What to do after a car accident in Cairns

1. Get to safety and obtain medical help

Call 000 when emergency help is needed. If you were treated at Cairns Hospital, keep the discharge summary and follow-up instructions. Tell your regular doctor about the accident even if your first treatment was elsewhere, and record symptoms and limitations as they develop.

2. Record the location and vehicles

On the Bruce Highway, Captain Cook Highway or Kuranda Range, record the nearest signed location, direction of travel and time of the collision. Photograph the scene only when safe. Road conditions and closures change; use official Queensland traffic updates for travel information, rather than relying on a claim page.

Exchange the information required after the crash and keep registration details, driver details and witness contacts where you can safely obtain them. Report the crash to police when required and retain any event number.

3. Keep treatment and work records

Treatment may begin at Cairns Hospital and continue with providers in another part of Far North Queensland. Keep a record of referrals, travel for treatment and any time away from your usual work. Those details help explain the practical effect of the injury.

Preserve original photos, messages and recordings. Keep a dated record of appointments and missed work, without exaggerating symptoms or trying to predict how long recovery will take.

4. Separate the insurance questions

An insurer dealing with car repairs is not necessarily managing your injury claim. Ask which insurer and process apply to each. A CTP claim may require different forms and evidence from a property damage claim.

5. Ask about the dates that apply

Get advice promptly, particularly for a hit and run, an unregistered vehicle or a crash outside Queensland. You do not need every record in hand before making an initial enquiry.

Further information: Motor Accident Insurance Commission. General information only; ask a lawyer about the facts and deadlines for your claim.