Hiring a personal injury lawyer in BC
Getting legal advice from a lawyer after a car accident can be confusing because most people have not had to hire a lawyer for an injury claim before. Relax, I and many other personal injury lawyers in British Columbia will agree to talk with you at no charge about your injury claim and help point you in the right direction. If you have had a car accident injury in BC you are probably dealing with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC. Here are some tips on the when, where and whys to consider when hiring a personal injury lawyer in Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, or anywhere in BC.
1. When to hire a personal injury lawyer
Call, or have a family member or friend call a personal injury lawyer for a no charge consultation at the beginning of your claim. Have someone call right away. Depending on the facts of your case evidence may need to be secured or investigation initiated to help prove your claim. There are also time limits to file injury claims with ICBC and other insurance companies and a personal injury lawyer should able to help you put all your best information forward within the time requirements of the law.
2. Where your personal injury lawyer should be located
Make sure your lawyer is certified to practice law in British Columbia if your injury occurred in BC and that the lawyer has an office for delivery of legal documents in BC. If your case will require extensive court applications or court appearances it may be cheaper to hire a law firm with an office close to a courthouse. The Lower Mainland has courthouses in Vancouver, New Westminster and Chilliwack. Lawyers in downtown Vancouver are close to the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and the Provincial Courts. In an injury claim, where your lawyer is located is often more important than where you are located.
3. Why would you hire a lawyer for your injury claim
Many people that call my personal injury law firm are happy to hear me say that they do not need a lawyer for their personal injury claim. A claim may be minor and uncomplicated requiring nothing more than some goodwill on behalf of both the insurance company and the injured claimant. You would hire a lawyer however when there appears to be issues of fault, medical and/or legal causation, or other complicating legal and factual issues. Many cases can be won or lost on a legal “technicality”. I have also been told by clients over the years that having a personal injury lawyer meant that they were able get on with trying to get better without worrying about a personal injury claim. View my video on why hire a personal injury lawyer in BC.
Posted by Mr. Renn A. Holness
Tags: British Columbia Lawyers, Car accident lawyer, Find Lawyers, ICBC Injury claim, ICBC Lawyers, Legal advice, Personal Injury, Personal Injury Lawyers
[...] injury claimant that is not happy with the lawyer they have hired. Take a read of my article about hiring car accident lawyers in BC. Here is a quick and easy checklist of items to consider when hiring a personal injury lawyer in [...]
[...] This claimant did not have a lawyer and his lawsuits against ICBC were dismissed by the court. This decision was clearly to help prevent misuse of the litigation process (Keremelevski v. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia,2011 BCCA 369). What was clear to the Court of Appeal was that the proceedings had no sensible basis in law or fact and had absolutely no chance of success. Accordingly, all the applications of the applicant were dismissed. This is another example of why you should hire a personal injury lawyer for your injury claim. Take a read of my article on why you should hire a lawyer for your ICBC injury claim. [...]
[...] In this tragic motorcycle injury case (Hale v. MacEwen,2011 BCSC 1404) the injury claimant was found to be totally at fault for his significant physical injuries. This lawsuit arose from a collision between a motorcycle and a cube van which occurred in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. The injury claimant and his passenger suffered personal injuries as a result of the car crash. Take a read of my article on getting legal help for your ICBC injury claim. [...]
[...] case is a reminder of how important it is to have a personal injury lawyer representing you in a Supreme Court case in British Columbia. The person being sued did not have a lawyer and [...]
[...] case is another reminder of why it is important to hire a personal injury lawyer if you have been injured in a car accident( see: Pearlman v. Phelps Leasing Ltd.,2011 BCSC [...]
[...] I have been a personal injury lawyer representing injury claimants against ICBC since 1995 in BC and have helped countless claimants settle their injury claims from my law office in Vancouver. Finding a lawyer can be a daunting task and most people that call my office are concerned about the cost of a lawyer. Here are three things to consider before hiring a personal injury lawyer: [...]