The best personal injury lawyers in Canberra

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Snedden, Hall and Gallup Personal Injury Lawyer Amber Wang.

Snedden Hall and Gallop Personal Injury Lawyer Amber Wang, one of Canberra’s most recommended personal injury lawyers. Photo: Region.

If you’ve been injured at work, in a car accident or as a result of medical negligence, you may be entitled to compensation.

While no amount of money can turn back the clock, financial compensation can go a long way towards covering expenses like medical bills and loss of income. It can also acknowledge the pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of your injury.

Even if you’re focused on recovery at the moment, it’s important to act quickly if you think you might want to make a claim. Strict time limits apply, and your claim might not be valid if you wait too long.

If you do decide to make a claim, a personal injury lawyer can help you get the best outcome. Personal injury law is complex, and every case is unique, so it often pays to engage a specialist rather than a generalist.

If you don’t already have a reliable lawyer, our list of top personal injury lawyers in Canberra will help.

If you have had any experience with personal injury lawyers in the Canberra region, please share it in the comments section at the end of this article.

What makes a great personal injury lawyer?

A outstanding personal injury lawyer could ensure you receive a significantly larger compensation amount. That might mean you have extra money to cover basic living expenses if you’re no longer able to work, or that you can afford the specialist treatment that you need to make a faster recovery.

With that in mind, doing your homework before choosing a personal injury lawyer is essential. Here are the top traits every personal injury lawyer should have:

  • Specialist legal knowledge. Because there are often strict deadlines involved with matters of personal injury, you need a lawyer that knows exactly what they are doing. There is no room for error. What’s more, personal injury law is notoriously intricate, so you want someone who knows the subject matter inside and out.
  • Sound medical knowledge. Your chosen lawyer doesn’t need to have trained as a doctor, but they should have enough medical knowledge to understand the specifics of your injury and prognosis. This knowledge may come in handy in court when they can ask witnesses medically-relevant questions that highlight your suffering and help you get a fair outcome.
  • Understanding. Taking legal action over matters of personal injury can be an emotionally straining and frustrating process, especially if you are in pain. Your lawyer should be compassionate and understanding.
  • Honesty. If there is no possibility of a successful claim, your lawyer should tell you. If there are weaknesses in your case, your lawyer should tell you (and explain how to overcome them). If you have unrealistic expectations for your case, your lawyer should tell you. Make sure you’re paying for honesty, not flattery.
  • Transparent pricing. Personal injury lawyers should have a transparent fee structure and should provide you with a cost breakdown after the claim has been made. No win, no fee guarantees might sound tempting, but do your research to make sure they aren’t too good to be true.
  • Clear communicators. The best lawyers are excellent communicators and are able to explain to you the complexities and nuances of your claim in easy-to-understand language. If they can’t communicate effectively with you, they may struggle to communicate effectively on your behalf.

The best personal injury lawyers in Canberra

Riotact’s editorial team has combed through 20 years of on-site comments to compile a list of the most recommended personal injury lawyers according to you.

To be listed in our Best of Canberra series, each business needs to have consistently received positive feedback on Riotact and maintain a minimum average of 4/5 stars on both Google and Facebook reviews.

BDN Lawyers

No firm in the Canberra region has been operating as long as BDN Lawyers. Established over 150 years ago, the qualified and experienced team have helped hundreds of Canberra residents makes claims on a whole host of personal injury matters.

With an unsurpassed understanding of deadlines and limitations, BDN Lawyers can help you lodge your claim as soon as possible. They recommend contacting their team directly after you are injured, and to make things easier, offer a free first-time consultation.

Daniel Ristevski wrote a glowing review for BDN Lawyers on Google saying, "My family and I have been using BDN Lawyers for approximately 30 years. I can attest to an easy to work with, professional, honest and wonderful team."

Snedden Hall & Gallop

Unfortunately, accidents happen. And when they do, you need a lawyer that not only has specialist legal knowledge, but understands that every accident is different – and that’s why the personal injury lawyers at Snedden Hall & Gallop are committed to providing effective and compassionate legal representation and to answer all questions regarding any claim.

You know you are working with the experts when they are recognised within their industry: Richard Faulks, who is a specialist in personal injury law and heads up Snedden Hall & Gallop’s personal injury team, was listed as a leading plaintiff-focused ACT Work Injury Compensation Lawyer in the 2019 Doyles Guide.

Amber Wang is also highly regarded and chairs the ACT branch committee of Australian Lawyers Alliance and serves on a Law Society personal injury committee.

But it’s not just Doyle’s that recognise Snedden Hall & Gallops expertise – client Mrs J had this to say about her experience, “But for your diligence and guidance through the settlement conference, this personal injury case might have ended differently. Most people don’t understand the impact such ‘trip and fall’ events have on all aspects of one’s life. I will certainly be recommending you as gold standard for legal compensation work.”

BAL Lawyers

Based in central Canberra, BAL Lawyers have an exceptional reputation for helping clients deal with the aftermath of personal injury. Their areas of expertise include public liability claims, car accidents, medical negligence, dust diseases, workers’ compensation, insurance litigation, and more. They strive to inform clients of their rights, and work through legal matters with both integrity and transparency.

Maxwell & Co

When it comes to personal injury law, Maxwell & Co's experienced litigation team helps you understand your rights and how best to protect them. From motor vehicle accident claims and medical negligence to minor slips and falls, its solicitors claim to provide the best representation for you in court, so you can put your best case forward.

Google reviewer Remmo had this to say about working with Maxwell & Co: "Excellent Canberra Law Firm. They handled my case very professionally and they have a lot of expertise in many many areas. Their service was professional, yet personal. I highly recommend this team. Full stars from me!"

If you’re after more information on legal matters litigation in Canberra, you might like our articles on the best workers compensation lawyers, best law firms, best conveyancing lawyers, best consumer lawyers, best commercial lawyers and best wills and estates lawyers Canberra has to offer.

You might also be interested in our articles on the best employment lawyers, best business lawyers and the best divorce lawyers around Canberra.

Your experience with personal injury lawyers in Canberra

Thanks to our commenters who have provided insightful feedback. If you believe we have got it wrong, please let us know.
Have you had experience with any of the personal injury lawyers listed above? If so, share your feedback in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a personal injury lawyer?

It’s important to look at many factors when choosing a personal injury lawyer. A top factor is experience and specialist legal knowledge in this complex field. Another factor is transparent pricing, so you know what you’re up for. You’ll want a personal injury lawyer who is a good communicator and who is available when you need them. Also look for online reviews.

Do all personal injury lawyers offer “no-win, no-fee”’?

While some personal injury lawyers offer “no-win, no-fee”, not all do. It’s best to ask the firm about this before you sign up with them.

How do I know if I have a good chance with my personal injury claim?

Some personal injury law firms offer an obligation-free consultation for claims. Taking advantage of the “first interview free” offer could help you better understand if you have a good case.

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?

The cost for hiring a personal injury lawyer depends on the type and nature of your case. Many factors can be involved, so it’s best to talk to your personal injury lawyer about these. A quality lawyer will outline their fees in a detailed and transparent way.

How long does it take to resolve a personal injury law case?

Many factors can influence the length of time it can take to resolve a personal injury law case. The best lawyers should be able to give you a time estimate and be committed to resolving your case as fast as possible.

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My partner had Sangita from Ken Kush & Associates and was happy. She gave a full breakdown of costs which always helps.

Scott Anthony10:32 pm 17 Feb 22

A friend had Sangita and I would agree, she is fantastic and the work I saw was first rate.

Any person involved in Car accident will automatically get involved in a legal case. Whether he is the accused or a victim of an accident, hiring a car accident lawyer in Toronto will give a fair chance to fight the case. A car accident lawyer can present the case in the best possible way to help his client.

I’ll put in another thumbs up for Craig Edwards at Maliganis Edwards and Johnson. I was involved in a motorcycle accident and went to see Craig a month later. I signed up for the no-win no-fee policy and 18 months later the matter was settled out of court and I received a tidy sum that covered all my injuries, time off work, incidentals and loss of quality of life.
Someone earlier made a snide remark about suing everybody. That’s not what this is. You’re making an insurance claim against CTP, those 3 wonderful letters that make up around 75% of all vehicle registration costs. NRMA run it as a business so they’ll try to bargain your payout down. It’s not like a home and contents claim where you tell them the model of your laptop/PS3 and they give you the RRP value to replace them. You want to have a representative that knows the system, know’s how they’ll try to bargain you down, knows the complications and extra costs involved. Someone like Craig Edwards knows these things. He’ll think of expenses you wouldn’t have even considered, like your wife taking a half day off work to drive you to a specialist. That was her time to use, not time she had set aside in case of the negligence of a total stranger.
When you look at the final cut the Lawyer takes you’ll think “Jeez that’s a lot”. Don’t forget that without them you probably would have gotten maybe 10% of what you did along with the stress of dealing with the insurance company directly.

i’d give colqhoun murphy in braddon a call – they were recommended to me by the cycling lobby group after my ‘incident’ and they’ve been fab – if you’re in the right (and being rear ended sounds like you will be) then they’ll have nrma meet their costs and ensure you receive a good settlement. much more than if you let nrma guide you and ‘fix you up’…

Email me I can maybe suggest persons/strategy.
earthrepair@gmail.com

LSWCHP said :

My bingle was a long time ago, but Craig Edwards at Maliganis Edwards Johnson looked after me pretty well. They are specialist personal injury lawyers and seem to know their stuff.

It still took something like 3 years to get the whole matter resolved, but I think that’s pretty standard.

I agree with the above mentioned…Or John Little of the same firm…Excellent lawyers..excellent results..Good Luck!

legal_chick86 said :

Genie said :

If your accident was a few weeks ago. You may no longer be able to make a claim. Pretty sure ACT law states you have to seek legal advice within 10 business days. Call any no win, no fee firm to confirm.

Just be prepared to endure years of legal visits, doctors visits etc. 3.5 years after my accident I’m still suffering with injuries and no closer to settling than I was day dot.

Gee is seems strange that your lawyers havent moved the claim forward to Hearing yet!?

My injuries still haven’t 100% settled down and NRMA are basically not wanting to pay me anything and don’t want to pay ANY legal costs. so their current offer barely covers my legal bill.
I think I have a hearing date sometime mid 2013. (earliest date possible). I trust that my lawyer and barrister know what they are doing. Right now I’m just waiting for more specialist appointments then depending on the outcome from that – hopefully my case will be transferred from one court to the other so I can get a hearing date within a matter of weeks.

legal_chick869:32 am 28 Oct 11

DUB said :

Skidd Marx said :

Don’t be fooled by the “no win, no fee” catchcry. This applies only if the matter makes it to court. If not, you will be billed for every second you were consulted. Don’t be suprised if they neglect to make this clear from the outset.

I may be wrong, but even if there is “NO WIN”-you will still be charged for paper, envelopes and few phone
calls?

Well you cant expect firms to pay all their own costs – how would they keep the business running? The best way for you to tell a good solicitor from the bad is that if they dont think you will succeed in a claim, they wont take your matter on and they will refer you elsewhere. Sometimes they will also ask you to pay for your own fees along the way, so if you cant afford it, it is a sign not to go ahead. Have faith that not all lawyers are out to take people’s money and they actually are here to help!

legal_chick869:29 am 28 Oct 11

Skidd Marx said :

Don’t be fooled by the “no win, no fee” catchcry. This applies only if the matter makes it to court. If not, you will be billed for every second you were consulted. Don’t be suprised if they neglect to make this clear from the outset.

Majority of claims that settle (whether they go to Court or not), legal costs are paid by the Insuer!

legal_chick869:27 am 28 Oct 11

Genie said :

If your accident was a few weeks ago. You may no longer be able to make a claim. Pretty sure ACT law states you have to seek legal advice within 10 business days. Call any no win, no fee firm to confirm.

Just be prepared to endure years of legal visits, doctors visits etc. 3.5 years after my accident I’m still suffering with injuries and no closer to settling than I was day dot.

Gee is seems strange that your lawyers havent moved the claim forward to Hearing yet!?

legal_chick869:24 am 28 Oct 11

screaming banshee said :

If in doubt sue?

Happy to be corrected but I would have though that being the driver of the vehicle that was rear-ended that would make you the second party, and therefore you should be discussing the matter of medical costs with your insurer. It would then be up to them to pursue the other driver for costs.

Inccorect. If you are not the car at fault, it is the far at fault’s insurer that you go through to claim for a personal injury claim. If it is pure property damage, that is when you call your own insurer. Most beneficial way to handle this and to get a modest payout is to take on some legal advice.

legal_chick869:21 am 28 Oct 11

Baker Deane & Nutt in Canberra (62301999) are a fantastic firm! You jsut call them up, spend maybe 10 minutes on the phone to them and then they will arrange a time for a consultation with you where you will be given all forms to complete. They will do as much or as little as you would like with your claim.

In relation to “no win, no fee”, the main difference between those firms and others is if the claim fails, the SOLICITOR’S FEE is waived. So you’re still left with all disbursements, such as payments for specialist reports, barrister’s fees (if needed) and so on. Additionally some firms will calculate their end fee through a flat percentage of your eventual pay-out. For example the Blumer’s old website (changed in the last couple of months) used to specify that they would take “up to 35%” of your eventual claim. It can be a hefty amount eventually. However the Blumers site is quite clear on what “no win, no fee” involves” – check it out http://www.blumers.com.au/no-win-no-fee-solicitor/

I was personally involved in a motor vehicle accident a number of years ago. I had Grant Keneally of Porters Lawyers represent me. Ended up very well, and happy with the eventual pay out and how much their firm received (it was nowhere near 35%).

Thena Kyprianou at Pamela Coward and Associates. Brilliant. Make an appointment, take your receipts, police job number and anything else you have and just let Thena run with it. She is fantastic.

My bingle was a long time ago, but Craig Edwards at Maliganis Edwards Johnson looked after me pretty well. They are specialist personal injury lawyers and seem to know their stuff.

It still took something like 3 years to get the whole matter resolved, but I think that’s pretty standard.

tidalik said :

Please see a lawyer before you send off any forms!

The CTP scheme in the ACT is so much more complicated than other states and it’s best you let a good lawyer negotiate a settlement with the insurance companies – unless you want to die an early death from a stress-related heart attack. Your friend is right; you have no way of knowing how long you will feel the effects of your injuries.

Hear hear,

I was on my way home from school and run down on a pedestrian crossing by a taxi driver 10 years ago. I was young and naive, the damage didn’t appear to be too bad (nice way of saying stupid) and didn’t get a license plate number or make a claim.

I go through quite a bit of pain and had to quit playing soccer (my main passion) due to the accident.

gospeedygo said :

Better call Saul!

Saul Goodman is your man

I think you are doing the right thing by focusing on getting the medical and physio treatment you need. A friend of mine made the mistake of delaying starting her treatment (after listening to a lawyer) and ended up dying as a result of complications with heavy duty pain relief drugs.

Are you aware that your CTP insurer (if you are ACT-registered this will be NRMA) has to pay for your medical treatment in the first 6 months after your accident, up to $5,000 worth, on a no-fault basis? However, you do need to notify the insurer, report the accident to the Police and get your doctor to submit a medical report within 28 days of the accident, so don’t delay!

You don’t need a lawyer to do this – I suggest googling “ACT CTP” and downloading the forms you need from the ACT Treasury website.

Skidd Marx said :

Don’t be fooled by the “no win, no fee” catchcry. This applies only if the matter makes it to court. If not, you will be billed for every second you were consulted. Don’t be suprised if they neglect to make this clear from the outset.

I may be wrong, but even if there is “NO WIN”-you will still be charged for paper, envelopes and few phone
calls?

Don’t be fooled by the “no win, no fee” catchcry. This applies only if the matter makes it to court. If not, you will be billed for every second you were consulted. Don’t be suprised if they neglect to make this clear from the outset.

You have 9 months to claim – although read through all of this first

http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/compulsorytpi/ClaimForm.shtml

tidalik said :

As for lawyers, don’t go with anyone who tells you not to seek treatment (in order to get a bigger payout). These types do exist, despite the denials of the law society.

Name one.

Genie said :

If your accident was a few weeks ago. You may no longer be able to make a claim. Pretty sure ACT law states you have to seek legal advice within 10 business days. Call any no win, no fee firm to confirm.

Just be prepared to endure years of legal visits, doctors visits etc. 3.5 years after my accident I’m still suffering with injuries and no closer to settling than I was day dot.

I recommend doing it now, if the other driver was ACT registered, call NRMA and they will email you the claim forms. Get those in while you find a solicitor. Having a solicitor will make no difference to starting your claim.

I was hit head-on by someone who fell asleep and I suffered from internal bleeding and neck injuries, but I did everything under medicare an never put in a claim until about 5 months later because the neck pain wouldn’t go away. It took months to get them to accept the claim because I had waited so long.

If your accident was a few weeks ago. You may no longer be able to make a claim. Pretty sure ACT law states you have to seek legal advice within 10 business days. Call any no win, no fee firm to confirm.

Just be prepared to endure years of legal visits, doctors visits etc. 3.5 years after my accident I’m still suffering with injuries and no closer to settling than I was day dot.

Please see a lawyer before you send off any forms!

The CTP scheme in the ACT is so much more complicated than other states and it’s best you let a good lawyer negotiate a settlement with the insurance companies – unless you want to die an early death from a stress-related heart attack. Your friend is right; you have no way of knowing how long you will feel the effects of your injuries.

As for lawyers, don’t go with anyone who tells you not to seek treatment (in order to get a bigger payout). These types do exist, despite the denials of the law society. I’ve said it before: give Bruce Howes in O’Connor a visit. He’s a very competent, honest solicitor who’s been working in the ACT for years.

You need to lodge forms ASAP, if haven’t already. If the other driver was ACT, the NRMA site says:

“If your accident happened within the last 28 days, just submit a Motor Accident Notification form and a Motor Accident Medical Report to us and we can get started on your recovery.”
http://www.nrma.com.au/car-insurance/third-party-act/index.shtml

Make sure you start the paperwork while shopping for solicitors – Maurice Blackman or Porters have solid reputations.

screaming banshee said :

If in doubt sue?

I’m sure in 10 years time, the insurance companies will be happy to deal with your reoccurring injuries. :/

littlemissscifi12:08 am 26 Oct 11

I had the exact same situation a few years ago and I used Papas J on London Circuit. The attorney was Nigel Gabbedy. Incredibly professional. I was very impressed by their service and committment.

r1 said :

Ring a reputable firm and have your police incident number handy . They will investigate and if you are not at fault , and are injured you will be sueing the other drivers third party insurer and basically cannot lose.

If this accident badly affects your employment , health etc you will be looking at six figures and trust me you do not want to be negotiating with these insurance companies by yourself

This seems to be sensible advice, r1. It is in your best interests to see someone as soon as possible, lexyliz. Keep all your receipts for medical treatments too, and take them with you when you go. Many firms will also give you the first appointment free so you can assess whether you want to go ahead.

screaming banshee said :

If in doubt sue?

Happy to be corrected but I would have though that being the driver of the vehicle that was rear-ended that would make you the second party, and therefore you should be discussing the matter of medical costs with your insurer. It would then be up to them to pursue the other driver for costs.

My understanding is that your insurance company will concentrate on recovering any costs they incur from the other driver’s insurance company but they won’t care about your injuries. Similarly, if you negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company, they may well offer you far less than you may be entitled to.

Good luck and I hope you’re feeling better soon.

screaming banshee9:25 pm 25 Oct 11

If in doubt sue?

Happy to be corrected but I would have though that being the driver of the vehicle that was rear-ended that would make you the second party, and therefore you should be discussing the matter of medical costs with your insurer. It would then be up to them to pursue the other driver for costs.

Maurice Blackburn in Canberra were excellent in my experience.

You could go to ACAT (new name for body which includes old small claims court) and file a civil dispute application. They even have a specific application form for claiming damages and the most it costs to lodge with ACAT is $434 if you’re claiming over $10k.

Ring a reputable firm and have your police incident number handy . They will investigate and if you are not at fault , and are injured you will be sueing the other drivers third party insurer and basically cannot lose.

If this accident badly affects your employment , health etc you will be looking at six figures and trust me you do not want to be negotiating with these insurance companies by yourself

Just have the VAS ready cause no win no fee means you end up with very little.

Blumers Lawyers.

Better call Saul!

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