Questions To Help You Choose A Personal Injury Lawyer
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When a car crash, defective product, slip and fall, medical malpractice or incident caused by another party’s reckless, negligent or careless conduct causes you to be injured, how to choose a personal injury lawyer may seem to be a daunting task. Advertising for personal injury lawyers may seem to be everywhere you turn, including billboards, TV, radio and on the internet. Once word gets out that you were injured, expect to be barraged with recommendations from relatives, friends and co-workers.
Choosing a lawyer capable of representing you in your claim for compensation is a serious matter that could affect the outcome of your claim for damages against the party responsible for causing your serious injury. You need to know the lawyer you choose is capable of handling your type of case and is someone with whom you feel comfortable working. Here are a few questions to ask a personal injury lawyer to help you to make the right decision.
Is personal injury law the primary focus of the lawyer’s practice?
Lawyers engaged in the practice of personal injury law must have knowledge of the laws applicable to the following situations:
- Motor vehicle collisions
- Premises liability, including an extensive understanding of the Ontario Occupiers’ Liability Act and how it is applied in different situations
- Medical malpractice, including hospital negligence
- Nursing home liability for injuries suffered by residents
- Product liability and claims for defective products
A lawyer who occasionally handles a personal injury case may not be up to date on the most recent changes to legislation or important court decisions pertaining to personal injury law. For example, instead of being limited to benefits under the Ontario no-fault insurance system of handling claims arising from vehicle accidents, your personal injury lawyer might advise you to sue the responsible party for pain and suffering and other damages not available through no fault.
What experience does the lawyer have handling cases similar to your own?
Each victim injured through the negligence of another party presents a unique set of facts and circumstances. It takes years of experience handling similar types of cases for a personal injury lawyer to develop the skills to recognize how to present each claim in order to maximize a client’s compensation.
What happens if your claim cannot be settled?
When you have a serious injury, you need time to focus on your medical treatment and rehabilitation in order to recover, get back to work and return to a normal life. Most civil cases never go to trial. In fact, the vast majority of them, about 97 percent, result in negotiated settlements.
A settlement of your claim for damages against the party responsible for causing your injuries avoids the delays and uncertainty of a trial. You want the lawyer handling your claim to have superior negotiating abilities with a proven record of successfully settling claims. However, your lawyer should also have the experience, the courtroom skills and the willingness to take the case to trial if a favourable settlement cannot be achieved.
Obtain help from an Ontario personal injury lawyer
The personal injury lawyers at Diamond and Diamond have years of experience successfully handling claims for compensation on behalf of people injured through the negligence and fault of other parties. Learn more about your right to recover compensation by speaking with one of our lawyers. Call the Diamond and Diamond 24/7 injury hotline at 1-800-567-HURT or visit our website to speak to someone now. We have offices located throughout Ontario offering free consultations and case evaluations to injury victims and their families.