What is the best way to discover a good care accident lawyer?
Finding a trustworthy automobile accident lawyer is difficult, especially if you have never dealt with or hired a lawyer before. Do you employ a personal injury lawyer that you saw on a billboard, CP24, a bus, or a television commercial? Do you hire a car accident attorney after hearing about them on 680 News? Do you use the Internet to find a car accident lawyer?
We always recommend that you chat with friends, family members, and other acquaintances before hiring a car accident lawyer. Start with your own network. If you don’t know any automobile accident lawyers in your social circle, we recommend speaking with local attorneys in your area who may be able to refer you to one.
Do your homework and exercise caution. Keep in mind that legal practice in Ontario has become extremely specialized. Most lawyers are now specialists in a particular field rather than generalists. Suppose you’ve been in a car accident and sustained serious injuries. In that case, it’s critical that the individual you employ to represent you is well-versed in car accident law, Ontario auto insurance, and no-fault benefit requirements. Rather from being swayed by the media, flash advertising, television advertisements, and billboards, do your homework and talk to people, friends, study reviews, examine the firm’s results, and call around. We always suggest meeting with at least two automobile accident attorneys. Interview them both separately to see who you think would be the best to work with and who would deliver the best outcomes.
Check to see if the attorney firm handling your vehicle accident case is a “settlement mill.”
What can you expect from your first consultation?
It’s critical that you visit with a vehicle accident attorney who will not charge you a fee for a consultation. We never charge potential new clients to meet with us and discuss their case.
If you are too damaged to come into the office, that lawyer (not his or her clerks, paralegals, or helpers) will meet you in the hospital or at your home once a meeting has been set up. At our firm, we can meet with you or your family in person at a location that is convenient for you or your family, at our office, or via videoconference (Zoom, Google need, FaceTime etc.)
Our automobile accident lawyers will meet with you or your family to discuss your situation and answer any questions you may have. We would expect you to bring with you documentation to ensure a successful and productive meeting with your car accident lawyer, such as information about the location and date of the accident, your driver’s license, your health card, a police report if you have one, the details and contact information of all your medical professionals, as well as any photographs you have of the vehicles or your injuries.
If we decide to work together, we’ll go over an engagement letter with you that outlines the terms of the relationship, as well as a detailed breakdown of the legal fees you’ll pay at the conclusion of your case (only if we win), and we’ll ask you to sign health authorizations that allow us to request medical and non-medical documentation needed to prove your case. While some businesses need you to fill out an intake questionnaire, we prefer to speak with you and your family and have a lengthy discussion about the events and facts surrounding the vehicle accident that resulted in your catastrophic injuries.
Our law company would typically wait 3 to 4 months after your discharge home to collect medical and health records. We would immediately call the at-fault driver’s insurance company and provide them formal notice of your intend to launch a lawsuit, which you must do within 120 days. Next, we’d contact your no-fault insurance company, acquire the necessary evidence and forms to begin the claims process, schedule a visit with her occupational therapist, and begin your case.
