You've just been injured by a reckless driver and have taken photos of that driver's license, vehicle registration, and insurance pink card, as well as of the scene of the accident and damage to the automobiles. You've reported the car crash to your insurance company and to police (or to a collision reporting centre). After promptly seeking medical attention, should you contact an Alberta auto accident attorney right away? For a number of reasons, the answer is yes.
Litigation is all about proof, so the sooner you retain legal counsel for your personal injury claim the better, before memories of witnesses fade and evidence disappears or becomes stale. It's wise to "lawyer up" before the other side's insurance company tries contacting you, since insurance adjusters representing the wrongdoer most assuredly don't have your best interests in mind. They generally want to settle your case for pennies on the dollar, or at least get you to say something that can be used against you down the road.
Also, typically an injury lawyer in a motor vehicle collision case will act on a contingency (rather than hourly rate) basis under which the percentage (of recovery) fee charged may increase as time goes by, so the quicker you hire a lawyer, the more bang you will get for your buck. Furthermore, there are time limits within which you must file an injury claim or else your case becomes worthless. Don't delay and find out that you've missed the deadline set out in the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit and receive the compensation that you deserve.
Finally, please note that by law, an at-fault driver's insurer is obligated to pay interest on an injured car crash victim's settlement funds from the date the injury lawyer notifies the other side's insurance company of the claim up until the date of case resolution. Therefore, the earlier an injured auto accident victim hires a lawyer, the faster your injury law firm can make the necessary notification and start that interest adding up, thus increasing the monetary value of the wrongfully injured person's case. In short, it is financially beneficial for an innocent injured victim of a careless motorist to retain a personal injury lawyer sooner rather than later.
At McCourt Law Offices, our lawyers have handled thousands of cases for people injured by negligent drivers over the past three decades, in auto accidents occurring in Edmonton and elsewhere in Alberta. We offer a free initial consultation and there are no fees payable unless & until you collect your case resolution proceeds, so it can't hurt to call! We have earned a reputation for results built on a tradition of trust, and have been recognized the past two years running (2022 and 2023) by CommunityVotes Edmonton as the top personal injury lawyers and injury law firm in Alberta's capital city. Therefore, if you have been hurt in an Alberta auto accident, don't delay -- contact our firm today at 780-448-0011 to schedule an intake appointment at our office.