Toronto Metro News - Legal Matters
May 14, 2014
THE LAWYER’S ROLE IN REHABILITATION
Interview with: James Vigmond, Personal Injury Alliance lawyer
Published in: The Toronto Metro News, May 14, 2014 issue
Q. In a personal injury case where someone has been catastrophically injured, how is the lawyer involved in rehabilitation?
A: While one of the lawyer’s roles is to sue the at-fault parties for damages, another equally important role is to ensure access to the best health-care professionals in order to maximize recovery. That is why it is important to hire a firm that specializes in personal injury, such as a member firm of the Personal Injury Alliance, which has access to a wide network of privately-funded health-care professionals. The lawyer and the firm’s accident benefits specialist will meet with rehabilitation professionals and assemble the healthcare team.
Q: Will the lawyer fully understand the medical complexities of the injury?
A: Yes. Understanding the short- and long-term impact of an injury is a prerequisite to the lawyer being able to engage the services of the right health-care experts. For example, how will the injury affect a person in terms of income earning capacity, mobility, and support needs? Will the condition deteriorate in future and, if so, how might that affect the person’s personal and economic situation? Having this knowledge will help the lawyer dedicate their efforts to improving the injured party’s rehabilitation and recovering maximum compensation for their injuries.
Q What if a client is not happy with someone on their health-care team?
A: Speak to the lawyer. It is the lawyer’s role to make sure the health-care provider is the right fit with the client and the health-care team. If this isn’t the case, the lawyer will work with the case manager to find someone who fits the bill in expertise, personality and team vision.
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