Injuries resulting from negligence are troublesome because of the emotional reactions of the injured party to the stresses presented by their current situation. This may cause them to act irrationally and could potentially cripple their chances of getting the settlement they deserve. Here are some Dos and Don’ts for any personal injury case.

Do get a lawyer. The first step in a negligence case should always be to consult with an attorney. Lawyers experienced in tort law and the specific type of negligence a client was affected by will be able to evaluate the merits of the case, how they should proceed, what damages were actually caused, and what the injured party is eligible to receive as compensation.

Don’t threaten whoever the tort suit is against. This may seem obvious, but many are tempted to forgo legal remedies and seek direct revenge. This is never a good idea. Making threats, especially toward a business, may end up irreparably hurting one’s case. Emotions run high in personal injury cases and it’s important to follow a lawyer’s guidance throughout the life of the case.

Do get checked out by a medical professional. A doctor can quantify the actual damage a patient has suffered. This may be something obvious that the injured party already knew they had, but it could be something more subtle and insidious. This benefits the case by putting realistic numbers in the place of mere speculation.

Having a medical professional explain what the recovery process clarifies the situation to a jury if the case goes to trial. Discovering that treatment for the injuries would require four years of physical therapy and an extended absence from work paints a more detailed picture of the hardships the plaintiff will endure - as opposed to simply, her ‘back hurts’. Fleshing out the nitty-gritty details by seeing a doctor will give the lawyer a point of reference for the severity of the injuries and what the claimant is entitled to.

Don’t preemptively take a settlement. In some cases, the offending party may contact the injured party with a settlement before the injured party has a chance to find out the true extent they have been damaged. It is difficult to turn down money right when the initial shock of hospital bills begins, but this is why the offending party offered a settlement in the first place. By taking a settlement at this stage, one is almost guaranteed to be selling themselves short. These arrangements usually entail a signed contract, promising that no future actions can be taken against the offending party. This eliminates any chance of compensation for future, unforeseen expenses. All offers made in these circumstances should be immediately disclosed to one’s attorney. An attorney will know if the client should disregard the offer or, in the rare circumstance of a good deal, if they should accept it.

These are only a few basic rules regarding personal injury cases. A personal injury lawyer will know what particular actions a client should take and which ones they should avoid in every unique case. An injured party is already, in fact injured, so it’s vital one does not compound damage by ignoring these fundamental principles.

Despite the crisis in the global automotive industry there is still a huge number of cars on the streets of every city. Huge number of cars lead to huge number of crashes, even if everyone is extra careful. And the number of deaths, injuries and damages in this accidents is huge, so be sure to keep in mind some of the following things in case you will have your car crashed.

You need to report to the police about the accident as soon as possible, just be sure to do all the needed things to collect evidence about the accident. After the cops arrive at the place of accident, the accident area will definitely become a more crowded place, so be sure to keep some evidence of the initial crash site. As we already wrote if someone is seriously injured it is a different situation and you need to report to the cops immediately.

So after the initial things we will step to more law related stuff. First thing that you need to know – do not take any fault. Even if you are guilty, the whole situation in the end will be solved by insurance companies and car accident lawyers and they will tell you what you need to do.

The next most important step is gathering information. Get other drivers info, license plate numbers, driver’s license numbers, full names, telephone numbers and addresses. It will be very useful to film the crash site, the best helper will be the camera in your phone, or better a digital camera. You need to capture the position of the vehicles and damages. It will help you to charge money if your car was also damaged by the tow truck, that dragged it away. Also do not try to repair the other drivers’ car, except when the repair is small and is needed to start the car. Get some info from neutral witnesses who saw the accident. Try to make a clear and detailed picture of the accident and the contact your insurance company and describe the situation.  Find top lawyers for your accident by posting your case on Lawyer Ahead - its as easy as step 1, 2, 3 and it is the best, free way to find a lawyer.

The last thing is the most important one. After you’re done with everything try to relax, you are still alive and damaged property is not such a huge problem.

Ontario residents beware: talking on your phone while driving is now a no-go. They’re also talking about taking away your iPod and other handheld devices while you drive, too, though that legislation is a bit further back in the pipe. Though, right now, according to The Toronto Star, you can no longer use your cell phone or blackberry while driving, or any hand-held GPS device (though apparently you may continue to use dashboard-mounted devices and hands-free cell phones).

Now, as someone who cannot SMS and walk to save my life, let alone manage a cell phone and drive, this seems like an eminently reasonable sort of ban. It’s not really that difficult to get into a car accident- like it or not, no matter how good a driver you are, there are many accidents that are just unavoidable. Distracted driving is just silly- you simply cannot respond as quickly to things like that deer, that four year old, that hairpin turn, when your mind is focused on typing a message on a 9-key keyboard with an inch-and-a-half square screen.

So, while I can sympathize, that it’s nice and convenient to be able to gab on the phone and drive, talking on a cell phone while driving is likely to land you a big ticket now, so I’d suggest laying off.

Of course, the Telecom industry has their PR people out doing some sort of opposition to this. Marc Choma, a spokesperson for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, thinks folks should use common sense. He also said, “The cellphone isn’t designed to broker your mortgage or speak with your divorce lawyer while you’re driving down the Don Valley. People should avoid unnecessary calls.”

Which, while reasonable, is obviously not what happens in real life. So, hopefully you can manage to leave the phone in your purse/pocket/whatever, or find some hands-free solution, and avoid a moving violation in the near future.

Distracted Driving PSA

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Claudia Avila, 43 year old Palm Beach native, was travelling on I-95 on her way to meet her daughter for lunch when a 34 pound metal plate flew in through the windshield, hitting her in the head. Results: she suffered serious head injuries, went into coma and within 2 weeks later died. Florida Highway patrol investigated where possibly this 34 metal pound could have come from and found nothing. Not satisfied, Claudia’s family took it the media prompting mass coverage of their tragedy and eventually leading to a full blown out investigation. One of the key players in the Investigation are the Personal Injury Lawyers Claudia’s family hired to investigate, find the wrong doers, and get compensation for it. No money can ever compensate for a lost one, but knowing how and why she died always helps settle one’s peace with the incident. Marc A. Wites, The personal injury law firm the family hired, helped them get to the bottom of the case by producing surveillance videos of trucks owned by company EM purchasing metal plates from Tarmac America which were then taken on I-95 around the same time Claudia Avila was on the road.

Marc A. Wites was able to prove that as a result of negligence on Tarmac America’s part, the 34 pound metal plates flew off the truck and hit Claudia Avila resulting in wrongful death. On September 17, 2008 the jury found Tarmac America at fault and awarded Claudia’s family 6.1 million dollars.

Again, no money can ever replace a loved one, sometimes people do not know where to turn in the event of wrongful deaths and that’s where we are at our best - helping clients find the right personal injury lawyer in Canada.

Over the long weekend here in Canada, while many were away in summer cottages, enjoying their times out with friends, there was a horrific ttc bus accident in Toronto. The accident was caused by an elderly man who lost control of his wheels and crashed into an incoming ttc bus. There were two other occupants in the in the car, 1 other 80 year old lady who died and another 82 year old lady in critical condition.

Lawyerahead.ca was created to help individuals seeking excellent legal representations for their legal needs and also help them navigate their legal issues as smoothly as possible. Anyone who needs personal injury lawyers should first go through our existing personal injury cases and then post their own case. Multiple experienced lawyers will contact you and you select the one whom you want representing you. We have helped thousands of consumers and we will ensure you get the best representation.

Best of luck with your legal needs.

Laura M.

You are the victim of an accident – injured, in pain and under financial stress. The last thing in the world you need is a denial from your insurance company.

Accidents do happen, even to the most cautious of us. Luckily, in most cases you will be eligible for compensation, be it from your insurance company or the negligent party. Sadly, the process can sometimes be a long and hard. Potentially, it could cause more “pain” than your injuries ever did.

Let’s face it, insurance companies are in the business of making money. Although their adverts tell us how much they care, at the end of the day, it is the bottom line that really counts. This means that they will attempt to settle your claim as cheaply as possible and may even deny it.

A good personal injury or insurance solicitor will make sure you are fully compensated and your rights are protected. What’s more, you’ll probably end up getting a lot more than if you claim personally. Solicitors deal with these situations every day. You probably have little idea how much your claim is really worth, or what the various classes of damages are. Your claim may include: medical expenses (past and future); loss of income; pain and suffering; other emotional damages; temporary or permanent disability; loss of enjoyment of life; loss of family and social experiences or property damage, to name only a few.

A good solicitor has the experience and knowledge to fairly estimate your claim and ensure that you get what you deserve. After all, you have been paying those premiums for years and years, and it is your turn to get something back. Mostly you will end up with more in your pocket, even after paying their fees. It is one of those rare “win-win” situations.

Many solicitors will work on a “no win – no pay” basis, so whatever your financial situation, you can get one on your side.