New South Wales Consolidated Acts

MOTOR ACCIDENTS COMPENSATION ACT 1999 - SECT 51

51 Limit on preliminary payments

(1) The maximum amount that an insurer is required to pay under this Part as the total amount of treatment expenses and lost earnings of an injured person is $5,000 or such other amount as may be determined by the Authority under subsection (2).

(2) The Authority--

(a) is to review the amount referred to in subsection (1) annually, and

(b) may, by order published in the Gazette, vary that amount to take account of inflation or other matters.

(3) If 2 or more injured persons were injured in the same motor accident, the maximum total amount of treatment expenses and lost earnings under this section applies to each such person and is not reduced by the payment of the treatment expenses or lost earnings of any other such injured person.

(4) Treatment expenses and lost earnings of an injured person are only required to be paid under this Part for treatment provided or loss of earnings suffered within 6 months after the motor accident concerned (even if the total amount payable is less than the maximum total amount fixed by this section).

(5) Treatment expenses are to be paid in priority to lost earnings and for that purpose payment for lost earnings is not to be made until the end of the 6 months after the motor accident concerned and is to be made only to the extent that payment for treatment expenses for treatment provided in that 6 months will not exceed the maximum total amount fixed by this section.