It is extremely important to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately following an accident.  The importance of doing so should not be taken too lightly.  The sooner you contact a lawyer, the sooner he/she can begin to build a case and look for evidence.

IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING EVIDENCE

One of the biggest factors that will affect the value of your personal injury case is how well your injuries are documented.  Contacting a personal injury lawyer in the days following an accident will help ensure that the injured party not only receives medical attention quickly, but also ensures that the injuries and complaints are properly documented. 

When you contact the personal injury lawyers at Cuming & Gillespie LLP, we will take the appropriate steps to ensure that your medical professionals are preparing the necessary documentation and reports.  We will also ensure that evidence from the scene of your accident is preserved. 

Not all evidence is easily accessible.  Experienced personal injury lawyers are skilled at collecting the required evidence, such as photos from the accident scene, cell phone records, video camera footage or police reports, and preserving it. 

In some cases, it might also be important to have the expertise of accident reconstruction experts or other potential witnesses.  Experienced personal injury lawyers are prepared to retain necessary experts and locate eye witnesses, if necessary.

IMPORTANCE OF LAW AND PROCEDURAL RULES

Hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you following an accident will ensure that you have a professional working for you who is extremely knowledgeable about the relevant laws and procedural rules that may affect your legal case.

One of the most important rules are the time limits that can bar you from filing a lawsuit against the at fault party. 

In many cases you cannot sue after a certain period of time has passed.  This is known as the “limitation period”.  In Alberta, the Limitations Act governs the time limits for filing civil lawsuits, including those for serious personal injury claims.  The time limit generally depends upon the reason for suing.

Legal claims have different time limitation periods, therefore it is extremely important to discuss your personal situation with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as you believe you have a claim.  This early discussion will help you understand any potential complications regarding limiting timeframes.

Limitation periods are a complicated and technical area of the law.  Therefore, receiving advice from an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer is of the utmost importance. 

IMPORTANCE OF ESTABLISHING FAULT IN THE ACCIDENT

Before you can pursue a personal injury claim, you must be able to prove the fault of a third party (i.e. driver, property owner etc.).  In some accidents, fault may be clear.  However, even in these cases liability (the legal term for fault) will likely be disputed and will need to be proven.

An experienced personal injury lawyer can help establish fault in the accident by investigating the incident, visiting the scene and reviewing the physical and photographic evidence.  Witness statements can also be a valuable tool in establishing fault.  Witness testimonies can help eliminate the possibility of negligent or careless behaviour on the part of the victim.  In slip and fall cases, witnesses may also be able to speak on the existence of dangerous conditions and the property owner’s awareness of the problem.

PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS ADVOCATE FOR YOU

Early contact with an experienced personal injury lawyer will help a victim in the aftermath of an accident by allowing him/her to rely on their lawyer for their expertise.  A lawyer experienced in personal injury law will help alleviate the concerns and anxiety of the victim during the litigation process by ensuring that their client is not rushing through or reacting hastily to the process.

When you hire a personal injury lawyer, all interactions and communications regarding your case will be filtered through your lawyer. 

In the case where insurance companies become involved, victims can rely upon the experience of their personal injury lawyer to advocate on their behalf and ensure that insurance companies are holding up their end of the bargain. 

When you hire Cuming & Gillespie LLP Lawyers, you can be confident that you are getting the best and most effective representation for your personal injury claim.  We have more than 20 years of experience successfully representing injured clients in serious personal injury claims.

If you have been seriously injured, it is critical that you speak with a lawyer regarding your situation as soon as possible so as not to jeopardize any opportunity to seek compensation.  The award winning personal injury lawyers at Cuming & Gillespie LLP can help.  Please contact us online or at 403-571-0555.  It is important that you call us promptly so we can help you understand your rights and the potential to recover compensation for your injuries.  Call our office for a free consultation to determine how we can help you.