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Remote PIC attendance

Can I attend a PIC conference by video or telephone?

Many claims conferences are online, but the Commission controls the attendance method

Yes, many Personal Injury Commission (PIC) motor accident claims conferences are conducted online by audio or audio-visual link. Section 52 of the Personal Injury Commission Act 2020 permits telephone and other remote conferences, and Procedural Direction MA7 says the Commission will notify parties of the date of an online conference or a papers decision. This does not give every party an unconditional right to choose video, telephone or in-person attendance. Read the listing notice and ask the Registry early if disability, technology, safety, location, language or another practical issue means a different arrangement is needed.

A remote conference is still a formal Commission event. The Member may identify the issues, give directions, explore whether any part can be resolved and decide what further evidence or listing is required. The insurer and its representatives participate in the same proceeding. Joining from home does not make the discussion an informal telephone call.

The correct arrangement depends on the type of event. A preliminary or claims conference may commonly be online. A formal hearing can be in person or online depending on the circumstances. A medical assessment follows separate rules: a physical examination may require attendance at consulting rooms, while the Commission says psychiatric medical assessments are primarily conducted online to reduce concern and anxiety. Always follow the actual appointment notice.

Reviewed by Herman Chan, Stephen Young Lawyers

Claimant attending a private NSW CTP Personal Injury Commission video conference with an indexed evidence bundle.
A remote PIC listing remains a formal proceeding: check the notice, protect privacy and prepare the same evidence as for an in-person event.

How the Commission chooses video, telephone or in-person attendance

Procedural Direction MA7 allows a claims assessment to proceed on the papers, by online audio or audio-visual conference, or face to face as appropriate. Procedural Direction PIC1 similarly states that listings can be in person or online depending on the circumstances. The Member or Commission therefore selects the process that fits the dispute rather than applying one format to every case.

Relevant circumstances may include the issues in dispute, whether oral evidence or credibility must be tested, the location and health of participants, interpreter or accessibility requirements, document complexity and whether a private remote setting is available. A party can request an alternative, but should explain the practical reason and propose a workable arrangement.

Do not assume that an insurer agreement changes a listing. Only the Commission can alter its own notice or direction. Until written confirmation is received, prepare for the method and time shown in the current listing notice.

Prepare a remote PIC conference as carefully as an in-person event

Procedural Direction PIC1 requires a remote participant to use a sufficiently private, quiet place and minimise distractions. Test the link, camera, microphone, charging and internet connection in advance. Keep a telephone available as a backup, but do not switch methods without telling the Registry.

Have the insurer decision, internal-review outcome, PIC application and reply, current directions, chronology, issue list and indexed evidence open or printed. Use the same page numbering as the Commission bundle so everyone can locate a document quickly. If an interpreter is arranged, speak in short segments and allow the interpreter to complete each passage.

No person should make a private recording, screenshot, livestream, transcription or AI-generated record merely because the event is online. Hearings are recorded by the Commission under its procedures. Ask the Commission before using any separate recording or transcription tool, and comply with confidentiality and publication requirements.

What to do if remote attendance is difficult or unsafe

Tell the Registry as soon as possible if you lack suitable technology or privacy, have a hearing or communication disability, need an interpreter, cannot sit for the expected duration or require a support person. Identify the specific barrier and the arrangement that would allow effective participation. The Access Charter asks parties to advise accessibility requirements in advance.

A request can propose telephone rather than video, an in-person or hybrid venue, additional breaks, captioning, an interpreter or another reasonable support. The Commission may accept the proposal, select a different solution or retain the original arrangement. The aim is effective participation, not a particular platform.

If the connection fails during the event, try the backup details in the notice and contact the Registry immediately. Record the time and steps taken. Do not simply leave the conference or assume it has been adjourned. The Member may pause, reconnect, change method, give directions or relist depending on what occurred.

Practical next steps

Prepare for an online PIC listing

Confirm the method early and prepare both the case and the technology.

  1. Read the listing notice

    Confirm whether the event is video, telephone, in person, medical assessment or a papers process.

  2. Raise access needs early

    Tell the Registry about interpreter, disability, privacy, location or technology barriers and copy the insurer.

  3. Test the connection

    Check the link, device, microphone, camera, power, internet and backup telephone before the listed time.

  4. Prepare the indexed bundle

    Have the decision, issues, orders sought, chronology and evidence ready with matching page numbers.

  5. Join from a private place

    Enter early, minimise interruptions and follow the Member’s directions throughout the conference.

Evidence

Remote conference preparation checklist

Keep the procedural and technical information together.

  • The complete listing notice, link, dial-in details and PIC case number.
  • The insurer decision and internal-review outcome under dispute.
  • The application, reply and current Commission directions.
  • A one-page issue list and the precise decision or orders requested.
  • An indexed, paginated evidence bundle and concise chronology.
  • Interpreter, accessibility or support-person confirmation.
  • A tested device, charger, headphones and backup telephone number.
  • Registry contact details and a note of any connection problem.

Common remote-attendance mistakes

  • Do not assume every PIC event can be attended remotely.
  • Do not join from a vehicle, public place or location where confidentiality cannot be maintained.
  • Do not record, stream or use an AI transcription tool without proper authority.
  • Do not contact the Member directly outside the listed event.
  • Do not treat an insurer agreement as confirmation that the Commission changed the listing.

Timing

Ask for a different arrangement as soon as the need is known

There is no single request period that applies to every PIC listing.

  • Follow any date stated in the listing notice or Commission direction.
  • Notify interpreter and accessibility requirements in advance so arrangements can be made.
  • An application to adjourn or change method does not alter the listing until the Commission confirms it.
  • Report a connection failure or missed call to the Registry immediately.

Frequently asked questions

Are all NSW CTP PIC conferences held by video?
No. MA7 permits online, face-to-face and papers processes. The Commission chooses the appropriate method and states it in the notice.
Can I ask to use telephone instead of video?
Yes. Explain the technology, disability, privacy or other reason and ask early. Approval is not automatic.
Can I attend a PIC medical assessment by video?
Some assessments, particularly psychiatric assessments, may be online. A physical examination may require in-person attendance. Follow the appointment notice and ask the Registry if an alternative is needed.
Can my lawyer join from a different location?
Often yes when the listing is remote, but each participant must use the link and arrangements supplied by the Commission and be ready at the listed time.
What happens if my internet fails?
Use the backup details and contact the Registry immediately. Keep a record of the failure. The Commission decides whether to continue, change method or relist.
May I record the video conference for my own notes?
Do not record or transcribe a Commission event without authority. Use written notes and ask the Commission if an official recording is available under its policy.

Related NSW CTP and PIC guides

Official sources

This page uses the current Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017, Personal Injury Commission Act 2020, Personal Injury Commission Rules 2021, Motor Accident Guidelines version 10.1 and current PIC procedural directions. The correct procedure depends on the dispute stream, the notice issued in the individual proceeding and any direction made by the Commission.

PIC conference preparation

Do you have an upcoming video or telephone PIC conference?

Send the listing notice, insurer decision, application and evidence index. We can help identify the issues, prepare the bundle and address access arrangements without assuming the result.

Ask us to review the PIC listingRead the PIC preliminary conference guide

General information only: This page provides general NSW CTP procedural information, not legal advice. It does not create or extend a deadline, guarantee that the Commission will accept evidence or a request, or predict the result of a dispute.