One of the top 10 questions we get at LawOne is “How much will it cost me to hire a lawyer to do X, Y or Z?”  Sadly, there is no single magical price list for legal services. This is not necessarily a bad thing – it just means you need to take the extra step to clarify how and what you will be charged for the legal services you are requesting.  Each lawyer makes their own decisions about what they will charge for their services and whether they will offer flat fee or alternative billing models or charge an hourly rate.  Some lawyers do offer a free consultation (usually for a set period of time) but many will not do this over the phone.  Some lawyers also offer contingency fee billing arrangements which are common in personal injury cases.  In a contingency fee case  a lawyer waits to collect legal fees until the case has been resolved and the fee is a percentage of the settlement amount.

Many people are intimidated to ask about legal fees.  Don’t be.  Lawyers are service providers and they know that clients need this information to make decisions.  Lawyers will do their best to provide you with an accurate estimate of what it will cost to hire them.  However, you need to be aware that until a lawyer has had a chance to talk to you and review the facts and evidence related to your situation it will be difficult for him or her to tell you what it’s likely to cost you to resolve the matter.  Often lawyers will give you a range or they may ask for a retainer to assess the case and take some preliminary steps.  The amount of the retainer requested can range from $500 to $5000 or more depending on the complexity of the issue and what is at stake.

A retainer is a specified amount of money that you pay to a lawyer that is placed in the lawyer’s trust account and which the lawyer may then draw on as work is completed.  You will know when this occurs because before a lawyer may withdraw trust funds to pay their accounts they must provide a client with an invoice that itemizes the work done and the fees charged.  They must also provide you with an opportunity to “question the bill”.  Also, if your lawyer is able to complete the work for an amount of money less than the retainer the remainder is returned to you.

The bottom line is that it is best to be straightforward about legal fees.  If you are concerned or need confirmation on a charge or whether there is going to be departure from the original estimate…ask about it.  Your lawyer should not be offended or upset – they know you do not have unlimited resources and need certainty.  You can also take steps like asking your lawyer to contact you when you have used up a certain amount of your retainer, request that you be billed monthly or that you be advised if it becomes apparent that developments in your case are going to affect the original estimate for legal fees.

Car accidents are traumatic enough but add the anxiety caused by not knowing how an ICBC claim proceeds or how to protect your rights and it can feel overwhelming.  RDM Lawyers, is a well established full service law firm located in downtown Abbotsford with a busy personal injury practice.  They know first hand that advice from an experienced personal injury lawyer is one easy way to protect your rights and ensure you get fair and reasonable compensation for your injuries.  What follows are some of their answers to frequently asked questions about British Columbia personal inury claims as well as some some specific information about why getting a lawyer to help you with your ICBC injury claim is in your best interests. You can get more information about ICBC injury claims by visiting  www.personalinjurysettlement.ca – RDM’s personal injury law website.

When to contact a lawyer?

You have 90 days from the date of the accident to file a claim with ICBC.  It’s best to speak to a lawyer before you talk to ICBC. But, don’t panic if you have already reported the accident, talked to an ICBC adjuster or even signed documents.  It’s not too late.  You can have a lawyer review your case at any time during the process and if need be they can take steps to make sure you are treated fairly.  Once you have a lawyer they can take over the claims process which means they will deal with ICBC for you.  This includes making sure your claim is filed in time to meet any time limits that affect your entitlement to compensation, sorting out what benefits you are entitled to, preparing medical reports and compensation proposals for presentation to ICBC, conducting settlement negotiations and arranging for payout of benefits to you.

How do you find a personal injury (or ICBC lawyer) in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley, Hope or elsewhere in the Fraser Valley?

Many people have no experience with lawyers or think they can’t afford legal advice.  If you have a lawyer for other matters (like your business, buying or selling your home or estate planning) you can ask that lawyer for a referral to a personal injury lawyer. Or, use your business and personal network to get the names of lawyers or law firms to call. If that doesn’t work, try a Google search using the phrase “personal injury lawyer” or “ICBC lawyer” along with your geographic location e.g. “personal injury lawyer Abbotsford.”  This will pull up search results for law firms who advertise on the internet.

If money is a concern (and it often is if you’ve been injured and can’t work), many personal injury lawyers offer free initial case consultations and contingency fee arrangements.  A contingency fee arrangement means that your lawyer will take your case and accept payment only after a settlement has been reached.  Contingency fees are typically based on a percentage of the settlement you receive from ICBC.  Your lawyer should explain how this will work but you should not hesitate to ask specific questions about what legal fees and other costs you will need to pay.  Other costs can include administrative fees to file a lawsuit, the cost of expert medical reports, courier charges and other costs associated with running your file.

What compensation can you claim for your injuries?

There are two types of compensation available if you’ve been inured in a car accident. The first are Accident Benefits (also called “no fault” or Part 7 benefits) which are available to anyone involved in the accident regardless of whether they are at fault.  ICBC Accident Benefits cover:

• medical care
• rehabilitation
• wage loss compensation
• homemaker benefits
• death benefits, and
• funeral benefits.

If you have permanent injuries, Accident Benefits also pays for costs such as:

• attendant care,
• specialized aids and
• vocational training, depending on your injuries.

The second are Settlement Benefits (also called damages or a tort claim) which are available to people who are injured and were not at fault, or only partly at fault, for the accident. The tort claim addresses compensation for pain and suffering, out of pocket expenses, past wage loss, future wage loss due to permanent or partial disability, future costs of rehabilitative care and other losses not covered by Part 7 accident benefits.  The compensation available under a tort or damages claim is more comprehensive and extensive than compensation available under an Accident Benefits claim.

What a personal injury lawyer will do for you.

Lawyers understand the legal principles that affect your case and will make sure you meet all the procedural requirements as well as making sure that all the relevant evidence is collected and presented properly. Your lawyer will:

• Review your version of the accident and file all necessary paperwork to preserve your right to insurance benefits.
• Assess whether fault is an issue and how it affects your right to compensation.
• Get your permission to collect medical and employment information relevant to your claim and explain what compensation is available to you.
• Enlist your primary doctor and any specialists involved in your treatment and recovery plan to prepare a narrative medical report on your injuries including the diagnosis and prognosis for recovery.
• When your doctor confirms you have recovered or reached a stage where no further progress is likely, prepare a settlement proposal for presentation to ICBC including all relevant evidence and outlining your position on fair and acceptable compensation for your injuries.

Depending on the nature of your injuries it can take a significant amount of time to determine the extent and severity of your injuries.  Your right to start a lawsuit is governed by strict time limits which may end up being shorter than the time you need to recover.  So, to preserve your rights, while you are recovering your lawyer may:

• Start a lawsuit that names the other driver and any other parties at fault and serve notice of the lawsuit on ICBC who will appoint a lawyer to deal with your file.
• Set a trial date and arrange for examinations for discovery where your lawyer and ICBC’s lawyer exchange documents relating to the accident and you (accompanied by your lawyer) provide evidence to ICBC’s lawyer in front of a court reporter. ICBC’s lawyer is entitled to ask you about the accident, medical information including diagnosis, treatment and prognosis and about the impact your injuries have had on your life.  ICBC does this to assess the claim and advise your adjuster about what they think the claim is worth and to confirm your version of events.
• Your lawyer will evaluate settlement offers from ICBC and advise you whether it’s acceptable or whether a counter offer is appropriate.
• If you make a decision to accept ICBC’s offer your lawyer will finalize a settlement agreement and arrangement for you to receive the compensation agreed.  Or they will counteroffer and proceed to negotiate with ICBC until either an agreement is reached or it becomes clear the matter will have to go trial for resolution.

Most ICBC injury claims do not go to court.  Because 9 out of 10 cases are resolved through negotiation it is critical to make sure that all evidence relevant to the accident and its aftermath has been collected, evaluated, and quantified for use in any settlement negotiations, offers and counter offers.  This is where a lawyer is invaluable.  Lawyers are trained to evaluate and negotiate, they know how to present medical and economic loss information in a way that ICBC will understand, they have the ability to assess ICBC offers and advise you when it’s in your best interests to counter offer or take a case forward to court, and where necessary they can represent you in court.

Need more information or help with your ICBC injury claim?

Contact the Fraser Valley’s own…the personal injury lawyers at Robertson, Downe & Mullally (www.rdmlawyers.com) located in the heart of downtown Abbotsford and serving communities located throughout the Fraser Valley including:  Chilliwack, Hope, Langley, Maple Ridge, Matsqui, and Sumas.