How to Choose a Lawyer for a Personal Injury Claim
When choosing your best personal injury lawyer, look for an Accredited Specialist who specialises in compensation claims and check their Google reviews.
You have the right to seek legal advice when you suffer a personal injury in Brisbane (due to negligence), whether in a motor vehicle accident, work injury or public liability case. An experienced personal injury lawyer can:
- Help protect your rights
- Negotiate with the liable insurance company
- Provide legal representation for court proceedings
- Advise you on the best legal strategy for your desired outcome
With so many Queensland injury law firms to choose from, how can you be sure you are choosing the right one? You could type into Google “best personal injury lawyer in Brisbane,” or read our 8 top tips below to make the process easier.
Our legal guide explains how to choose the right personal injury lawyer for a compensation claim in Queensland.
Before reading on: if you already have a specific question about your claim, you can check your eligibility in 60 seconds or call 1800 700 125 for a free consultation.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Injury Lawyers
Choosing the right lawyer to represent you in a personal injury claim is critical. However, it’s not just about hiring an experienced lawyer. To get the best outcome, you need to find the best personal injury lawyers who:
- A deep understanding of the specifics of personal injury law and legal proceedings
- Have a proven track record
- Consistently deliver high levels of service and client satisfaction
- Has extensive experience in preparing a comprehensive statement of damages when seeking compensation
The goal is to choose a compensation lawyer who will put your needs first and seek fair compensation for your loss.
1. Check Whether the Lawyer Holds Queensland Specialist Accreditation
The single most reliable credential you can verify is Queensland Law Society Specialist Accreditation in Personal Injury Law. This is not a marketing badge. It is a formal recognition granted by the Queensland Law Society after a lawyer demonstrates advanced competency through examination, peer assessment, and ongoing professional development.
Most personal injury lawyers in Queensland are general practitioners who handle injury claims among other work. An Accredited Specialist has satisfied an independent professional body that their knowledge and skill in personal injury law exceed the standard required for general practice.
What accreditation means in practice
- The lawyer has passed a rigorous assessment process set by the Queensland Law Society
- They are required to maintain and update their specialist knowledge each year
- The accreditation can be verified directly on the Queensland Law Society website
- Only a small proportion of Queensland personal injury lawyers hold this status
Why it matters for your claim: Personal injury law in Queensland is scheme-specific. CTP claims are governed by the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994, workers’ compensation by the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003, and public liability claims by the Civil Liability Act 2003.
A lawyer without specialist depth in these schemes may not identify every entitlement available to you.
Kerry Splatt, principal lawyer at Splatt Lawyers, is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law recognised by the Queensland Law Society. This accreditation is independently verifiable and is not a self-awarded title.
2. Confirm the Lawyer Has Experience with Your Specific Claim Type
Queensland personal injury law is not one area of law. It is several distinct schemes, each with its own legislation, insurer, procedural rules, and compensation limits. A lawyer who handles car accident claims every day may have limited experience navigating a WorkCover dispute or a public liability claim against a local council.
Before you commit to a firm, ask directly: how many claims of this type has the firm handled in the past two years?
The four main claim types in Queensland
Claim Type | Governing Legislation | Relevant Insurer |
|---|---|---|
Motor vehicle accidents (CTP) | Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 | CTP insurer of at-fault vehicle |
Workers’ compensation claim | Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 | WorkCover Queensland |
Public liability claim | Civil Liability Act 2003 | Occupier’s or business insurer |
Superannuation and TPD insurance | Policy terms and insurance legislation | Superannuation fund insurer |
Each scheme has different notice requirements, time limits, and compensation heads. Mixing up the procedural rules for one scheme with another is a costly error that an experienced scheme-specific lawyer will not make.
Splatt Lawyers handles car accident and CTP claims, workers’ compensation and WorkCover claims, TPD claims and public liability claims across Queensland.
NOTE: The firm does not handle medical negligence claims; if that is your situation, you will need a specialist medical negligence lawyer.
3. Ask Who Will Actually Run Your Claim
This is the question most people forget to ask, and it is one of the most important. Many high-volume personal injury firms use a model where a senior lawyer or partner signs off on strategy, but day-to-day management of your claim is handled by a paralegal, junior solicitor, or case manager.
That is not necessarily wrong, but you should know the answer before you sign a costs agreement.
Questions to ask at your first consultation
You could ask them questions like:
- What personal injury cases have you handled in the past?
- Do you have a strong track record with ymy type of case?
- What is your success rate?
- How will you and your team be handling my case?
- What are your fees, and how are they structured?
- What experience do you have with cases like mine?
What to look for: A firm that gives you direct access to a qualified lawyer, not just an intake team, is a meaningful difference. It means your questions get answered by someone with legal authority over your file, not someone who needs to escalate every query.
At Splatt Lawyers, clients have direct access to a senior lawyer throughout their claim. This isn’t universal across Queensland personal injury firms, so confirm it with any firm you are considering.
4. Understand What "No Win No Fee" Actually Means in Queensland
No win no fee is a standard offering across Queensland personal injury firms, but the term covers a wide range of arrangements. What one firm calls “no win no fee” can differ significantly from another’s in terms of what you owe if you win, what happens if you lose, and who pays for medical reports and other outlays while your claim is running.
Before signing anything, get written answers to the following:
The five fee questions every claimant should ask
- Are legal fees charged as a percentage of settlement, or based on work done? Queensland’s Legal Profession Act 2007 caps personal injury legal fees so that the lawyer cannot receive more than the client from a settlement. This is the 50/50 rule. However, the method of calculating fees (percentage vs. itemised) still matters.
- Are there uplift fees or success fees? Some no-win no-fee agreements include an uplift on the standard fee if the claim succeeds. Ask whether this applies and what the maximum uplift percentage is.
- Who pays for disbursements and outlays? Medical reports, expert assessments, and court filing fees are disbursements. Some firms require clients to fund these as the claim progresses. Others fund them and recover the cost from settlement.
- What happens to outlays if the claim is unsuccessful? If your claim fails, do you owe anything for the reports and assessments already obtained? The answer varies by firm and by costs agreement.
- Is the costs agreement independently reviewed? Under Queensland law, clients have the right to have legal costs independently assessed. Ask whether the firm supports this and how it works.
Splatt Lawyers’ no-win no-fee arrangement covers outlays including medical assessments. If your claim is unsuccessful, you owe nothing. Legal fees are capped under Queensland legislation and independently assessed. The full detail of how legal fees work is explained during the free initial consultation.
5. Check the Time Limits for Your Claim Before Comparing Firms
Time limits are the most overlooked factor in the early stages of choosing a personal injury lawyer, and missing one can extinguish your right to claim entirely. Before you spend time comparing firms, confirm that your claim is still within the relevant limitation period.
The general rule in Queensland is three years from the date of the accident or injury. But that general rule has important exceptions that apply to the most common claim types.
Queensland personal injury time limits at a glance
Claim Type | Lodgement Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
CTP / motor vehicle accident | Notice of Accident within 9 months of accident, or 1 month of meeting with a lawyer | Common law claim within 3 years |
WorkCover statutory claim | 6 months from date of injury or diagnosis | Strict; limited grounds for extension |
Work injury damages (common law) | 3 years from date of injury | Depends on WorkCover claim outcome |
Public liability | 3 years from date of injury | Some exceptions for late-discovered injuries |
Superannuation / TPD | Varies by policy and fund rules | Can be much shorter than 3 years |
The practical implication: a WorkCover claimant who waits 12 months before seeking legal advice may have already missed the statutory claim window. A CTP claimant who does not lodge a Notice of Accident within 9 months may face significant hurdles even if the three-year limitation period has not expired.
For a full breakdown of deadlines by claim type, see Splatt Lawyers’ guide to personal injury claim time limits in Queensland.
If you are unsure whether your claim is still within time, seek legal advice immediately. A free consultation costs nothing and can confirm your position before a deadline passes.
What should I prepare for a free initial consultation?
You should bring essential evidence to a free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer, such as police and accident reports, your medical records, video and photos of your injuries and the accident scene, and witness statements or their contact details.
In Queensland, many personal injury lawyers provide a free consultation to discuss your circumstances and how they can provide support for a potential claim.
Be prepared to show a timeline of the events, and prepare your questions about the legal fee structure and time frames.
6. Look for Independent Recognition, Not Just Self-Reported Claims
Any law firm can write that it is “leading,” “award-winning,” or “trusted by thousands.” Independent recognition is different: it comes from sources outside the firm that have applied their own criteria.
When evaluating a Queensland personal injury lawyer, look for the following types of independent evidence:
Forms of independent recognition worth checking
- Queensland Law Society Specialist Accreditation: listed on the QLS website, not self-reported
- Doyle’s Guide listings: a legal directory that identifies leading lawyers based on peer and client feedback
- Law Connect profile: a third-party platform where client reviews are verified
- QLS Proctor features: the Queensland Law Society’s own publication, which profiles practitioners of note
- Google and third-party review platforms: look for volume and recency of verified reviews, not just star ratings
What to be cautious about: awards that are purchased, self-nominated, or based solely on the firm’s own submission carry less weight than recognition from bodies with independent assessment processes.
Splatt Lawyers’ independent recognition includes Kerry Splatt’s listing in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer in Queensland (2025), a feature in QLS Proctor on Accredited Specialists making a difference, and a verified profile on Law Connect. Client reviews are available on the Splatt Lawyers five-star reviews page.
7. Confirm the Firm Can Serve You Across Queensland
Many Queensland residents outside Brisbane assume their only option is to use a local firm, or to travel to the city for appointments. Neither assumption is correct. Queensland personal injury law applies state-wide, and most claims do not require you to attend court in person.
That said, there is a genuine difference between a firm that says it serves Queensland and one that has lawyers based in your region who understand local conditions, local courts, and local medical providers.
What to ask about geographic service
- Does the firm have a lawyer or office in or near your region?
- Can the initial consultation be conducted by phone or video if you cannot travel?
- Will the firm arrange home or hospital visits if your injury prevents you from attending an office?
- Does the firm have experience with regional Queensland claims, including mining, agricultural, and remote worksite injuries?
Splatt Lawyers operates from eleven locations across Queensland, including Brisbane (Fortitude Valley), Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Toowoomba, Caboolture, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Cairns, and Townsville. Home and hospital visits are available by appointment.
We offer free consultations by phone or online for clients across regional and remote Queensland.
8. Use Your First Consultation to Evaluate the Lawyer, Not Just the Claim
The free initial consultation is not just an opportunity for the lawyer to assess your claim. It is your opportunity to assess the lawyer. Most Queensland personal injury firms offer a free first consultation; use it deliberately.
What a good first consultation should include
- A clear explanation of which compensation scheme applies to your injury and why
- An honest assessment of whether your claim is likely to succeed, based on the facts you provide
- A plain-language explanation of the relevant time limits for your specific claim type
- A description of the legal process from start to settlement, including realistic timeframes
- A written costs agreement or a clear explanation of how fees will be calculated
- Answers to every question you bring, without being rushed or redirected
Red flags to watch for
- Vague answers about who will manage your matter
- Pressure to sign a costs agreement at the first meeting without time to consider it
- Inability to explain the specific legislation that governs your claim type
- A guarantee of a specific settlement amount before any evidence has been reviewed
The bottom line: a lawyer who cannot explain your claim clearly in a free consultation will not suddenly become clearer once you have signed a costs agreement. Trust your assessment of the consultation itself.
For a detailed list of what to ask before you commit, see Splatt Lawyers’ guide to questions to ask a personal injury lawyer.
A Quick Checklist: How to Compare Queensland Personal Injury Lawyers
Criteria | What to Check | Where to Verify |
|---|---|---|
Specialist accreditation | Queensland Law Society Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law | qls.com.au |
Claim-type experience | Experience with your specific scheme: CTP, WorkCover, or public liability | Ask directly at consultation |
Who manages your matter | Named senior lawyer responsible for your file | Ask directly at consultation |
No-win no-fee terms | Outlays funded, nothing owed if unsuccessful, fees capped | Written costs agreement |
Uplift or success fees | Whether any additional fee applies on a win | Written costs agreement |
Time limits | Confirmed your claim is still within the relevant period | Confirmed at consultation |
Independent recognition | Doyle’s Guide, Law Connect, QLS Proctor, verified reviews | Third-party websites |
Geographic coverage | Lawyer or office in or near your region | Firm’s location page |
Consultation quality | Clear answers, no pressure, written fee explanation | Your own assessment |
Free Initial Personal Injury Law Advice
If you have been harmed by negligence, you have the right to seek legal advice. The legal team at Splatt Lawyers can explain the technicalities of the personal injury legal process and your entitlements on a 100% no-win, no-fee basis.
Free case review Call 1800 700 125
Personal Injury Law FAQs
How long after an injury can you claim compensation in Australia?
In Australia, you can typically claim compensation for an injury within three years of the accident or incident. However, there are some rare exceptions to this rule.
Hence, it’s best to speak with an experienced lawyer to determine if you have a valid personal injury claim.
What factors should I consider when choosing my best personal injury lawyer?
When choosing a personal injury lawyer, consider their background, track record, and customer satisfaction. Also, consider their expertise in personal injury law and familiarity with cases similar to yours.