Red Deer Car Accident Lawyer

It’s hard to know where to turn when you’re injured in a car accident in Red Deer. Yet trying to resolve your car accident claim without a lawyer is one of the worst mistakes you can make.

The cold truth is that Alberta insurance companies don’t care about you. They don’t care about your pain and suffering. They don’t care about the weeks of rehabilitative care you need that Medicare won’t cover. They don’t care if you need to rebuild your teeth. They don’t care if you miss weeks of work.

The only think they care about is keeping their money in their pocket. They’re going to try every trick in the book to pay you as little as possible. Every representative from the insurance company, no matter how friendly they seem, shares that aim. It’s wise to have a lawyer who can deal with those representatives on your behalf from the moment you’re conscious enough to make it happen.

Insurance Companies Want to Prove the Accident is Your Fault

Alberta is a comparative negligence province. This means when you get into a car accident you’ll generally be assigned a percentage of fault. If your percentage is higher than 51% you can no longer make a claim. Indeed, the other driver would have grounds to make a claim against you and your insurance companies.

The higher your negligence the less the insurance company pays. If you are found to be 15% negligent then you’d lose $15,000 on an $100,000 settlement.

Your lawyer can keep you from making huge mistakes which result in the loss of thousands of dollars. Your lawyer will also help you gather the evidence you need to either negotiate a fair settlement or fight your case out in court.

How to Avoid Costly Mistakes

Your case begins the moment the accident does, and what you do in the minutes after the accident can make a huge difference in the outcome.

First and foremost, be careful what you say. The tendency to say things like, “I’m sorry,” or “I never saw the other driver coming,” can be used against you in court.
Second, gather as much evidence as you’re physically capable of gathering. This means:

• Names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of witnesses, and the other driver.
• Copies of the other driver’s insurance information.
• Copies of the police report.
• Photographs.

Third, get medical care even if you feel like you might not need it. Adrenaline can mask symptoms. If you reject medical care it will be hard to make the case that you need compensation later, even if you’re in excruciating pain. You’ll give the impression you’re making it up or being opportunistic.

Select and call a lawyer as soon as you’re able. Let your lawyer inform the insurance companies of the claim.

Finally, make sure you keep copies of all medical records, doctor’s instructions, prescriptions, and bills. These are vital documents that we’ll use as evidence in your case.

Why Merchant Law?

Merchant Law lawyers are widely recognized as some of Canada’s savviest negotiators and toughest litigators. This means you’ll have top-notch talent in your corner, and are likely to collect up to ten times more money than you’d have gotten on your own, even after our fees are accounted for.

You don’t need any money to get started. Just call 403.237.7777

or visit our office at:

3rd Floor – 4915 54 Street, Red Deer AB, T4N 2G7