The Joint Medical Examination (JME) process follows the November 2013 amendments to the Transport Accident Act 1986. This process aims to improve client experience by reducing the number of medical examinations a client needs to attend, in addition to expediting the assessment/determination of a client's entitlements and compensation.

In accordance with Section 60(2F) of the Transport Accident Act 1986, the TAC is not liable for the cost of medico-legal exams unless the examination has been requested jointly by the TAC and the client or the client’s legal representative.

The TAC together with the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) and the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) have jointly established the JME process and its inclusion in the TAC Protocols to ensure that:

• the process contemplated in Section 60(2F) of the Transport Accident Act 1986 provides an efficient and expeditious method to assess clients for the delivery of appropriate damages and entitlements as a result of a transport accident;
• the number of medical examinations that a client is required to attend are minimised; and
• the JME process is incorporated into the Common Law Protocol, Impairment Assessment Protocol and No Fault Dispute Resolution Protocol.

Joint Medical Examination Protocol

All JME requests, reschedules and notices of intention to dispute a JME decision submitted on or after 30 March 2026 are pursuant to the Joint Medical Examination Protocol 2026.

You can access the following on the TAC website:

• Joint Medical Examination Protocol
• Joint Medical Examination Protocol process map

The JME Protocol 2026 details the process for:

• lodgement, reschedules and conversion;
• approval (including assessment criteria);
• disputes;
• examinations; and
• joint supplementary reports.

The JME Protocol also includes information in support of the Common Law, Impairment Assessment and No Fault Dispute Resolution Protocol.

JME Request Form

The JME Request Form can be submitted to the TAC online. It needs to be completed to:

• convert an existing medico-legal exam to a JME, or
• request pre-approval for a JME not yet scheduled (must take place within 3 months of approval).

When you submit the online JME Request Form, an automated email response will be sent to you, confirming receipt of your JME request.

To ensure your JME Request Form can be processed promptly by the TAC please ensure that you are the acting solicitor on file and that you provide the required supporting material.

You can access all TAC Protocols forms on the TAC website, including:

• JME Request Form
• JME Reschedule Application Form

What criteria will the TAC use in considering a joint request?

The TAC will consider whether a request for a JME can be approved based on the Joint Medical Examination Protocol, clauses 4.6  to 4.8.

Which medical examiner can I use?

The TAC will consider agreeing to exams where the examiner meets the eligibility criteria as outlined in the JME Guidelines. These guidelines have been developed in conjunction with the ALA, LIV and JME Reference Group to assist medical examiners through the JME process.

The TAC will pay JME fees in line with the updated fees for Joint Medical Examinations from 1 July 2026. Where an examiner is unable to adhere to the JME fee schedule, or no longer meets the eligibility criteria, the examiner should notify the referring party as soon as practicable. In these circumstances, the examination cannot proceed as a Joint Medical Examination. The client’s lawyer may elect to proceed by way of an Independent Medical Examination or make alternative arrangements with another examiner of the same discipline who invoices in line with the JME fee schedule and meets the eligibility criteria.

What if I disagree with the TAC's decision on a JME request?

A dispute process has been agreed to between the TAC, the LIV and the ALA should you disagree with the TAC's decision not to approve a JME request.

To seek review of the TAC's decision to refuse a JME request, please use the online JME Notice of Intention to Dispute Form. The form contains details of the process the TAC will apply when considering a review of a request for JME.

What are the TAC's invoice requirements?

The TAC will only accept and process invoices for JMEs submitted by joint medical examiners. The TAC will not accept invoices for JMEs submitted by the client or their legal representative.

If a legal representative receives an invoice from a joint medical examiner, the legal representative must advise them that they should invoice the TAC. The legal representative should not pay for the invoice if it is an accepted JME.

For more information access How to invoice the TAC.