If you or a dear one has been injured in a motor-vehicle accident, you would know how traumatic it can be. Though the event happens in a split second, the effects can last for a very long time, sometimes even permanently.

As experienced Ottawa personal injury lawyers, we know from dealing with numerous such cases, that accidents are rarely “accidental.” They are usually caused by someone else’s fault or negligence and it’s only a thorough investigation that can uncover the real reasons for the collision.

Innocent victims and their families are left to face the enormous physical, financial and emotional burden imposed by serious injuries caused by an accident. The losses sustained by accident victims include:

• Loss of income/wages
• Loss of earning-capacity
• High medical and rehabilitation expenses
• Emotional and physical pain and suffering

and many more, depending on the nature and extent of injury.

Ontario laws entitle injured victims in motor-vehicle accidents to apply for statutory benefits, regardless of fault. Additionally, victims can file a personal injury suit against the at-fault party whose negligence/fault caused the accident. Settlements are payable by insurance-companies.

Though many of us believe that an insurance company, especially our own, would act in good faith and make a settlement promptly, this can be far from the truth.

Insurance companies are for-profit organizations whose focus is purely on protecting their own business interests. To this end, they may dispute your claim, deny or dismiss it on technical grounds, attempt to make a meager settlement that wouldn’t cover your costs or delay matters till it becomes impossible for you to stay financially afloat.

Keeping these factors in mind, it’s important to present a settlement claim that’s water-tight in every way. Dispute settlement is achieved through negotiations and an experienced Ottawa personal injury lawyer can assist you with these procedures.

Select The Right Lawyer

Perhaps the best time to select a lawyer is when you don’t really need one! This gives you the time to thoroughly research their credentials, success-rate, types of cases handled etc.

However, if you don’t have a personal injury lawyer already, keep in mind that the wrong one can be highly inimical to your case, while the right one can provide you with the compensation you deserve.

Go about the task systematically. If you’re personally unable to do so, entrust the task to a family-member, co-worker or friend whose judgment you can rely on.

It’s also important to analyze what you want from the personal injury claim. People may need to:

• Cover their present and future expenses
• Create a long-term, life-plan fund
• Punish the guilty party
• Have their day in court
• Get a swift settlement without too much delay

Keep a list of questions you want answered by potential candidates when you’re selecting an Ottawa personal injury lawyer

Select a lawyer/law-firm with the financial resources to handle your claim and help you fund expenses. They should also be prepared for both negotiations and trial based on the response of the at-fault party.

It’s wiser to select a local professional rather than one from out of town, as the local person is more familiar with court procedures, current rulings, trends etc in this jurisdiction.