Get the Personal Injury Compensation You Deserve

If you’ve been injured, there may be compensation available to help you cope. As a personal injury lawyer, my job is to make sure you understand your rights and that I see your case through to the end. Let my law firm handle the stressful details so that you can focus on what’s most important: your recovery and your family. Read on to learn more about personal injury compensation claims.  

What Defines Personal Injury?

A personal injury can happen anywhere and anytime. Injuries from car accidents, work accidents, slips and falls — just to name a few — can range from mild to catastrophic. If you’ve suffered a personal injury, you already know the extent to which it can affect your quality of life, your family, and your finances. Personal injury compensation claims handled by our firm represent a variety of case types:

• Motor vehicle accidents. Injuries from a car accident can affect your mental, physical, and financial well-being, so it is important to know that you have options for benefits. In Ontario, you can start by filing a Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule claim, even if there is a dispute about who is at fault. Legal help may be necessary to recover damages beyond the maximum provided by Statutory Accident Benefits.
• Slips and falls. Serious slips and falls can cause headaches, psychological difficulties, depression, broken bones, concussions, chronic pain, brain injury, and even spinal cord injuries. More often than not, these kinds of personal injury cases place the burden on the victim, and having to deal with insurance companies can be stressful and confusing.
• Traumatic brain injuries. Brain injury victims don’t always experience a loss of consciousness, so these injuries can seem less serious. Symptoms can even be delayed, resulting in valuable lost time when it comes to getting medical treatment—and yes, legal help—for brain injuries caused by sports and recreation and other accidents.
• Bicycle accidents. People who have been involved in a bicycle accident usually experience an injury that results in pain and suffering. This can result in significant losses for the cyclists and for their loved ones. Some common injuries from bike accidents are head injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractures, internal injuries, road rash, and even psychological trauma from the accident.
• Pedestrian accidents. Pedestrians will always be more vulnerable than the motor vehicles they share the road with—being involved in a pedestrian accident means you might suffer from catastrophic, life-altering injuries that can negatively impact your quality of life and your livelihood. 
• Wrongful death. Families who are grieving the tragic loss of a loved one are understandably hesitant to speak to a lawyer right away, but time is important. A number of situations can lead to a wrongful death case, including medical mistakes, car accidents, criminal attacks, and other accidents, and in a wrongful death case, timelines are extremely tight.
• Long-term disability denials. Whether it’s caused by a sudden injury or has been developing over time, disability can leave you frustrated, worried, and unable to pay for your living expenses. Many people in this situation look to their disability insurance policies, but unfortunately, both long-term disability claims and short-term disability claims are often unfairly denied by the insurance company. Legal help can guide you through the often complex and time-consuming process of appealing for the benefits that will help you care for yourself.

What Should You Do After the Accident?

No matter what kind of accident you have been injured in, you should always get medical help immediately, even if you think you are fine. This immediate medical attention is important for two primary reasons: 

1. Some injuries are invisible, either with symptoms that appear only as time goes on. This includes traumatic brain injuries, internal injuries and bleeding, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. 
2. When you do need to file a claim, documentation is your best weapon. The sooner people who are injured seek medical help and begin a record of their injuries’ progression, the better chance they have of being able to prove the full extent of personal injury compensation amounts.

Depending on the type of accident, you may need to also file a personal insurance claim/notify your motor vehicle insurance, report your injury to your employer, or take additional steps to make sure that you are doing everything you need to stay on track with getting your injuries and damages covered.

What Are Common Mistakes People Make After a Personal Injury Accident?

When you have been injured, it is understandable that you may not be able to take every ideal step from a legal perspective. Panic, injury, grief, and confusion all make terrible companions to logical decision-making, but my job is to help you through all that and avoid making some of the most common mistakes that people make in personal injury compensation cases. This include:

• Avoiding calling a lawyer. As a personal injury lawyer who has handled a lot of cases, I know that the best way to make sure that you are protecting yourself as much as possible is to call a lawyer as soon as you are able. In some cases, you have only days to submit the first round of paperwork to get benefits, so there really is no time to waste. The good news is that the sooner you speak to a lawyer, the easier managing your claim generally becomes. 
• Admitting fault to insurance. No respectable injury lawyer will want a client to lie; however, fault can be a complicated issue, and overall good people often believe they should have been able to do something to stop the accident—even if that would have been impossible. For example, one common mistake after a car accident is admitting fault right there at the scene. 
• Refusing medical treatment. Not seeing a doctor or avoiding following the doctor’s order is an almost certain way to activate the old insurance company trick of claiming that you are really not seriously injured. Some adjusters will even tell claimants medical treatment they received was unnecessary and not approve it, which is another reason having a lawyer on your side can be helpful.
• Exaggerating your injuries. When you are injured, my job is to work to see that you get the personal injury compensation you deserve. One of the best ways to do that is to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Even seemingly “minor” injuries can have major consequences, especially when it comes to being able to do your job and care for your household as you did before your accident. The more I know, the more I can help you. If, as time goes on, you find work that does not cause you pain, you will need to be up-front about this development.
• Assuming what you do not know. An informed client is a good client, and I fully recommend that you do a bit of research. Questions are a big part of staying informed and you have to know the questions to ask. Ask about the details of your personal injury compensation taxable portion. In my experience, most issues between a client and their lawyer are due to misunderstandings. Some lawyers aren’t always good at explaining things to clients, so if you don’t understand something, stop the conversation and ask them to clarify or explain in a different way. Get them to re-explain five times if you need to, starting with the very first consultation.
• Having unrealistic expectations of your case. When you ask your lawyer, “How is personal injury compensation calculated?” you should get a response, not a promise. Also, just because a claim is valid does not mean you will get compensation right away. In fact, many serious injury cases take several years to resolve fairly. You may feel like you just cannot move on with your life, but you just need to make sure to stay in touch with your lawyer. If you change your phone number, email, or mailing address, let us know! There are times when we may need to reach you immediately. I can’t accept an offer on your behalf. Along the same lines, let us know if there are big medical, personal, or professional changes in your life. For example, if you decide to take a new job, let us know. 

Remember, insurance companies make a profit by not paying compensation, so being an active participant in your case is as important as being up-front and working well with your lawyer. 

Insurance companies will take advantage of tricky deadlines, and some insurance companies even hire private investigators to “spy” on claimants. Losing interest in your case, exaggerating your injuries, or not disclosing previous medical issues — even if you do not think they play a role in your case — will simply increase the chance you will not get fair compensation. 

We know it is tough when you’re dealing with an injury to think about a lawsuit. As an experienced personal injury lawyer, I will guide you through what’s possible, relevant deadlines for filing critical information, and negotiations with insurance. Filing a lawsuit or a personal injury claim is a complex process, and I’ll simplify everything for you and explain what you need to know.

What Happens When You Call a Lawyer for a Personal Injury Accident Claim?

Every firm is different, but here’s the process you can likely expect when you call a lawyer about your personal injury compensation claim.

• The intake. You will be connected with someone who will collect some general details about your injury claim. At a small firm like mine, you will be connected with a clerk, who then passes on your information to me. 
• The consultation. If the initial intake seems to indicate that a lawyer may be able to help with your claim, you will have a more in-depth consultation. This is your chance to interview the firm, too. Don’t hesitate to talk with more than one lawyer. 
• The second opinion. Even if you have been turned down by a firm or two, if you’re confident that you have a strong case, find a lawyer who seems to have your best interests in mind before giving up. If you’ve talked to three or four big firms and they have all turned you down, try a smaller firm. If you are still getting turned down, there may be a good chance you do not have a case. However, you should never move forward or stop moving forward because of one consultation.

A lawyer who truly believes in your case and is prepared to support you through the process may have suggestions for ways you can manage some of the financial stress of medical bills and other hardships while you wait for your case to be resolved. 

I know it can be intimidating to deal with a lawyer, but you have to remember that your lawyer is working for you. As an experienced personal injury lawyer who has seen both sides of the table, I know what to expect from insurance companies and defense lawyers, and I am focused on helping injured people heal. That includes working to get my clients’ cases resolved fairly as quickly as possible. 

How Can Derek Wilson Help?

Personal injury law is different from other types of law because we only get paid if you get compensated for your injury damages. This structure is called a contingency fee, and many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee. This is generally a good thing. For one, it means you can expect that any lawyer who takes your case is confident they can build a strong claim. 

It also means you are not out any money owing to your lawyer if your claim is less successful than you hoped. However, you do need to account for the legal fees when considering the final settlement amount you can expect to receive. Understanding the contingency fee process is important, and you should be prepared to ask any lawyer you speak to about their fee arrangements. 

In a personal injury lawsuit, both lawyers and clients have a responsibility to each other. When you hire us, you’re trusting us to help you. When we take your case, we’re trusting you too. Call us at 855-769-0418 or get in touch online to schedule a free consultation. We are committed to having your best interests in mind and helping you and your family recover fair compensation.