It is not surprising that our beautiful and diverse country of Australia is a popular destination for foreign visitors. If you, your family or friends are visitors injured in Australia needing a lawyer, we are here to help.
Which types of visitors can you help?
We can help all types of visitors to Australia who are injured here, including:
- Tourists
- Backpackers
- Working holiday visa holders
- Students
- Business people
- People visiting friends and family
Is the Australian compensation system easy to understand?
Like most things, the Australian compensation system is easy to deal with if you know how.
Even to English speaking visitors, Australian medical systems and terminology can be hard to understand (did anyone call the ambos?!).
The various Australian compensation systems for different types of accident in different states and territories can also be confusing if you are not familiar with them.
Originally from the UK, our founder and principal solicitor Victoria Roy understands the difficulties in navigating a foreign compensation system. She appreciates that in your home country, claims may be run very differently. Victoria can explain how your Australian claim works in simple terms that you can understand.
Can I bring a claim after I have been repatriated back home?
Many visitors to Australia do not consider bringing a compensation claim after they have returned to their home country.
In most states and territories, you are still entitled to claim compensation after you have left Australia. There are some exceptions to this rule for certain accident types. We will let you know if this applies to you.
Why is a travel lawyer best for visitors injured in Australia instead of a standard personal injury lawyer?
When a foreign visitor is injured in Australia, it cannot be assumed that your claim should be valued in the same way as for an Australian.
For example, different tax regimes and state health benefits can vastly affect the losses that you might suffer following an accident compared to those suffered by an Australian.
Similarly, a particular injury might attract certain stigma in your home country and be worth more for ‘pain and suffering’ than if an Australian suffered the same injury.
As a travel lawyer, our Victoria Roy appreciates the differences between legal systems which a general personal injury lawyer might not pick up on.
A further benefit of being a travel lawyer is that Victoria has a network of trusted foreign lawyers across the world with whom she has previously worked. If advice on a specific aspect of your home country’s legal system is required, Victoria therefore knows who to turn to.
Can I hire you if I have already left the country?
Yes, no problem! We use video conferencing and email to communicate with our clients. We also offer out of hours appointments to suit your time zone. You can book an appointment directly in our founder and principal solicitor Victoria Roy’s calendar here.
Do you do agency work or provide advice to foreign lawyers?
Absolutely! Originally from a foreign jurisdiction herself, our Victoria Roy is skilled in providing advice to foreign lawyers on the Australian compensation system in plain English that is easy to understand.
At the start of her career as a travel lawyer in England, Victoria also worked for a large personal injury firm on the legal expenses insurance (LEI) panel of various travel insurers. Victoria therefore understands the requirements of LEI work and happily accepts instructions to provide advice on Australian claims for LEI purposes.
Victoria has been a proud member of PEOPIL (Pan European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers) since 2010, and was invited to speak about Australian compensation claims at the PEOPIL annual conference in Madrid in 2016. Victoria happily receives referrals from fellow PEOPIL members.