No Win No Fee Lawyers Gold Coast

Road Accidents

In Queensland, Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance provides coverage for injury compensation in road accidents, including those occurring on the Gold Coast's busy roads like the Gold Coast Highway or the M1. 

If you are injured in a car accident due to another driver's negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Ongoing care needs

Workplace Accidents

Workplace injury compensation in Queensland is governed by the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003. There are two main types of claims:

WorkCover Claim

WorkCover claims operate on a no-fault basis, meaning you are entitled to make a claim regardless of who was at fault for your injury, whether it happened in a Gold Coast office, construction site, or other local workplace. Under a WorkCover claim, you may be eligible for:

• Weekly payments for lost wages
• Coverage for medical expenses
• Lump sum compensation for permanent impairment
• Travel expenses for medical appointments

Common Law Claim

If your injury was caused or contributed to by the negligence of your employer or another party, you may also pursue a common law claim. This allows you to seek compensation for:

• Past and future economic loss
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of life enjoyment
• Future medical expenses

Under personal injury law, to make a common law claim, you must prove that your employer or another party breached their duty of care, resulting in your injury. While receiving WorkCover benefits, you can explore the possibility of a common law claim. However, if successful, you may need to repay some of the WorkCover benefits received.

Public Liability Claims

If you're injured in a public place due to someone else's negligence, you may be eligible to make a public liability claim under the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002. 

This includes accidents in locations like Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach shopping precincts, or local parks and beaches. 

Based on available information, including Gold Coast Road Safety Plan 2021-2026 and general road safety trends, here's an overview of road accidents in the Gold Coast region:

Most Common Injuries

Although specific injury data for this city is limited, common road accident injuries in the region typically include:

• Whiplash injury: Often resulting from rear-end collisions, particularly in urban areas and at busy intersections.
• Fractures: Especially in high-impact collisions or accidents involving vulnerable road users, such as cyclists or pedestrians.
• Head injuries: Including concussions and more severe traumatic brain injuries, which can occur in various types of crashes.
• Soft tissue injuries: Such as sprains and strains, common in rear-end and side-impact collisions.
• Spinal injuries: Potentially severe, particularly in high-speed crashes or rollovers.

Types of Road Users Injured

The Gold Coast sees a variety of road motor vehicle accident where users are impacted by accidents, including: 

• Car drivers and passengers: Representing the majority of road users injured in car accidents, particularly on congested roads like the Gold Coast Highway and the M1.
• Motorcyclists: At higher risk of severe injuries due to lack of protection, especially on the winding sections of the Gold Coast Hinterland roads.
• Cyclists: Vulnerable on busy Gold Coast roads, particularly in tourist areas along the coastal routes, such as Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.
• Pedestrians: At risk in high-traffic areas and popular tourist spots, such as Cavill Avenue, where pedestrian activity is high.

Common Causes of Road Accidents

While specific data for the Gold Coast is not available, common causes of car accidents in Queensland generally include:

• Speeding: A major factor in serious and fatal crashes, particularly on the M1 and high-traffic tourist routes.
• Drink driving: Particularly an issue in entertainment areas, such as Surfers Paradise, where alcohol consumption is common.
• Distracted driving: Including mobile phone use while driving, which remains a significant cause of accidents, especially during peak tourist seasons.
• Fatigue: Especially among tourists driving long distances, which can be an issue on routes connecting the Gold Coast to Brisbane and surrounding regions.
• Failure to give way: Common at intersections and roundabouts, particularly in busy areas like Broadbeach and Southport. 

Car Accident Hotspots

High-risk areas on the Gold Coast include:

• Busy intersections in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, and Southport.
• Major roads, such as the Gold Coast Highway, Smith Street Motorway, and the M1, which see a high volume of traffic, including tourists unfamiliar with local conditions.
• Tourist areas with heavy pedestrian activity, particularly during weekends and school holidays, increase the risk of pedestrian accidents.

Trends and Statistics for Personal Injury Claims 

• There has been a 46% reduction in fatalities since 2015 but a 9% increase in serious injury crashes.
• On average, 1.88 people are killed on Gold Coast roads every month. 
• The majority of fatal and serious injury crashes occur mid-block (between intersections).
• Young adults (17 to 24) are the most vulnerable demographics in terms of Fatal and Serious Injury (FSI) Estimates.
• The economic cost of fatalities and serious injury crashes in Queensland was estimated at more than $5 billion in 2018.

These statistics highlight the ongoing challenges in road safety on the Gold Coast despite some improvements in fatality rates. 

The increase in serious injury crashes, particularly among vulnerable age groups, underscores the need for continued focus on road safety initiatives and public awareness campaigns.

The Gold Coast region encompasses a wide range of industries, reflecting the area's status as a major tourist destination and growing urban centre. This analysis highlights work injury trends in the Gold Coast using local data from the Gold Coast City work health and safety profile report.

Recent Statistics and Trends

• According to WorkSafe Queensland, the Gold Coast region recorded an average of 5,754 accepted workers' compensation claims per year from 2014-15 to 2016-17, which represented 8.8% of Queensland's total claims. 
• On average, the region also saw 1 fatal claim per year, representing 2.2% of Queensland's total fatal claims.
• The return to work rate for injured workers in the Gold Coast was 94.3%, which was slightly higher than the state average of 94%. 
• The average number of work days lost per claim in the Gold Coast was 44.9 days, in line with the Queensland average of 45 days.

Highest Risk Industries

The highest risk industries in the Gold Coast, based on average annual claims from 2014-15 to 2016-17, include:

1. Construction: 776 claims per year.
2. Manufacturing: 747 claims per year.
3. Health Care and Social Assistance: 667 claims per year.
4. Retail Trade: 620 claims per year.

The industries with the highest statutory costs per claim were transport, postal, and warehousing ($12,811 per claim) and construction ($11,257 per claim).

Most Common Work Injuries: No Win No Fee Personal Injury Claim

For a no win no fee claim, the most frequent work-related injuries in the Gold Coast, based on mechanisms of injury data, include:

1. Body stressing (32%): Often resulting from repetitive movements or muscular stress.
2. Falls, trips, and slips (18%): Common in construction, healthcare, and retail.
3. Being hit by moving objects (18%): Frequently occurring in manufacturing and warehousing.
4. Hitting objects with a part of the body (17%).
5. Vehicle incidents and others (9%): Particularly relevant in the transport sector.

Where Do Personal Injury Accidents Happen in Gold Coast?

The Gold Coast's vibrant economy, heavily reliant on tourism, construction, and healthcare, is reflected in the work injury statistics. 

The construction sector sees the highest number of claims, partly due to ongoing urban development projects.  

The manufacturing sector also has significant claim rates, and high-risk occupations such as construction trades workers and labourers are common in the region.

The tourism industry, while not featuring prominently in high-risk claims, still requires attention to safety, particularly in accommodation and food services, where workplace injuries can include slips, trips, and manual handling issues.