No AI is ever used in the production of #PeteLawNotes. They are written with the benefit of over 25 years as a thought leader in the CTP space.
The purpose of #PeteLawNotes is educational and should not be relied upon as legal or financial advice. The commentary is only current as at the time of publication and is only relevant to motor accident claims in NSW. Readers affected by the issues raised in these case notes should seek bespoke legal advice, noting that I act for CTP Insurers and I do not accept direct instructions from those injured in motor accidents.
I was, prior to 21 July 2025, a Principal of McCabes Lawyers. This index includes links to Case Notes I prepared for McCabes with their permission.
THRESHOLD INJURY DISPUTES
Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal Finds no Error in Delegate’s Decision Refusing to Refer Threshold Injury Dispute for Assessment | Kewin v AAI Ltd t/as GIO Insurance [2026] NSWCA 86
Threshold Injuries – Court of Appeal Settles the Skin Injury Debate | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Estate of the Late Summer Abawi [2025] NSWCA 85
Sharpen your Pencil – the Scope of Medical Disputes | Mandoukos v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWCA 71
Supreme Court
Supreme Court Clarifies Scope of Threshold Injury Dispute | AAI Ltd t/as GIO v Mohammed [2026] NSWSC 991
Supreme Court Finds Consequential Surgery Constitutes “Injury” | Mandoukos v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2026] NSWSC 911
Review Panel Wrong-Footed by Wingfoot | Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Cahill [2025] NSWSC 828
Threshold Injury – Physical
Consequential Surgery is not an “Injury” in the Absence of Harm | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Mandoukos [2025] NSWPICMP 844 | Overturned by Supreme Court
Abawi Applied – Injury to Skin a Threshold injury | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Rababi [2025] NSWPICMP 744
Can Injury Sustained During Consequential Treatment be a “Non-Threshold” Injury? | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Miles (No 3) [2025] NSWPICMP 565
Review Panel finds Rotator Cuff Tear Sustained During Treatment is a Non-Threshold Injury | Gibbin v AAI Ltd t/as GIO [2025] NSWPICPM 523
Causation Test: Hey dude, the movement you need is on your shoulder | Isaac v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2024] NSWPICMP 364
Shouldering the Onus of Proving a Non-Threshold Injury | Toomey v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMP 209
The Mysterious Case of the Additional Lumbar Vertebra | Verscio v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMP 57
Non-Threshold Injury – Physical
Review Panel Finds Aggravated Radiculopathy is a Non-Threshold Injury | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Lee [2026] NSWPICMP 422
Medical Review Panel Addresses Bone (Bruising) of Contention | Fahim v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPICMP 355
Extension to Annular Tear Found to be Non-Threshold | Jung v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPICMP 128
Disc Herniations – Need for Radiculopathy Ruptured? | QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited v Azar [2024] NSWPICMP 701
Sliding Doors – did an accident cause fractured ribs or not? | Ghaznawi v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2023] NSWPICMP 603
Threshold Injury – Psychiatric
Understanding PTSD Criteria in Non-Severe Accidents | Ozucargil v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPICMP 102
Threshold Injuries – Temporary Aggravation and Recovery | Sims v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMP 657
The Mandoukos Principle in Practice – Injury excluded from Medical Dispute | Elammar v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2024] NSWPICMP 280
Non-Threshold Injury – Psychiatric
Defining the Scope of a Threshold Psychiatric Dispute | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Meilak [2025] NSWPICMP 980
Mandoukos Sidestepped? Review Panel Selects own Psychiatric Diagnosis | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Kavakci [2025] NSWPICMP 227
Twin Peaks – David and Lynch Affirmed | QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited v Chebat [2024] NSWPICMP 611
Threshold Injury Disputes Involving Multiple Accidents | Aleksic v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2023] NSWPICMP 466
WHOLLY OR MOSTLY AT FAULT DISPUTES
Supreme Court
Supreme Court Clarifies Most at Fault Rules | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Evic [2024] NSWSC 1272
Pedestrians
Look Up From Your Phone! Pedestrian’s Contributory Negligence Measured at 100% | Kojic v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPIC 13
When Stepping Out, Look Out! | Ford-Gunatilake v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 418
Single Vehicle Accidents
Standard of Care for Learner Drivers is Standard | Holmes v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 389
Claimant Who Suffered an Unforeseen Medical Episode Not Wholly or Mostly at Fault | McManus v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPIC 175
Slippery When Wet – Another Driver’s Speed Means They’re Mostly-at-Fault | Salazar Renteria v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2025] NSWPIC 623
When is a Finding of 100% Contributory Negligence Justified in a Single Vehicle Accident? | CMB v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 420
Expert Evidence Required to Explain Risk of Hypoglycaemic Episode | BVV v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 158
Slippery When Wet – When an Unsafe Speed Means You’re Livin’ on a Prayer | Mellor-Langham v QBE
Evic Rides Again – Driver in Single Vehicle Accident Not Mostly at Fault | Earle-Joyce v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2024] NSWPIC 626
Evic Applied – Assessing Contributory Negligence in Single Vehicle Accidents | Custovic v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWPIC 605
Multi-Vehicle Accidents
Assessing Relative Culpability Where Insured not Culpable | Faraj v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPIC 572
How Most at Fault Disputes are Assessed When Only One Party is Culpable | Wallace v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPIC 465
Overtaking Motorcyclist Most at Fault | Antoniou v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 428
Corner Marker Mostly at Fault on Motorcycle Club Run | Hernandez-Taylor v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2026] NSWPIC 208
Driver Most at Fault for Aggressive Merging Manoeuvre | Contos v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 187
Assessing Relative Culpability in Multi-Vehicle Accidents | Solomon v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPIC 150
How Most at Fault Disputes are Assessed When the Insured is Not at Fault | Raad v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 598
How is Relative Culpability Assessed When One Party Disobeys the Road Rules? | Singh v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 524
Evic Applied – How to Assess Contributory Negligence in a Chain Collision? | Freitas v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 475
Same but Different? Liability in Statutory Benefits versus Liability in a Claim for Damages | Macdonald v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 284
Res Ipsa Loquitor Argument is no Lay Down Misère | Sheeran v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 274
Change Lanes with Care | Mahfoud v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2025] NSWPIC 45
Bus Passengers
How Does Evic Apply to Passengers Injured on a Bus? | Blasco v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 482
Hold On! What Precautions Should I Take When Boarding a Bus? | Hidalgo v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWPIC 356
Bicyclists
Bicyclist Found Wholly at Fault | Mitchell v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 378
OVERARCHING STATUTORY BENEFIT LIABILITY DISPUTES
Scope of “Motor Accident”
Punch to Face Not Sustained in a “Motor Accident” | Aziz v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPIC 541
How Far Does the Concept of “Dangerous Situation” Extend? | Ovsepyan v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2026] NSWPIC 500
“Driving” Includes Acts Ancillary to Driving | Wall v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 418
Injury Sustained on Bus not Sustained in a “Motor Accident” | Liebert v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 458
Serious Driving Offence
Serious Driving Offences – Claimant Injured During Psychotic Episode Entitled to Statutory Benefits | Flanagan v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 79
Claimant Convicted of Negligent Driving Causing Death Denied Statutory Benefits | Alhussein v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPIC 23
Mental Harm Claims – “Necessary Modifications”
Necessary Modifications – Claims for Statutory Benefits Based on Mental Harm | Borrow v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPICMR 67
Mental Harm and Statutory Benefits | Zhao v AAI Limited t/as GIO [2023] NSWPICMR 62
Public Transport Accidents
Threshold Injury Found Not to Apply to Public Transport Accidents | Russell v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 129
TREATMENT & CARE DISPUTES
Supreme Court
Pet Care is an Attendant Care Service | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Chowdhury [2025] NSWSC 1392
Definition of “Treatment”
Packing Services Not an Attendant Care Service | Malek v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPIC 564
London Calling: A Trip to the UK Does Not Constitute “Rehabilitation” | Woolfman v Lifetime Care and Support Authority [2025] NSWPIC 666
English Language Course found to be Rehabilitation | Perez v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2026] NSWPIC 264
Removalist Services are Not an “Everyday Task” | Choi v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 433
Can Preparing a House for Sale be an “Attendant Care Service”? | Lau v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2024] NSWPIC 724
“Reasonable & Necessary”
Ongoing Physiotherapy Not Reasonable and Necessary | Ren v QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd [2026] NSWPICMP 684
Pointless Physiotherapy Found Not Reasonable and Necessary | AAI Limited t/as AAMI v Zawit [2026] NSWPICMP 186
What Factors Are Relevant to Whether Treatment is Reasonable & Necessary? | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Mataraci [2025] NSWPICMP 536
When is Treatment “Reasonable and Necessary”? | AAI Limited t/as AAMI v Shoyeb [2025] NSWPICMP 122
Request for Approval
Treating Specialist’s Report Found to Be a Request for Treatment Approval | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Jennar [2026] NSWPIC 320
WEEKLY PAYMENT DISPUTES
Supreme Court
No Tax Payable in Third Entitlement Period | Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Jenkins [2020] NSWSC 412
Definition of “Earner”
Does a company’s registration sufficiently demonstrate that a Claimant is “an earner”? | Alzate v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA [2023] NSWPICMR 51
“Earner’s” Earnings Disputed | Kozlov v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPICMR 2
Calculation of PAWE
Redundancy Payments and Early Termination Payments Should Not Be Included in PAWE | CPP v Youi Pty Limited [2025] NSWPICMR 27
Husher Up – Company Profits Irrelevant to the Calculation of PAWE | Klironomos v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPICMR 17
PAWE – When do the “Significant Change” Provisions Apply? | Kumar v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2024] NSWPICMR 73
Business Losses and the Calculation of PAWE | Zou v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2024] NSWPICMR 4
Calculation of Weekly Payments
Weekly Benefits Not Allowed Where Post-Accident Earnings Exceed PAWE | Cameron v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPICMR 15
Claimant Not Entitled to Both WC Payments and CTP Payments for Same Period | Jaggi v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2026] NSWPICMR 30
Duration of Weekly Payments
Merit Reviewer Finds Damages Claim not “Pending” Because Driver Can’t Sue Himself | Thomas v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPICMR 16
COMMON LAW LIABILITY DISPUTES
Bird Stike – Driver Left With Nobody to Sue | Mousawi v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 557
Single Vehicle Accidents – How Liability is Assessed Differently in Statutory Benefit and Common Law Claims | BVV v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2025] NSWPIC 496
NOMINAL DEFENDANT DISPUTES
Due Inquiry & Search Conducted Before Scent Went Cold | Raad v Nominal Defendant by its agent Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 173
When is Due Inquiry & Search Reasonable? | Palmer v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2025] NSWPIC 440
Nominal Defendant Not Liable in Claim for Statutory Benefits | Wright v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 268
WPI DISPUTES
Court of Appeal
Reviewing the (Narrow) Role of the Review Panel | Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Bell [2025] NSWCA 187
Scope of Dispute
Sharpen Your Pencil – Care Required in Defining the Scope of Medical Disputes | Fitzsimmons v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2026] NSWPICMP 37
Assessment of WPI
Spinal Nerve Root Injury? Show Me the (Radicular) Signs! | Morrison v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPICMP 79
Review Panel Sidesteps the Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Fallacy | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Zjalic [2025] NSWPICMP 180
How to Assess a Brain Injury | Antonio v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPICMP 60
The Persuasion of Biomechanical Evidence in the Causation Equation | Transport Accident Commission of Victoria v Kelyana [2024] NSWPICMP 148
Establishing Psychiatric Impairment | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Adnan [2024] NSWPICMP 89
PROCEDURAL DISPUTES
Directions for Production
Directions for Production: “Apparent Relevance” Reiterated | Ziaeipour v Transport Accident Commission [2026] NSWPIC 521
“Apparent Relevance” – Defining the Legal Test of Legitimate Forensic Purpose | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Williams [2026] NSWPICMP 414
Applications for Exemption
When is Damages Claim Unsuitable for Assessment? | El Saghir v AAI Limited t/as AAMI [2026] NSWPIC 545
Non-Compliance with Direction for Production Renders Claim Unsuitable for Assessment | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Tanuja Banu [2026] NSWPIC 357
Personal Injury Commission Not An All-Terrain Forum | Pout v Shipway [2024] NSWPIC 41
Applications to Dismiss
Frivolous & Vexatious Medical Assessment Dismissed | Contarino v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2025] NSWPIC 636
Proceedings Dismissed – A Drain on the Commission’s Resources | Drane v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 338
Claim Lacking Substance Dismissed | Park v Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance [2024] NSWPIC 225
Can No Endeavours be Best Endeavours? | Kaur v Transport Accident Commission [2024] NSWPIC 177
Claimant’s Duty to Co-operate
Claimant’s Duty to Co-operate with the Insurer is Mandatory | AAI Limited t/as AAMI v Elias [2025] NSWPICMR 31
Explanations for Delay
Claimant’s Explanation for Delay not Full and Satisfactory | Arab v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 317
Internal Review
Internal Review Determination Not Binding on Insurer | AAI Limited t/as GIO v Leverrier [2024] NSWPIC 548
Admission of Surveillance
Inconsistencies Depicted in Surveillance Constitute “Exceptional Circumstances” | Angileri v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2026] NSWPIC 139
THE UN-CASENOTED
Federal Jurisdiction | Scott v The Nominal Defendant by its agent QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2026] NSWPIC 569
Medicinal Cannabis R&N? | Insurance Australia Limited t/as NRMA Insurance & Anor v McCarthy [2026] NSWPICMP 184
