Car Accident Lawyers in Toronto Will Take on
Your Personal Injury Case
In a car accident? Get a lawyer!
There are countless ways to suffer personal injury,
but as car accident lawyers in Toronto will tell you, nothing comes close to
what is happening on our congested roads. Virtually all of us have been in some
sort of vehicle collision, and many of us have also suffered injuries as a
result. The question we have had to face in the aftermath of an accident is
quite simple: where do we go from here?
Hiring a lawyer is certainly not the first thing we
think of immediately after an accident – nor should it be. Getting immediate
medical help has to be your primary concern; worrying about compensation and
accident benefits can come later. But not too much later. There are various
statutes of limitations that must be met when filing a claim under the Ontario
Insurance Act or suing another party for negligence. If your injuries are
severe enough that you are taken out of the workforce, there is also going to
be a certain degree of urgency to reach some kind of financial settlement. A
lawyer will expedite the process.
Accident Benefits in Ontario and Limitation Periods
So, what kind of benefits can you get? Ontario is a
"no-fault” insurance jurisdiction and certain basic, universal benefits are
covered under the Ontario Insurance Act. They include:
- Income
replacement of up to $400 per week
- Non-earner
benefit if you are totally prevented from carrying on normal activities.
- The
assistance of attendant care – up to $3000 per month
- Medical and
rehabilitation benefits following the accident
- Coverage
for damage to clothing and lost educational expenses, should you be forced
to miss schooling
- Benefits
for funerals, and a death benefit
- Enhanced
coverage if the injuries sustained fall within the definition of
"catastrophic impairment”.
So, given that there are these standard benefits,
is it really necessary to hire a lawyer? The answer is an emphatic yes, if not
for the various limitation periods for action, starting with the need to notify
your insurance company of a pending claim within seven days of the accident.
Also, you could mount a lawsuit against the other
party in the accident if there is an issue of negligence. Tort law has its own
set of limitation periods, and your lawyer must commence the lawsuit within 120
days of the discovery of your injury.
The Value of a Lawyer in Getting Your Benefits
Even if you are only seeking assistance under the
Ontario Insurance Act, you need to know all of the benefits to which you are
entitled. Not all these are immediately apparent, and your insurance company
will not necessarily be forthcoming; a lawyer with experience in car accident
claims will know your entitlements. In the case of an additional tort claim, a
lawyer will help you accumulate the necessary documentation and push your
action through to completion.
There is no shortage of car accident lawyers in
Toronto. Find one who is experienced in personal injury claims. Find a lawyer
who will take your case on a contingency fee basis; that is, one who will pursue
your claim in exchange for a percentage of that claim, agreed upon in advance.
Pursuing a personal injury claim is not a do-it-yourself project. The stakes
are simply too high.