How Soon Should I Call An Injury Lawyer?
A common question people ask is how soon they should contact a personal injury lawyer after they have been in a car accident or slip and fall. The answer is: as soon as reasonably possible. This is a part of the process that a lot of people don’t think about in the heat of the moment. Car accidents are very stressful situations to be in. Being prepared to handle them is vital to the success of your potential claim.
Notice Provisions
Calling a lawyer early on gives the lawyer a chance to investigate your file and make determinations and decisions so that your claim can be handled properly.
There are notice provisions that you might have to abide by. You have obligations and rights that you need to know about as soon as possible.
Ontario’s automobile insurance laws require you to notify your insurance company of an accident within seven days. You must also apply for Accident Benefits within 30 days of the accident.
There are also important notice periods for slip and fall claims. If you fall on a city sidewalk or roadway, you have to notify the city within 10 days. If you fall outside of a business or house due to inadequate winter maintenance, you have to notify the potential defendant within 60 days.
Along with calling a personal injury lawyer, here are some other steps you should take right after the accident.
Call The Police & Report Your Accident
For car accidents, this helps alert both police officials and emergency medical teams to the scene of the accident. The police and medical reports will be crucial when proving fault and your damages. If you don’t have those reports, it will just be your word against theirs.
Collect As Much Evidence As Possible
Collecting evidence can be done easily nowadays because we have smartphones. Take pictures of license plates, vehicle damage, traffic patterns, intersections, eyewitness information and any other information that could assist your lawyer in proving fault.
This also applies in slip and fall situations. Take photos of where you fell, your footwear and any visible injuries (like cuts, scrapes and bruises).
Get In Contact With A Lawyer
Make sure to get in touch with an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately to start building a case. Our lawyers at White Macgillivray Lester are ready to assist you with your injury claim.
