need pre-approval, which is part of what we chase on your behalf so treatment isn't held up.
3. Rehabilitation and care
- Rehabilitation programs to get you back to work and normal life.
- Domestic assistance when you can't manage the house, cooking or shopping.
- Personal care if you can't manage daily personal tasks.
- Return-to-work support — graded plans, workplace modifications.
- Travel costs to and from approved treatment.
How long they last — and the 52-week mark
For most people, statutory benefits run for up to 52 weeks. What happens after that depends on your injury classification:
- Non-threshold (serious) injuries — both income and treatment benefits can continue beyond 52 weeks where the medical evidence supports it.
- Threshold (minor) injuries — benefits generally stop at the 52-week mark.
There's also a 26-week marker that affects at-fault drivers with threshold injuries. The classification is decisive, which is why getting it argued properly is so important. See threshold vs non-threshold injury explained.
Fault and statutory benefits
This is the part that surprises people. The early statutory benefits are largely no-fault — meaning even a driver who caused the crash can receive up to 52 weeks of income and treatment support if they're injured. Most compensation lawyers won't take an at-fault case because there's no damages payout at the end for them to take a cut of. We do. See can I claim if I was at fault.
Statutory benefits vs damages — don't confuse them
Statutory benefits are the weekly support during recovery. Damages are the lump sum at the end. They're separate, and many claims involve statutory benefits only. If your injury is non-threshold and someone else was at fault, you may get both. See the damages claim explained.
What we do for you
We get the claim in inside 28 days so your statutory benefits start as soon as possible, set up income payments and treatment funding, chase the insurer for pre-approvals, and keep the benefits flowing while you recover. If your injury is non-threshold, we build the damages claim alongside. We don't take a contingency cut from your damages.
Take the short check at /check, or call (02) 7238 7379 and a real person picks up.