We often have people ask us why so many people hire a lawyer to represent them when they are injured in a motor vehicle accident. There are several reasons for this. The first reason is that after an accident people that have been injured have enough to focus on with medical treatment, therapies, appointments, and healing their bodies. Also having to deal with ICBC on top of this can be overwhelming. Lawyers provide a shield between you and ICBC so that you can focus on healing rather than fighting your case.
Further, many clients tell us that dealing with ICBC or any insurance company for that matter can be unpleasant and bewildering. Not everyone has this experience with ICBC but we hear about it often. The thing that must be remembered is that ICBC is a corporation that must keep costs down and therefore, they need to make it not too easy for people to get money out of them. This means that there are a certain number of steps that need to be followed before a fair settlement might be offered. Sometimes it is possible for people to get a fair settlement out of ICBC without hiring a lawyer, however, often times, the settlements that we are able to secure from ICBC are much higher than what a person was offered before they came to us.
There are other reasons why you should hire a lawyer. Lawyers are trained to navigate the court system if ICBC refuses to settle or if two years have passed and a settlement has not been reached yet. If that happens an action needs to be started for damages in court. Lawyers are also trained to perform the legal research required to determine what settlement amount is fair in your case. Lawyers are trained to consult with doctors, accountants, economists, engineers, and other experts that may be needed to provide opinions in certain cases in order to prove your case. Further, a law office has legal assistants, paralegals, and support staff that are highly skilled and experienced in dealing with ICBC and handling the vast quantities of paper generated in motor vehicle accident cases.
Don’t delay in consulting a lawyer about your motor vehicle accident claim because there are strict time limits that apply for making a claim. Give us a call and one of our skilled and experienced lawyers will be happy to offer a free telephone or office consultation regarding your claim.