Our goal is to settle your file quickly and fairly. No long or drawn out legal battles. No cost to you. Just fast, fair settlements.
Settlements are a lump sum of cash to cover all your medical expenses, income losses, and other miscellaneous costs resulting from your injuries. In general, the more serious the injuries, the more money an insurer is willing to pay. Often insurers will look at the records of your family doctor, medical specialists and hospitals to help gauge your level of injury. If your doctor does not think your injuries are serious or if you are concerned that your doctor is not taking steps to fully investigate your health situation, then it is best to get a second opinion.
Once your injuries are established, we can then begin calculating the costs of future medical care, income loss, and compensation for pain and suffering. The more documentation you can generate to show how your life has been affected, such as medical bills and income documents, the better we are able to accurately calculate your losses and present a stronger case for payment to the insurer. It is important for your lawyer to work with you throughout the life of your claim to ensure that critical evidence is preserved and organized in a manner that helps the insurer understand your needs.
Once we can show the insurer how we go from incident to injury to compensation amount, we can then send a settlement proposal to the insurer. If the insurer agrees with our assessment, then we can usually settle the file. Once a settlement is reached, your claim with the insurer is done, and we collect our fee from the settlement amount.
Typically it takes anywhere from a few months to a few years to settle a claim with an insurer. Complex medical or employment histories, insurance coverage issues, and liability disputes can all prolong the process.
Not all cases settle. If you’re at fault, or if there is a lack of medical evidence to substantiate your injuries, then an insurer will not pay. There may also be other legal or procedural barriers to settlement. For example, if the injury occurred outside Ontario, if an insurer is refusing to provide coverage, or there is coverage through the WSIB, then you may not be able to settle.
In some cases, you and the insurer find you are unable to come to an agreement on the value of a case. If this happens, you would have to decide whether to abandon the claim, or take steps to present the court to decide the value. Either way it’s a major decision that we would discuss carefully with you before deciding what to do.
Our firm handles all manner of personal injury claims, including those arising from motor vehicle collisions, slip and falls, and long-term disability. No matter what, we’re here to help you through the process, including handling all the paperwork, speaking to the insurer on your behalf, advising you, and helping to make decisions to reach the best possible outcome.