Maurice Blackburn

Under the TAC Scheme, the Transport Accident Commission is required to pay the reasonable costs of reasonable treatment.  The TAC will impose a medical excess of $564 on every claim unless the person has been hospitalised for more than a day.  The excess does not have to come out of your own pocket, it can be paid by Medicare or by any other fund.

Once the TAC accepts responsibility then they will pay compensation indefinitely.  There is no time limit on the TAC's responsibilities, other than to be reasonable.

The TAC must pay the reasonable costs of services including:

• medical, medical specialists, dental, optometry, chiropractic, osteopath and podiatrist expenses
• physiotherapy expenses (limited to TAC rates)
• psychological services on referral from a medical practitioner
• acupuncturist services by a person registered as an acupuncturist under the Health Professions Registration Act
• the provision of spectacles and hearing aids
• pharmacy expenses prescribed by a doctor or dentist including medicines or curative apparatus or appliances or materials
• the provision at the request of a doctor or hospital of special food or special food formula
• the provision at the request of a doctor of room temperature control equipment for a person who is unable to adequately regulate his or her own body temperature
• the provision at the request of a doctor of equipment intended to treat or stabilise any injury or condition resulting from the transport accident
• the provision of anything needed to operate run, maintain or repair the equipment of the last two bullet points.

In addition to these, the TAC can be asked to pay for disability services and rehabilitation services.  In requesting these services the injured person should have the support of their treating practitioner.  The request must go to the TAC in writing and prior to the services being delivered.

The TAC must assist by paying reasonable costs of:

• an injured person returning to work or retraining
• home and vehicle modifications
• attendant care services, including attendant care whilst travelling overseas
• home help, domestic assistance, gardening services, and
• school teaching and integration aides

Remember when dealing with the Transport Accident Commission that the TAC is a bureaucracy.  Any Application must be in writing and any request for reimbursement should also be in writing.

Any claim for reimbursement of medical and like expenses must be made on the TAC within two years of the date of the service.

From our experience we recommend that you write your claim number on each page that you deliver to the TAC when requesting reimbursement.

Want to know more about TAC claims?

Our team of expert TAC lawyers are experts in TAC compensation claims. We are happy to advise you on your situation during a free first consultation. For advice and help with a claim, click here to be to be contacted by a member of our team or call 1800 810 812.