Ensure Your Rights are Protected & You Get a Fair Settlement
I quite often advise clients to ensure they have a lawyer for their ICBC or personal injury claim to ensure all of their rights are protected and they receive a fair settlement. I tell them not to talk to ICBC before they get legal advice. After all, consultations are free and personal injury and ICBC lawyers work on a contingency basis.
Free Consultations & Contingency Fee
This means if your lawyer doesn’t get a settlement, there aren’t any legal fees. In addition, by having a competent personal injury lawyer you will receive a far greater ICBC settlement amount even after legal fees are paid. I usually go over the reasons why in the initial consultation along with explaining the injured person’s rights, options, how claims work, and how injury claims work when you have a lawyer.
Why Everyone Should Speak to a Lawyer Before Settling with ICBC
Yesterday, I received an email from a potential client who had contacted our firm last year. She didn’t retain us at the time and ended up settling her claim herself even when she was still suffering from her injuries.
Here is what she wrote to me (edited to protect privacy):
I contacted your firm last year regarding a claim I had with ICBC. I ended up settling as I wasn’t working very much and really needed the money. My injury wasn’t healed and I had requested to have my physio paid until I was healed, they declined the offer but said they would continue paying the physio for one month after I had settled. I am currently working full time but am having so much pain every day. I was wondering if there are ever cases that get reopened by ICBC or if it’s a done deal?
I answered her question this way:
Unfortunately, in your circumstance, once you have settled and signed a release, there isn’t anything that can be done.
This is why I always recommend to clients to hire a lawyer to ensure your rights are protected and you receive a fair settlement. Hiring a lawyer doesn’t necessarily mean your case will be delayed or that a lawyer will take half your settlement. This isn’t true. We never recommend to clients to settle when they are not yet healed and there are a lot of options to help someone financially if that is the reason they want to settle quick. Settling quick is never a good idea.
Legal Advice for Any Injury Claim
The best advice I can give if you have an injury claim either with ICBC or any other insurance company, is to seek legal advice from a lawyer that specializes in the area of personal injury, who doesn’t represent ICBC or insurance companies and only injured people, and finally someone who has extensive trial experience.
Contacting our Personal Injury Law Firm
If you were injured in a car accident, contact our Vancouver Law Firm for a free consultation. Call us at 604-568-9444 or phone us toll free at 1-855-ICBC-LAW.
