An Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You through This Process
Perhaps you’ve suffered a dog bite or a slip and fall. You feel like you have a personal injury claim but you’re unsure of what steps you need to take. It is important to make your health a priority, but once you’ve taken care of yourself, there are some actions you can pursue with the help of an Ottawa personal injury lawyer.
Step 1: Take photos and make notes.
Write down as many details as you can remember and do it as quickly as possible. Take photos of any injuries, the surrounding area, and even those involved if possible. Save your medical bills and records for anything from a hospital or doctor’s visit, to pharmacy receipts. Keep records of any wages that have been lost due to missed work. Get the name and contact of anyone involved, as well as any witnesses. If you spoke to anyone, keep notes of the conversation. Make sure to inform witnesses that you may be filing a claim. This information will help your personal injury lawyer build your case.
Step 2: Notify the person of the lawsuit.
You do not need to notify the other party that you are filing a personal injury claim right away, but the sooner you do, the more likely you are to increase chances of reaching a speedy resolution. Even if you have notified the other party of your intent, that does not mean you must continue with the lawsuit. Informing the person of this will just ensure your rights are protected and keep the opposing party from claiming that you waited too long.
Step 3: File your claim within the appropriate time frame.
Working with a personal injury lawyer in Ottawa will make this process easier on you. They will be able to tell you how long you have to file your claim. If you fail to file the claim in a timely manner, you may be ineligible for any compensation. Statute of limitations is put into place to keep matters from being filed an exorbitant amount of time after the fact.
Legal proceedings can be difficult to maneuver. When you are ready to file, speak to an Ottawa lawyer who specializes in personal injury, they will be your greatest ally. Hiring a lawyer will help maximize compensation and help guide you through your action, which may take months or years to see through. You may have to go to court and be involved in other related examinations and mediations. It is important to stay calm and patient during this time and let the legal system run its course.
