When you or a family member is injured in an accident due to a person or company’s negligence, it is best to seek an Ottawa personal injury lawyer for possible personal injury damage compensation. If this happens to be your first, your initial query would be about developing a claim into a lawsuit. Below is a general idea of what to expect.

What Qualifies a Personal Injury?

All injury that causes harm in a person’s physiology and psychology constitutes the personal injury. Most likely, it is due to someone else’s fault and negligence. The legal counsel knows what types of injuries are eligible for settlement. The most common cases are:

    • Accidents in the Workplace

Ottawa personal accident claims

  • Animal bites
  • Brain injury
  • Accidents
  • Defective products
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Slip and fall
  • Medical malpractice
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Wrongful death

<h3Common Steps in a Personal Injury Claim

All accident victims suffering from injuries or loss have the right to begin a lawsuit. The purpose is to battle for a fair and reasonable settlement for the inconvenience caused by the accident to you. The most valuable person you deal with this time is an expert Ottawa personal injury lawyer. He will answer your queries involving how and when to commence a claim into a legal proceeding. The accident attorney provides an estimate and carefully assesses the claim’s worth.

In each case, the duration of personal injury settlements depends on the factors and facts of the case. A complex case concerning severe injuries or loss will likely to advance into a lawsuit. This happens when the party at-fault or insurance companies settles irrationally. The following are the steps when you go to court:

  1. Setting a meeting with your Ottawa personal injury lawyer to discuss everything. While you are Ottawa personal injuryproviding him the details, he, too, will assess and discuss the legal principles and your rights as an accident victim. An honest expectation for the case will also be tackled, as well. The attorney will then open a file to formally represent you. He commences it by organizing the facts and evidence you have. Consequently, he prepares a claim as if the case is going to court. Although 95% of personal accident cases settle even before the proper trial, an experienced lawyer prepares early on.

 

  1. The Ottawa personal injury lawyer now writes and sends the notice letter to the negligent party. It notifies him of your interest to file a lawsuit unless the defendant settles the damages fairly. Subsequently, the other party at-fault submits a copy of your letter to his insurer. The insurance company now appoints an adjuster or their own lawyer to take charge of the claim. The latter will investigate and assess it with a hope to settle.

 

  1. The insurer’s representative contacts your Ottawa personal injury lawyer acknowledging that they have the notice letter. Normally, a meeting is set either in your attorney’s office, in the insurance company lawyer’s place, or your home in case you are incapable to travel.
  2. The possibility of case settlement happens if you are in your maximum health recovery. In this stage, all research, investigations and gathering of important documents to prove your claim are all obtained. Since all evidence is on hands, a full evaluation is ready. Your lawyer will discuss to you the developments and should never settle without obtaining your consent.

 

  1. The attorney submits a medical brief with the proposal to the insurance company and its representatives for their review. If they decide for a compensation that is unacceptable because it falls below the range of satisfaction, that is the time that a case is brought to court.

The Ottawa personal injury lawyer is keen in determining the value of your case. If settlement did not prosper early on, you will surely bring the case to court. But then again, most personal accident claims settle even before the formal court trial.