How Much Do Lawyers Charge For TPD Claims?
When planning to start your TPD (Total and Permanent Disability) claim, one of the biggest questions on your mind is likely: how much do lawyers charge for TPD claims? Generally, fees for TPD claims can range from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on the complexity of your case and the specific services offered.
Not all TPD lawyers are equal however. Here we break down the usual fee structures for TPD claims and share the three most important things to know before proceeding with a TPD lawyer.
There’s no doubt that having a TPD lawyer represent you in your claim can be crucial for success. But as the saying goes, the devil is in the details! Given the high eligibility thresholds and the extensive evidence required to satisfy your policy terms, we strongly recommend working with an experienced TPD lawyer to increase your chances of an approved claim.
Understand the Details of TPD Lawyers' No Win No Fee Policies
The first thing you need to consider is the fine print of any No Win No Fee policy. On the surface, all No Win No Fee lawyers may appear the same, but there can be significant differences in how costs are handled. Some firms promise No Win No Fee, but if your claim is unsuccessful, you might still be on the hook for disbursement costs, like medical report fees and other out-of-pocket expenses.
Our lawyers, for example, cover all disbursement costs, win or lose, so you won’t get any unpleasant financial surprises. Always make sure to ask your lawyer to explain their No Win No Fee policy clearly so that you fully understand what’s covered and what isn’t.
Be Clear on How Much You’ll Be Charged by Your TPD Lawyer
The second crucial thing to know is exactly how much your TPD lawyer will charge from start to finish. Unlike other areas of law, TPD claims often allow lawyers to estimate the amount of work involved quite accurately. Your lawyer should be upfront about fees, either through a fixed-fee agreement or a clear estimate provided at the beginning of your case.
Ideally, the amount you’re charged upon successful completion should match the initial estimate, provided the claims process unfolds as expected. This transparency is key, and you deserve to know what to budget for without unexpected hikes in legal costs.
The usual fees lawyers charge for TPD claims range anywhere between $5,000 – $15,000.
Understand the Scope of Your TPD Lawyer’s Work
Lastly, consider the scope of work your TPD lawyer will handle. It’s essential to understand what your lawyer will do throughout the claims process. Ask for a clear outline of the tasks your lawyer will manage on your behalf, from gathering medical evidence to liaising with your superfund. Knowing the level of service you can rely on ensures that there are no gaps or misunderstandings about the legal support you’ll receive.
Who is Eligible for a TPD Claim?
TPD claims can be made regardless of the injury or illness type, depending on the policy as some have exclusions, but they may not be payable if the person is able to work for another job that they are suited to by education, training or experience.
Do I Need a Lawyer For a TPD Claim?
No, you do not need a lawyer for a TPD claim. Technically, anyone can make a TPD claim with or without a lawyer. However, it’s important to recognize that you’ll be dealing with representatives from the insurer and superfund who have years of expertise in eligibility, processes, and exclusions. This can put anyone without experience at a disadvantage.
When you’re injured or unwell, your primary focus should be on your health and recovery—not on navigating complex claim procedures or battling insurance companies. Communicating with insurers can be daunting, even under the best of circumstances, and the stress of the process can become overwhelming.
This is why many people choose to use the services of TPD lawyers. A skilled TPD lawyer can handle your claim, communicate with the insurers, and manage all the paperwork on your behalf, giving you the peace of mind to concentrate on your well-being. So, while anyone can attempt to make a TPD claim, those who aren’t experienced in dealing with insurers may greatly benefit from having a TPD lawyer by their side.
How Can a TPD Lawyer Help Me?
Our TPD lawyers deal with straightforward and complex TPD matters daily and are familiar with communicating with insurers and lawyers. We understand the process involved to make a successful claim including the evidence and information required to get your claim approved in the shortest period of time, and with the least stress to you.
We ensure that you have the best chance at having your TPD claim approved, and if you don’t, we will simply tell you how to challenge their decision and the prospects of challenging that decision.
Can I Make More Than One Claim if I Have Multiple TPD Insurance Covers?
If you have multiple superannuation funds, with active TPD insurance, you may make multiple TPD claims. In that case, you will need to deal with multiple insurers. Each claim and each fund have its own policy so the eligibility requirements can be different depending on superfunds.
When is the Best Time to Get a Lawyer Involved in My TPD Claim?
What Affects TPD Claim Costs?
TPD claims costs can change according to the years of experience of the solicitor as far as professional fees are concerned. As for the other TPD claim costs that depends on how much evidence will be required in your claim such as medical reports. Even though lowering the TPD claim cost is understandable, the evidence may be what is required for your TPD claim to be approved in the first place.
As an example, logically, you may want to pay $2,000 more to receive $20,000 in a shorter period of time.
How Do I Make a TPD Insurance Claim?
Each TPD claim requirement changes from policy to policy and what your circumstances are that may apply to that policy. Here are general processes involved that may apply depending on the policy. Usually it involves:
- Contacting your superannuation fund(s) and requesting your superannuation insurance policy, terms and conditions.
- If your superannuation fund(s) policy does contain TPD insurance, look into whether you are eligible for a TPD payout based on your cover, personal circumstances, policy definitions and eligibility criteria.
- Collect medical evidence that supports you are permanently unable to work in a field that you are suited by education, training or experience or any other occupation, depending on the eligibility criteria in the policy.
- Your evidence to support your claim includes but is not limited to medical reports from treating doctors, payslips, tax returns and sometimes clinical notes.
How Much of a TPD Insurance Payout Can I Receive?
The TPD insurance payout amounts depend on the type of your insurance cover. Generally, TPD insurance payouts are between $40,000 and $350,000, with a significant number of payouts being over $100,000.
In order to know your TPD insurance entitlements (including TPD payout, income protection, accident and trauma or life insurance benefits), you can reach our lawyers for a free claim check.
Click here to read about TPD insurance payout amounts.
How Long Will My TPD Payout Claim Take?
All TPD cases are unique but generally, a TPD payout can be received approximately six months to one year from the date of lodgement. That’s when experienced TPD lawyers make the difference. They can make sure that all information is provided, and the application is made correctly to have the claim accepted.
Find out more about TPD claim processing time here.
Can I Work After Receiving a TPD Payout?
Although this may seem like an irrelevant question given the criteria to claim let alone receive a TPD payout is significant, we do see this question come up.
Even though the main criteria of TPD is that you are medically unable to work and most people unfortunately who claim TPD never return to work, there is nothing that prevents you from returning to work if you get better enough to work.
We have seen resilient clients’ whereby they went through medical treatment, including cancer sufferers, or through looking at another type of work have bounced back and started working again.
Learn more about working again after a successful TPD claim.
Does a TPD Claim Affect Centrelink?
Yes, it may affect your Centrelink payments depending on what you do with the TPD payment, such as using it towards your mortgage, paying expenses etc. otherwise it will be scaled upon Centrelink’s Income & Assets Test. This area can be complex, please contact our TPD lawyers for more information.
How Much Do Withstand Lawyers Charge for TPD Claims? - No Surprise Costs Guaranteed
Our cost agreement outlines all the details clearly that will not cause any extra fees. You will be fully aware of what you will be paying in legal fees, and disbursements, which are only payable upon successful completion, from the TPD payout.
Regardless of where you were injured, or the type of injury or illness you suffered, our TPD Lawyers can help you. Once you reach us, our team will assess your situation in the best manner and guide you to achieve the best TPD payout during a 100% free claim assessment.
When you decide to work with us, we will help you on a no win no fee basis, meaning that we will not charge you unless your claim is approved. Furthermore, our TPD lawyers will pay for associated costs such as medical reports and third-party documents that are required to support making your claim upfront. Such legal costs will be recovered from you after your lump sum payment upon being approved by the insurer.
In terms of fees, we take pride in charging only what we agreed from the start given our extensive experience our fees do not change.
Whilst each TPD claim is different, the usual fees lawyers charge for TPD claims range anywhere between $5,000 – $15,000. Our TPD lawyers provide our clients’ with disclosure of the exact costs prior to starting the TPD claim until a decision is made.
Withstand Lawyers Only Charge “No Win No Fee” For Your TPD Claim
At Withstand Lawyers, we act on a “no win no fee” basis for TPD claims which means that we only get paid if your claim is successful. This ensures that you’re not left with legal bills and charges if your claim is unsuccessful.
Some law firms ask that you pay for disbursements (such as medical reports) upfront, however, Withstand Lawyers cover the costs of disbursements upfront, which means that you do not pay any money upfront for your claim and these are not payable unless your claim is successful.
How Much Do Lawyers Charge For TPD Claims | Quick Recap
- Typical Fees: TPD claim legal fees usually range from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on the case’s complexity and services provided.
- No Win No Fee Policies Differ: Not all No Win No Fee arrangements are the same. Some may require you to pay disbursement costs even if you lose, so always review the policy details carefully.
- Understand Your Lawyer’s Role: It’s important to know what your TPD lawyer will handle, from managing insurer communications to collecting evidence, so you have clear expectations and a smoother claims process.
Issa Rabaya
• Bachelor of Laws
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Approved Legal Service Provider to the Independent Review Office
• Member of the Law Society
Issa Rabaya
• Bachelor of Laws
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Approved Legal Service Provider to the Independent Review Office
• Member of the Law Society
