In this twelve-part blog series, personal injury lawyers Bree Hankins and Adrienne Staley discuss important steps to follow after a motor vehicle accident and what you need to know about making a personal injury claim. Part 7 focuses on what to expect when working with a lawyer on your ICBC injury claim.

Part 7: How do I work with my lawyer on my personal injury claim?

A lot of people are nervous about working with a lawyer. There are a lot of myths (and lawyer jokes) out there that make people wary. We want to put you at ease by giving you an idea about what you can expect when you work with a lawyer on your ICBC injury claim.

At Pihl Law Corp, our personal injury lawyers will work as a team on your case. That means you might have contact with more than one lawyer, paralegal, or legal assistant. We do this so that we can make sure the person best suited to helping you with a particular part of your claim is working on that part of your claim. Our team approach is part of what sets us apart from other law firms and lawyers.

A Lawyer’s Role

When you have a lawyer to help you with your injury case, the lawyer is your advocate. It is the lawyer’s job to gather all of the facts and present them to ICBC and, if necessary, to the Court. A lawyer’s role in advancing your case may involve some, or all, of the following:

  1. Gathering the medical evidence regarding your injuries, which may include obtaining medical records, talking to your family doctor, talking to specialists, or retaining medical experts to provide an opinion regarding your injuries, recommended treatment and prognosis;
  2. Gathering evidence regarding your wage loss, which may include obtaining employment records, talking to your employer, or retaining experts to provide an opinion regarding your wage loss or your functional capacity;
  3. Dealing with ICBC to obtain funding for recommended treatments, or, for reimbursement for your out of pocket expenses like massage therapy or chiropractic treatment under your Part 7 benefits;
  4. Providing you with information and advice regarding the legal processes involved in making a claim for compensation for your injuries;
  5. Once all the necessary information has been obtained about your case, providing you with advice and guidance with respect to what types of compensation you are able to claim as a result of your accident, and what fair compensation for your injuries would be;
  6. Keeping you informed about the status of your case;
  7. Advocating on your behalf with respect to ICBC, or, if necessary, the Court; and
  8. Representing you through any court processes, including Examinations for Discovery;
  9. Presenting your case to ICBC or, if necessary, the Court.

Your Role

It is important to remember that you also have a role to play in advancing your case, which may include some, or all, of the following:

  1. Going to all of your doctor appointments, and participating in any recommended treatments;
  2. Keeping us informed about your symptoms and how they are impacting you;
  3. Keeping us informed about any changes in employment, doctors, or treatment plans;
  4. Keeping track of any time missed off work, whether because of your symptoms, or because you attended medical appointments;
  5. Keeping receipts for any out of pocket expenses; and
  6. Being honest about your injuries, and the impact they are having on your day to day functioning, so that we can properly assess your claim for compensation.

If you have any questions about your ICBC claim, we offer free 30 minute consultations. Contact us to find out more.

The information provided above is for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to replace the advice of a lawyer or address specific situations. Your personal situation should be discussed with a lawyer. If you have any questions or concerns, contact a legal professional.
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