Legal Lighthouse

“We're focused together on solving a problem. We're not trying to win a contest.”

On a new Legal Lighthouse, Polaris’s Meg Caines speaks with Lauren McKirdy, the TAC’s General Manager of Claims Transformation, to break down the TAC’s role as the government insurer supporting those injured in transport accidents to access treatment and compensation.

Meg and Lauren unpack the TAC protocols and how they guide proceedings, enabling a surprisingly open and collaborative relationship with plaintiff lawyers. 

Lauren explains the distinction between no-fault benefits and common law compensation, the options available to claimants to have decisions reviewed, and how communication and the open exchange of information can help to avoid the stress of matters ending up in court.

Their conversation provides a valuable insight into the TAC’s uniquely structured approach to transport accident compensation in Victoria.

Learn more about Polaris Lawyers here

“In my career, there's no one whose injury I would trade for the money.”

Join us for the first episode of Legal Lighthouse, where Polaris Lawyers Principals Nick Mann and Megan Caines take on some of the biggest myths about personal injury law in Victoria.

Personal injury lawyers have heard them all before: the stereotypes of ‘ambulance chasing’ opportunists, tales of people ‘cashing in’ after an accident, and the caricatures of phony claimants ‘putting on a neck brace’ for a supposed easy payout. However, in reality, these injured people would give back every dollar just to have their health and old life back.

In this candid conversation, Nick and Meg set the record straight on how the system really works, unpacking the processes and structures that work as an important safety net to help injured people get their lives back on track.

Together, they discuss the importance of credible evidence that will stand up under scrutiny, why the realities of the system mean that lawyers have every incentive to only run legitimate claims, and how ‘no win, no fee’ works as a powerful tool to improve access to justice.

They also consider how frameworks such as the TAC protocols work to resolve claims without the stress of going to court, and how caring, practical support can do so much to empower claimants and make a difficult process less overwhelming.

Learn more about Polaris Lawyers here