What Does a Car Accident Lawyer in Ontario Do? 

Ryan Findlay | June 20, 2024 | Car Accidents

When you’ve been in a car accident, you may immediately need medical attention or have to deal with insurance issues. But once the immediate urgency is over, you will have to decide whether there is a legal basis to sue the other driver. The process of making that decision and then preparing a car accident claim in Hamilton, Ontario, requires a roadmap that only an experienced lawyer can navigate.

The earlier you contact a lawyer to assist with your car accident claim, the better. Some of the most precarious stages of the process happen at the very beginning. If you speak with an insurance adjuster, either yours or theirs, your conversation will likely be recorded and, as you often hear on television police shows, “anything you say can and will be held against you”. This may set the tone for any damages you may ultimately recover.

Once you have retained a car accident lawyer, he or she can guide you through this process. It is much better to have a lawyer at your side when you are answering the insurance company’s questions than your lawyer having to mitigate any missteps made while trying to handle the case on your own.

The Steps You Take After a Crash Can Help Your Car Accident Lawyer Represent You

While you may be experiencing a wide range of emotions and even physical pain in the immediate aftermath of a car accident, the steps you take after a collision are critical. Preserve as much evidence from the scene as possible. 

The law enforcement officers who investigate the accident should do a thorough job and include their findings in an official accident report. However, there is no substitute for your immediate observations immediately following the accident. You were there as it occurred.

If at all possible, as soon as you determine that you have no injuries that need urgent attention, do the following:

• Take photos of the vehicles, including the position of the vehicles and closeups of damage to your vehicle (once the police arrive at the scene, they will immediately try to make the accident scene as safe for other traffic as possible, which will alter any evidence they preserve of the original scene);
• If the vehicles are being towed, take pictures or video them as they are being moved;
• Take photos of the scene surrounding the accident, such as road conditions that could have contributed, like potholes, standing water, etc.;
• Try to get the other driver’s information and take a photo of his or her driver’s license and insurance information;
• Look around to see if there are any witnesses to the accident. People who come to your aid at the scene to see if you are okay likely witnessed the accident; 
• Look for any businesses in the area that may have cameras for surveillance that could have captured the crash as it happened.

These are all important pieces of the puzzle that will help your car accident lawyer in Ontario prepare the best case for you.

A Car Accident Lawyer Can Handle Communications With Insurance Adjusters

Unfortunately, the call is not necessarily to help you get everything you deserve. Remember, insurance adjusters work for the insurance company and are tasked with saving the insurance company as much money as possible. Their goal is not to compensate you for everything you claim. 

This is why it is important to retain the services of an auto accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident occurs. When the adjuster calls, you simply refer them to your lawyer before you say something that will be used to mitigate your claim in favor of the insurance company. It is difficult to unring that bell, especially if it was recorded, which it usually is.

A Car Accident Lawyer Can Take Your Case to Trial or Negotiate a Settlement

This is yet another reason to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after your car accident in Ontario. Based on the facts of your case and contact with the insurance company, your lawyer will know early on whether the ultimate recovery can be made without going to trial. If so, it is likely in everyone’s best interest. 

Court calendars are quite crowded, and in some jurisdictions, it can be a year or longer before your case goes before the court. In the meantime, you may be without a car, or you’ve had to purchase a new one out of your own pocket. If you are waiting on your insurance company to pay, chances are they have no incentive to do so if you are waiting on a court date.

Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Ontario, Canada

If you need legal help with a personal injury case, contact the team at Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation today.

Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – Hamilton, ON
20 Hughson St S #510, Hamilton, ON L8N 2A1
(289) 206-7456

Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – Brantford, ON
325 West St #102a, Brantford, ON N3R 3V6
(226) 401-5433

Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – Burlington, ON
2349 Fairview St, Burlington, ON L7R 2E3
(289) 512-0829

Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – St Catharines, ON
55 King St Suite 207, St. Catharines, ON L2R 3H5
(289) 301-9496