Toronto Metro News - Legal Matters
Apr 02, 2014
CAN THE LAW FIRM AFFORD YOUR CASE?
Interview with: Roger Oatley, Personal Injury Alliance lawyer
Published in: The Toronto Metro News Newspaper April 02, 2014 issue
Q: When someone is looking for a personal injury lawyer, why is it important to consider a firm’s financial resources?
A: Personal injury cases dealing with injuries of a catastrophic nature are very complex and often long-term, and as a result can be very expensive.
Q: How much do these types of trials cost?
A: Cases involving catastrophic injuries, such as spinal cord or brain injuries, can cost upwards of $100,000 to $250,000 or more – to pay for records, demonstrative evidence, and various types of experts to assess the client, write reports and give evidence. It’s important to know that the firm can cover these costs.
Q: How do you determine that?
A: Ask the lawyer what kinds of experts might be needed (for example, health-care professionals, financial experts, even engineers) and how much they would cost. A lawyer who doesn’t know the depth and scope of experts required won’t have any idea of the financial costs. Ask also how much money the firm spends on experts and resources. I can tell you that all three Personal Injury Alliance law firms will have total disbursements for these kinds of files in the millions of dollars. That’s a very good gauge of how much work a firm does in this area and their commitment to ensuring the best possible outcome for their clients. Another clue that the firm isn’t fully invested in this specialized area of law: if the law firm asks for a retainer to cover these costs. PIA law firms are committed to covering these costs for our clients until the case is resolved.
Click HERE to view the article
