The decision to call a lawyer after being involved in any type of accident in Nova Scotia or other provinces in Canada is a very personal one, and a decision that may not be easy to come by. Calling a lawyer might feel too litigious or like ‘overkill’, or it might not be something that you feel particularly comfortable with for other reasons. At Preszler Injury Lawyers, we acknowledge that working with a personal injury lawyer is a deeply personal choice. The key to remember is that calling is completely free and involving a lawyer as early as possible is always recommended.

We can answer your questions about when (and if) you should see a lawyer after being involved in an accident yourself, or after learning that a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in an accident. To learn more, please feel free to call our personal injury lawyers today. We would be more than happy to talk to you about your case.

Any time that an accident occurs that causes property damage, physical injuries, or both, working with a lawyer may be a good idea. Types of accident and injury claims that our law firm works on includes:

• Medical malpractice;
• Dog bites;
• Trip and falls;
• Motor vehicle accidents;
• Truck accidents;
• Pedestrian accidents;
• Motorcycle accident;s
• Dangerous products or premises;
• ATV accidents;
• Defective medical product cases; and

If you have been involved in an accident that has resulted in damages, you should consider sitting down with a lawyer to discuss your options and your rights. Having a conversation does not mean that you have to hire the lawyer if that decision ultimately does not feel like the right choice.

There is never a requirement or rule or law that you have to hire a lawyer; that being said, doing so is usually within your best interests, especially when your damages are severe and your injuries are significant. We urge people to reach out to us when they have suffered injuries that are disabling or disfiguring, catastrophic (such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, and amputation injuries, or when their injuries have resulted in a significant amount of economic or noneconomic damages. Types of damages include medical bills, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, property damage costs, and pain, suffering, and emotional distress. Of course, if your loved one has been killed in an accident that caused them to suffer fatal injuries, we strongly encourage you to call a lawyer for a consultation and the support you need.

In addition to the situations described above, there are other unique situations in which you should call upon a lawyer if you have not already done so. This includes when:

• Your claim has been denied. One of the most upsetting scenarios for a person who has been involved in an accident is learning that an accident claim has been denied. If this has happened to you, you may not understand your rights, may not know how to appeal, and may be tempted to simply accept the decision and lose out on your right to recover compensation. You should not take this route; instead, call a personal injury lawyer in Nova Scotia who can help you to understand your options and fight for your rights.
• Fault is disputed. When fault is very clear in an accident and is agreed upon by all parties involved in the claim, it is much less likely that a claim will be denied. However, this isn’t always the case – allegations of fault may be levied in order to reduce the value of the claim or ‘get off the hook’ for paying for damages. If you don’t have a strong legal case, backed by indisputable evidence and expert testimony, it may be hard to come back from this. A lawyer can assist.
• You’re offered less than you deserve. Do you know what to do if you are offered a settlement that is less than you deserve? You may think that you have to accept the offer; you may not know how to communicate that you believe you deserve more in a way that is effective. You have the right to negotiate a settlement offer that you believe does not fairly compensate you. Our lawyers can handle that negotiation process on your behalf and improve your chances of recovering the settlement you deserve.

The limitation period has expired or about to expire. Did you know that each province has its own limitation period that governs the amount of time a person has to file a claim after being involved in an accident? In Nova Scotia, that limitation period is two years in most cases. If the limitations period has expired or is about to expire, you may believe that you’ve missed out on your chance to file a claim. While this may be true, it is always worthwhile to talk to a lawyer who can act quickly to file your claim or request an extension on the two-year time limit.

It’s not just about the situations in which seeing a lawyer is practical, but also how soon after an accident occurs you should see a lawyer, that you need to consider. While there is no wrong time to call a lawyer–and you should certainly reach out to a lawyer if you haven’t already–it is most advantageous to call a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Your lawyer can get the ball rolling on investigating your case, advising you of next steps and best practices, talking with experts, filing your insurance claim, calculating your damages, and more.