In an Ottawa accident? Here are some basic steps to take right away to protect yourself.

Get the other driver’s information, including:

• Name
• Address, Telephone
• Vehicle licence plate,  make and model
• Driver’s licence  number
• Other driver’s  insurance company and policy number

If the other driver tries to deny you any of this information, call the police.

Never admit you were at fault or agree to pay for any damage.

Take photos of the accident scene, your car and your injuries.

Make sure you get the name and phone number of any witnesses.

Go to a doctor if you have been injured.  It is much harder to make a claim later on if you have not seen a doctor within the first week of your accident.

Call the police.  We generally do not accept cases where the police were not called to the scene.

Report the accident to your insurance company.

Get free legal advice from a personal injury lawyer to see if you have a viable claim.

Ottawa Lawyer-  I am constantly amazed by the people who take their legal advice from friends, family, co-workers or the person at the bus stop.

If you have legal questions after an accident, including a car accident, slip and fall or other mishap, take advantage of the free consultation that most lawyers offer.  Impartial, expertise from an Ottawa personal injury lawyer who spends her day dealing with insurance companies and defense lawyers is the key to getting the best information about your case.

At our personal injury law office, during your initial consultation, you will learn:

• the limitation period that applies to your case;
• the best way to respond to any accident benefit issues you have;
• the issues surrounding liability in your case (i.e. who is responsible);
• what documents you will need to obtain in order to settle or try your case;
• what it would cost to have a professional handle your case;
• the steps that are needed to resolve your case;
• information about the reputation of you insurer and adjuster;
• what medical professionals may be able to assist you (i.e. ideas about specialists); and
• tips, “dos and don’t” and other information about how to maximize the results in your case.

If you think you would benefit from receiving this information, contact our office at 613 233-4529 to schedule your free consultation without any obligation.

Ottawa Lawyer — If you have recently been in an accident in Ottawa and are thinking of pursuing a personal injury case, you are likely wondering how much financial compensation you may be entitled to. A number of factors are at play when trying to determine the value of a particular personal injury case.

While there is no set formula for determining value, a case is usually worth the same amount as the damages suffered by the individual. These damages take into account medical costs, lost wages, property damage and lost earning capacity. Sometimes the value can be easily determined and in other cases, it can be more difficult, depending on the nature of the case. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you in the process of gathering the necessary information in order to determine the value of your case.

Injured individuals are entitled to compensation for tangible harms such as those listed above, but you my also be entitled to “intangible” damages. These include things like psychological distress, pain, depression, disability, etc. It is these intangible harms that can make a case difficult to assess. The value of these harms is subjective and thus, they do not have a specific monetary amount assigned to them. Assessing the value of things like mental anguish or inconvenience is more difficult and often takes longer, than assessing the value of medical costs, for example. While it may not always be easy to determine the value of a personal injury case, taking into account a variety of factors will help to provide the most accurate assessment.

Typically, both parties, along with their lawyers, make an estimate for how much the case is worth. The value is then either agreed upon during mediation, or if the case goes to trial, a judge or jury will make a ruling regarding the value and the financial compensation, if any, the injured person is entitled to.

Because of the complex nature of assessing the value of a personal injury case, it is in your best interest to work with a good personal injury lawyer who can guide you through the process and who can work on your behalf to suggest an accurate value for your case. If you have suffered a personal injury, it is in your best interest to work with a lawyer who has the knowledge and experience necessary to evaluate your case.

Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer: Looking For A U.S. Lawyer?

OTTAWA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER – Are you an Ontario resident who has suffered an injury while on vacation or business out of the province?  We would be very happy to assist you to find an excellent lawyer in the appropriate jurisdiction.  Hiring a lawyer is an important decision.  Interview your prospective attorney carefully before making a decision.

For more serious motor vehicle accidents, we can assist you with your Ontario accident benefits while coordinating with your out-of-province lawyer who is pursuing the driver who caused the accident for additional compensation.

Meet some of the lawyers we rely on when we’re asked to refer to personal injury lawyers (and others)  outside Ontario:

California

Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer :  The BISNAR | CHASE Personal Injury Attorneys have represented over 6,000 people who have been seriously injured or lost a family member due to an accident, defective product or negligence. Our top-rated law firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for its clients since 1978 by winning a wide variety of challenging personal injury cases involving traffic accidents, work place injuries and defective products, including defective automobiles, against some of the world’s largest companies and governmental agencies.

San Francisco Personal Injury Lawyer Vaughan de Kirby a Canadian American has 30 years experience protecting the rights of the seriously injured in Northern California.  Law Offices of Vaughan de Kirby, A.P.C., 5139 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, California 94118, English: 800-4Accident.

Iowa

Canadians injured in Iowa in car accidents are beginning to realize that they should learn about their rights and responsibilities in order to avoid a costly mistake.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Iowa then go to http://www.IowaCarAccidentBook.com to learn about your rights including 7 Secrets to Not Wreck Your Case, 10 Myths about Iowa Car Accidents and 5 Things to Know Before Hiring an Attorney.  Iowa Personal Injury attorney Corey J. L. Walker offers his car accident and personal injury books at no cost, risk or obligation because he has seen to many good people make costly mistakes which cost them thousands of dollars and sometimes even their entire case.  So go to his webpage now to learn more and request your copy of his book Iowa Car Accident book.  Corey has a personal injury practice throughout the state of Iowa including Des Moines, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Sioux City, Ft. Dodge, Mason City, Davenport, Council Bluffs, etc.

Florida

The Law Office of James W. Dodson, P.A. is a personal injury law firm located in Clearwater, Florida with experience serving clients throughout the state. We handle all serious personal injuries and medical malpractice cases with a special emphasis on people who have been injured or who died in car accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and falls and injuries to children. Contact our law offices @ 1-888-340-0840. Visit us online @ www.pedestrianaccidentlawyerflorida.com; www.childinjurylawyerflorida.com

New York

Franchise Lawyer – Charles N. Internicola is a recognized United States attorney who represents franchisors.  Mr. Internicola advises and assists “start-up” franchisors in the establishment of a franchise system and he regularly represents established franchisors respecting the refinement, registration and renewal of their FDD registrations.  Decker, Decker, Dito & Internicola, LLP, 1610 Richmond Road, Staten Island, NY 10304, Tel. 718.979.4300.

What is Mandatory Mediation in an Ontario Personal Injury Case?

OTTAWA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER – If you have a personal injury law suit in Ottawa or in some other Ontario jurisdictions, you will be required to participate in mediation before the court will give you a trial date.

Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution.  It is a way for  the people involved in the lawsuit to settle outside of court.  A neutral third party – the mediator – helps the disputing parties look for a solution that works for them.   Mediators, unlike judges, do not “decide” your personal injury case case.  The mediator’s job is to help the the injured person (with his or her personal injury lawyer) to negotiate with the insurance company and its lawyer in a constructive manner, to gain a better understanding of the interests of all parties, and to find a resolution based on common understanding and mutual agreement. The purpose of mediation is not to determine who wins and who loses, but to develop creative solutions to disputes in a way that is not possible at a trial.

The personal injury mediation process is informal and completely confidential. Parties in mediation may speak more openly than in court. Many people find mediation a more comfortable and constructive process than a trial. Under the court-connected mediation process the parties are require to select the mediator and then to provide that mediator with a brief outlining the case and the issues.

Usually personal injury mediations proceed with the mediator making some opening remarks about the purpose and goal of mediation.  This is followed by both lawyers making opening statements.

The clients are required to attend the mediation, but are not required to speak.  They are usually asked if there is anything they want to add.  However, it is quite common for the clients not to speak in the open session.   Having said that, we have had some very effective mediations where the injured client has chosen to speak.

After the opening statements, the parties usually retire to separate rooms where they exchange offers back and forth with the help and guidance of the mediator.  It is often very surprising how much progress can be made over the course of a few hours.

Sometimes, the lawyers will speak directly without the clients and with or without the mediator.  This can often assist with breaking negotiation log-jams.

Personal injury clients in a car accident case are often surprised to learn that the at-fault driver is not at the mediation.  Sometimes they are relieved that the at fault driver is not there!  It is virtually always a representative of the insurance company who attends as the defence counsel’s client.  This is the person who attends because this is the person who will decide about how much, if anything will be paid.  The insurance company writes the cheque, not the at fault driver.

Ontario personal injury cases do not always settle at mediation, though more straightforward cases often do.  However, even if a case does not settle, the initial discussions at mediation in most cases lay the groundwork for further discussions later on.

Have you been involved in an Ottawa accident and are looking to settle your injury claim? Speak with a top personal injury lawyer who can help you get the best possible settlement in your injury case. For more information, contact the Ottawa injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth by email info@ottawalawfirm.ca or by phone at (613) 860-4529.

Had an Accident in Ottawa?

As a personal injury lawyer in Ottawa I have one overriding suggestion:  What ever you do, tell the truth.  Tell the truth to the insurance company, if you chose to talk to them.  Tell the truth to your doctors, including the insurance company’s doctors, when you describe your symptoms, any improvement since the accident and what your limitations are.

Why the reminder?  In May 2009, Brenda Hollingsworth is preparing to give a talk to the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) about the Threshold.  The Threshold is the test you have to meet to be permitted to sue for pain and suffering after a car accident in Ontario. As a result of the upcoming presentation, she has reviewed every Threshold case decided by a judge over the past 18 months.

One very common thread in these decisions was that where plaintiffs (injured people) do not meet the Threshold (and therefore lose there case) it is almost always the case that the judge comments that they were not truthful about their injuries.

If you are not credible, if the judge and / or jury does not believe you, you will lose your accident case.

Ottawa Lawyer| Checklist After Ottawa Accident

Check out the new article by Ottawa personal injury lawyers about easy first steps to take after an Ottawa car accident.

Want more?  We also have a longer list of steps to take to ensure your legal rights are protected after an Ottawa auto accident.

All of this information, and more, is available in The Ottawa Accident Book:  A Injured Victim’s Guide to Fair Compensation.  Why not order your free copy here?

Good Personal Injury Lawyers Don’t Call You First!

OTTAWA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER – If you are in a serious accident in Ottawa, there is a good chance you will spend time in the Ottawa Rehabilitation Centre on Smyth Road.  If you do, there is a very good chance that you will be approached or solicited by a lawyer or a paralegal on behalf of a lawyer.  How do I know?  Because I have been in to the hospital visit my clients and they have a stack of other Ottawa lawyers’ business cards on their bed side table.

Quite frankly, hiring a lawyer just because he/she pops into your room at the hospital is not a great idea.  For many people who are seriously injured in an accident, your claim may amount to millions of dollars.  And it might take several years to finalize.   For that kind of money and that kind of a time commitment, it is always a good idea to conduct research and take your time before hiring a lawyer.

There are many excellent personal injury lawyers in Ottawa who can handle your serious accident case.  Very few, if any, of these excellent personal injury lawyers make unsolicited trips to the hospitals to troll for clients.  However, all of them will come to the hospital to meet with you if they are asked.

If you need information on how to hire a personal injury lawyer, contact us to ask for a copy of Hiring a Great Lawyer.  The book was written by a non-lawyer out of Seattle Washington.  However, we think it has very valuable information that all prospective clients should consider. We have several copies we will provide to you at no charge.  Please email us at info@ottawalawfirm.ca for your copy of Hiring a Great Lawyer.  There is no obligation and it is totally free.

Ottawa Lawyer: More Info on Distracted Driving

OTTAWA ACCIDENT LAWYER -As an Ottawa personal injury lawyer, I know first hand the trouble distracted driving causes accident victims.  According to the CBC, dozens of studies have shown there is a statistical association between cell phone use while driving and motor vehicle accidents.

Here is a sampling of the research the CBC cites:

In 1997, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that the risk of getting into an accident while talking on a cellphone was four times higher than when the phone was not being used. At that time, about 15 per cent of the population owned cell phones.

A study out of the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1998 indicated a 9 times increase in the risk of fatality when a cellphone is present in a motor vehicle involved in an accident. Two years earlier, the same researcher found the risk of being involved in an accident increased by more than 5.5 times when the driver talked on the cell phone in the vehicle for fifty minutes or more per month.

In the May 29, 2001 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the authors of the 1997 study clarified that “making calls on a cellular telephone is distinctly more risky than listening to the radio, talking to passengers and other activities commonly occurring in vehicles.”

Drivers are more distracted by cellphone conversations than by conversations with passengers. A study published in the December 15th, 2008 issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, found that under simulated driving conditions, drivers talking on cellphones missed exits and drifted out of their lanes more often than drivers talking to passengers.

A 2009 study found that cellphone conversations impair decision making for drivers, while listening to someone talking to you (not on a cellphone) did not.

In January 2005, a study suggested that hands-free devices may not make cellphone use any safer.  If a hands-free device is not easy to use, it could be more distracting than a regular cellphone.

If this is not enough to convince you to drive safely without your cell phone, the injury lawyers at Ottawa law firm Auger Hollingsworth cannot imagine what is.

If you’ve been involved in an Ontario car accident, whether or not a cell phone was involved, don’t proceed with your claim until you’ve spoken with an Ottawa personal injury lawyer. For more information, contact the Ottawa lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth by email info@ottawalawfirm.ca or by phone at (613) 233-4529.

Discovery and the Ottawa Car Accident Victim

OTTAWA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER – Most personal injury lawyers will tell you that many cases are won or lost at examination for discovery. This is the part of the case where you are asked questions, under oath, by the opposing lawyer.  The questions and answers are transcribed by a court reported and become evidence to be used by the opposing lawyer at trial.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in your case is failing to prepare for discovery.

In a motor vehicle accident case, your pre-accident medical condition is relevant.  The insurance company’s lawyer will have access to all your medical records.  For example, the opposing lawyer will know if you complained of headaches in the year leading up to your accident because your doctor will have written it into your chart.

If you deny ever having a headache before the accident, it will hurt your case.  Even if you innocently forgot.  Even if the headaches are different from what you have after the accident.

You can avoid this pitfall by asking your lawyer to review your medical records with you before your discovery.  In almost every case, we review our client’s evidence with them at least twice before discovery.   If the client wishes additional meetings, we can almost always accomodate this request.  Discovery prep is a crucial step toward a successful settlement or judgment.

Have you received an accident-related injury in Ottawa and want the best help in preparing for your discovery? A top personal injury lawyer is the best call you can make. For more information, contact the Ottawa injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth by email info@ottawalawfirm.ca or by phone at (613) 860-4529.