Camrose Personal Injury Lawyers Car & Motorcycle Accident Claims

If you’ve been in a car or motorcycle accident in Camrose and you were not at-fault for the accident then you have the right to recover compensation for your injuries. Accidents are expenses. They keep you out of work while you recover. They often require extensive care that Medicare won’t cover. They can come with long-term care expenses. You’ll need the help we can provide.

Calling a lawyer to file your car or motorcycle claim is the first step. The team at Merchant Law is ready to help you get the compensation you need to get back on your feet. 

How long does the car or motorcycle accident claims process take?

You can expect your case to last 18 to 24 months from the date of filing. The sooner you file the sooner you can get compensation. You should also be aware there’s a two-year statute of limitations. You have just two years from the date of the accident to file your car accident or motorcycle accident claim.

92% of these cases settle out of court in settlement conferences that take place after you’ve reached maximum medical improvement. MMI can take months, though, and you don’t want to let the clock run down on the statute before you file. It’s important to pick up a phone and call a lawyer as soon as you’re medically capable of doing so. Otherwise you give the defendant, insurance company a head start. Remember, if they manage to navigate their way out of liability you might not get paid.

If the case goes to trial you can expect it to last considerably longer. Litigation takes time. The key to keeping the case out of litigation is to go in with a very strong case from Day 1. This means giving your lawyers time to prepare and avoiding major mistakes which can weaken your case. 

How do pain and suffering awards work in Alberta car and motorcycle accidents?

Pain and suffering awards are part of the average Alberta car or motorcycle accident settlement. The amount depends on the extent of your injuries, the impact those injuries are likely to have on your life in the future, and your lawyer’s ability to negotiate the highest possible settlement.

In Alberta, pain and suffering awards are capped at $370,000. It will take a skilled lawyer to get you close to the cap. If you’ve suffered from catastrophic injuries the pain and suffering award is going to be an important component of your overall settlement offer. 

How much should a car or motorcycle claim settlement offer be worth?

No lawyer can give you so much as a ballpark dollar figure without having a chance to review the facts of your case. A good settlement will cover all of your economic damages, all the damages to your vehicle, and for your future long-term care. It will cover your lost wages and loss of earning capacity. It will also include a pain and suffering award.

Much depends on the expenses you’ve incurred and the injuries you’ve suffered. A disfiguring injury or an injury which leaves you paralyzed and unable to work is going to be worth more than a broken arm. 

It’s also important to understand that Alberta is a comparative negligence province. This means that each driver will be assigned a percentage of fault. You can try to recover funds as long as you are less than 51% at-fault, but your eventual award amount can be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Here’s an example. Driver A is found to be 70% at fault. Driver B, the injured plaintiff, is found to be 30% at fault. When Driver A’s insurance company settles with Driver B’s lawyer for $100,000, Driver A’s insurance company only has to write a check for $70,000. This is because you are expected to take responsibility for your own portion of fault and to absorb the financial losses that come with it.

As you can see, every percentage point of fault the defendant, insurance company can assign to you is money back in their pockets. Often a few percentage points can represent thousands of dollars. Your lawyer has to be able to tell a strong story on your behalf, one that helps lay the blame as squarely on the shoulders of the other party as possible. 

When is it time to bring in an Alberta personal injury lawyer?

To strengthen your case as much as possible it’s vital to bring in a personal injury lawyer as early as you can. The longer you wait, the weaker your case gets. If you can call in a lawyer while you’re still recovering in the hospital it’s not a bad idea to do so.

As you wait, witnesses drop out of contact. Evidence dries up or disappears. The defendant, insurance company gets a head start on crafting their story. When you wait, you might find yourself dealing with the insurance company before you’re ready. This can mean making major mistakes that can keep you from recovering any funds at all.

We can file your insurance claim for you. We can handle the entire process from start to finish. This frees you to do the most important work: healing and recovering from your injuries. 

Get help with your Camrose personal injury claim today.

We have offices conveniently located in Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, Airdrie, and Cochrane. We also serve clients all across Alberta including Lethbridge, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Spruce Grove, Lloydminster, Leduc, Okotoks, Fort Saskatchewan, Chestermere, Camrose, Beaumont, Stony Plain, Sylvan Lake, Brooks, Strathmore, High River, Canmore, Morinville, Whitecourt, Hinton, Olds, and Blackfalds.

Our lawyers have been helping clients across the province for over 30 years. We have the experience, the drive, and the expertise to help you succeed. We’re known as some of Alberta’s toughest litigators and negotiators, and when you work with us you let the insurance companies know you mean business.

We also work on contingency, which means we don’t get paid until we bring your case to a successful conclusion. 

Don’t try to go it alone. Call (780) 474-4878 today to launch your personal injury case.