Choosing a personal injury lawyer in Toronto can be a daunting task, especially if you are suffering from a serious injury. Finding a lawyer that is committed to fighting for your best interests is not easy. Often, people refer to the recommendations of friends or family when hiring a good lawyer, otherwise, the process may require a number of interviews before finding a lawyer that you feel comfortable with and confident in. Besides, this is the person responsible for ensuring that you receive compensation for your injury and the loss of your capacity to earn an income. Hiring a lawyer can take much of the stress and burden of paperwork or dealing with insurance companies off of the plaintiff’s hands, allowing them to focus on improving their quality of life and recovering from their injury.

 

 

Insurance companies generally have a goal of settling for the lowest conceivable fair amount that they negotiate based on the nature of the claim. Sometimes this may mean not paying out the claim at all. The information you provide your insurance adjuster will be filed under your claim and may be used against you when building a case against your settlement.  Though victims are entitled to represent themselves by law, most people are not well versed in both tort and insurance laws. Dealing with personal injury claims requires an extensive knowledge of fields of law. Hiring a lawyer shows that you are serious about reaching a settlement for its maximum value and prepared to go to court in order to do so. The presence of a good lawyer presents a significant threat to insurance companies who are unwilling to settle for any reasonable amount of money.

 

 

There are different ways that your actions can affect the amount of compensation you receive as a damage reward. Two of the different types of negligence that can affect your damages award are contributory negligence and the failure to mitigate damages after the accident has occurred. Contributory negligence factors in the injured person’s role in causing or contributing to the accident.  In Ontario, contributory negligence can reduce the claim to damages whereby the plaintiff failed to take responsible care for his/her own safety, or their own negligence contributed to the cause of the accident/injury. In such events, the plaintiff’s ability to recover the full loss of their claim may be correspondingly affected.  Failing to wear a seat belt or helmet or being impaired by alcohol or drugs may lead to contributory negligence unless it can be proven that this would not have prevented or reduced the likelihood of injury.

 

The failure to mitigate damages means that the plaintiff does not do his or her part to minimize the physical or financial impact of the damages incurred. For example, if a plaintiff fails to seek the proper medical treatment after the accident has occurred or refuses job retraining when it is not unreasonable to do so, the damages awarded may be significantly reduced. Seeking medical treatment is perhaps the most important step in pursuing a personal injury claim, as it provides undeniable proof and accompanying documentation of the nature and extent of your injury.

 

It is important to understand how your actions (or inaction) can affect the amount of your personal injury claim. When searching for a personal injury lawyer in Toronto, you should seek out someone who understands the nuances of both tort and insurance law. Most importantly, the victim should seek out a person who they are confident will fight for their best interests and maximize the fair value of their compensation. The representation of a lawyer shows that you are serious about receiving a settlement that is both timely and fair. Hire a lawyer today and focus on your recovery rather than the events surrounding your injury.