The Motor Vehicle Accidents (Lifetime Support Scheme) Act 2013 (SA) permits a person who was seriously injured in  a Motor Vehicle Accident before 1 July 2014, to ‘buy in’ to the Lifetime Support Scheme (the Scheme), under certain conditions

If you wish to buy into the Scheme, you or someone acting on your behalf will need to make an application  to the Lifetime Support Authority (LSA).

The application must be In Writing and include enough information to enable the LSA to decide whether  your injuries meet the criteria to ‘buy in’ as set out in the LSS Rules (available on the LSA website at lifetimesupport.sa.gov.au).

The LSA will need to work out how much it would cost  for you to buy into the Scheme. The LSA will do this  by looking at your previous and current Treatment, Care  and Support needs as well as considerations such as:

  • your current age and age at the time of the Motor Vehicle Injury
  • the nature and severity of your Motor Vehicle Injuries
  • a current assessment of your Motor Vehicle Injury, for example, using the FIM™ or WeeFIM™ or ASIA Impairment Scale Score (spinal cord injury).

You may be asked to have an assessment done so the  LSA has the most up-to-date information to decide  how much it would cost you to buy in to the Scheme.

Once the LSA has determined how much it will cost  for you to buy in to the Scheme, the LSA will write  to you to let you know the amount, provide a copy  of the assessment report, and clarify how the ‘buy in’ amount was calculated.

When the buy in value is received by the LSA and paid into the Lifetime Support Scheme fund, you will receive  a letter to confirm that you are a ‘Lifetime Participant’  in the Scheme.

The LSA can’t ask you for more money once the  buy in funds are paid by you, and you will have  the same obligations and entitlements as other  Lifetime Participants in the Scheme.

For more information, please contact your Service Planner  or the Lifetime Support Authority.