Why People Don’t Contact an Injury Lawyer (and Why You Should)

This is perhaps the most frequently asked question when we field initial calls; and as everyone’s case is different, the need for an injury lawyer will depend on the severity of injuries and how your body heals (or doesn’t).

Soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash and muscle strains, can last for months or even years. Compounding the issue is that pain associated with these injuries can take several weeks to become apparent. What you may think is nothing but a kink in your neck may turn into a significant injury causing impairment for multiple years.

Due to the unpredictable nature of soft tissue injuries and the potential for long-lasting impairment, we recommend reaching out to an injury lawyer soon after your car accident for a cost-free consultation. Failing to do so may significantly impact the value of your claim if your car accident injuries begin causing significant pain.  

Common Reasons People Don’t Contact an Injury Lawyer

Financial constraints are among the largest access to justice barriers. Simply put, lawyers are extremely expensive, and most people do not have the means to pay. At James H. Brown and Associates, we have eliminated this obstacle by running all our car accident injury files on a contingency fee basis.

Many people have heard of the Minor Injury Regulations and the Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols or “the cap”. They assume that all cases are impacted by that, or that their case is impacted by it. This is not accurate or true. The injury laws in Alberta are complex, and there are nuances to what falls under “the cap”. The best way to know if your case falls under the cap is to get a free injury claim evaluation with one of our precedent-setting injury lawyers. In the event, we take your case, and it happens to fall under the cap, we will not charge you any fee. There is no risk or downside to taking a free consultation with our injury law team.

Another common reason that somebody may not contact an injury lawyer is they believe that it is time-consuming or a hassle. This is also untrue, we make it easy to attain justice. You can meet with us by phone, video conference, or in person. Additionally, we will come to you if you are unable to meet with us. As far as time commitment, the biggest thing is attending your medical appointments and treatments, which you would be doing with or without an injury lawyer. We will keep you updated however you feel is best, email, text, in-person meeting, video call, etc. You can be involved with your case as much as you need. However, utilizing an injury lawyer should actually save you time as we would handle any dealings with your or the at-fault driver’s insurance company as necessary.

“I can negotiate a similar settlement myself”, is a common reason why somebody doesn’t hire an injury lawyer. While it is possible to negotiate directly with an insurance company, the idea that you would get the maximum settlement without the expertise and experience of an injury lawyer is unlikely. The biggest risk is not being able to quantify the full impact of your injuries. For example, lost wages, under-evaluating the cost of future care, not identifying all the at-fault parties in an accident, and not having access to the right experts to properly evaluate your claim. Additionally, and most alarming, is that you only get one shot at a settlement. Once you reach a settlement and close the case, you can’t sue a second time. So if you notice an injury afterwards, or it does impact your earning potential in a way that you didn’t anticipate, you can’t file another lawsuit. If you are considering representing yourself or negotiating yourself, we encourage you to utilize our free injury claim evaluation service. There is no obligation, and thus you will be armed with the knowledge about your case from an injury lawyer.

Sometimes we are surprised to learn that a client’s friend or family member encouraged them not to get an injury lawyer because of an experience they had. This is a broad generalization, not all injury lawyers or cases are the same. Just because a friend or family member’s experience wasn’t up to their expectation doesn’t mean that yours will be a poor experience. James H. Brown and Associates is an award-winning injury law firm with hundreds of 5-star reviews on Google. We are confident that when retained we will exceed your expectations of what an injury law firm can do for you. We will provide excellent customer service and get you the settlement you need to recover from your injuries and move on with your life.

The final common response we get is location. We hear from lots of individuals who live outside of the Capital Region and don’t live near an injury lawyer. This is something that we’ve always prided ourselves on, is our ability to represent customers across Alberta regardless of where they live. With technology, it is easier than ever to meet virtually, and we can file statements of claim and other legal proceedings electronically in Alberta. Where you live will not impact your access to justice, and attaining the settlement you deserve. Additionally, if you are hospitalized outside of Edmonton and are not able to meet virtually, we will come to you. Another factor to consider is that it is likely the at-fault’s insurance company or their representation doesn’t live near you either, so many of the steps to settle your claim will take place in another location. If you don’t live near an injury lawyer, or our office in Edmonton, Alberta that’s not a challenge for us at all, and should not be a reason that you do not contact a precedent-setting injury lawyer like James H. Brown and Associates.

Contingency Fees Explained

Once you have retained a lawyer under a contingency-based contract, your fees are contingent on the lawyer settling your car accident injury claim and the amount the lawyer settles the claim for. If the lawyer is unable to settle your file (for any reason at all), you do not owe our Firm a penny. At all times, retaining a lawyer from James H. Brown and Associates comes at zero risk to the client.

The James H. Brown and Associates Guarantee – You do not pay unless we win.

Ready To Meet?

If you are uncertain if you need an injury lawyer or uncertain what to do next, you are not alone. We are available 24-hours a day for a free consultation. Our team of precedent-setting injury lawyers will answer any questions you have and help you determine how to proceed. When your life has been turned upside down we’re here to assist you every step of the way.