Interview with:Darcy Merkur, Personal Injury Alliance lawyer Published in:The Toronto Metro Newspaper June 4, 2014 issue
Q When evaluating a personal injury lawyer, what credentials are important? AFirst, look for the “CS” designation after their name, which means they’re a certified specialist in civil litigation. The designation is granted to lawyers who have proven to be competent and experienced trial lawyers.
Second, is the lawyer recognized as an expert in personal injury — and on the peer-voted lists published by Lexpert and Best Lawyers in Canada?
Third, is the lawyer with one of the top 10 personal injury law firms in Canada? The list is published by Canadian Lawyer magazine. Only about a dozen lawyers in Ontario have all of these credentials, and the vast majority are from law firms of the Personal Injury Alliance. A listing of these lawyers can be found at pialaw.ca/credentials.
Q Why are credentials so important? AThey’re important because they validate a lawyer’s expertise in personal injury cases. These types of cases can be complex, time-consuming, and expensive, sometimes costing in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The lawyer and firm must be able to accept the financial risks. Personal injury law firms only get paid when the case is resolved favourably.
Q Should someone who has had a catastrophic injury compare lawyers’ credentials? AAbsolutely. Anyone can call themselves a personal injury lawyer, but credentials and objective endorsements make the case best. Accident victims are under an enormous amount of pressure, and the last thing they need is a bad experience with a lawyer. Remember also that a client can change their lawyer at any time if they’re not happy with their legal representation.
The Personal Injury Alliance is a proud sponsor of the 2014 Drive Safe! R.I.D.E. traffic safety campaign. The campaign focuses on the dangers of distracted driving, in particular, those associated with driving under the influence of prescription medicines and illegal drugs.
Throughout the summer months, Police will be handing out the Drive Safe! booklet to drivers across Ontario. The booklet contain information on impaired driving, traffic collision reporting, street racing, seat belt safety, and distracted driving laws. Click HEREto view a PDF of the booklet.
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.
Roger Oatley from the Personal Injury Alliance discusses the current state of legal advertising, the complexities of personal injury law and the importance of hiring a qualified personal injury lawyer.
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.
Interview with: Leonard Kunka, Personal Injury Alliance lawyer Published in: The Toronto Metro News Newspaper March 19, 2014 issue
Q: I recently suffered a serious personal injury – should I simply call any lawyer for legal advice? A: No, not just any lawyer. These types of cases are highly technical with statutory time limitations, complex insurance benefits, and other legalities. You need a lawyer who specializes in personal injury.
Q: How do I find a personal injury lawyer? A: Ask other lawyers and medical professionals you know if they can refer you to someone who is qualified. There are peer reviewed publications and accreditation that can help, too. For example, the Law Society of Upper Canada provided accreditation to “certified specialists” in the area of civil litigation. The Lexpert Directory (lexpert.ca) has a list of personal injury lawyers who excel in the field. Canadian Lawyer magazine (canadianlawyermag.com) publishes a “best lawyers” feature that is based on a peer review survey.
Q: How do I make the final decision? A: We recommend you meet with a few lawyers and candidly ask about their credentials, expertise, and trial experience. The lawyer and firm you choose should have proven track record in personal injury cases, as well as the financial resources to properly build your case. Your prospects for a positive recovery can depend on this. Also, personal injury claims can take years to complete, and the lawyer is going to become intimately involved in your life and recovery. You have to feel a level of trust and connection from your initial meeting.
In spite of the rain, the three member firms of the Personal Injury Alliance, McLeish Orlando LLP, Oatley, Vigmond and Thomson, Rogers staff, family and friends came out to the 3rd Annual BIST 5K Run, Walk & Roll on September 21, 2013 in Sunnybrook Park.
The Personal Injury Alliance came out with a team of close to a hundred staff and supporters. Through sponsorship, fundraising and registration, BIST generated over $50,000 that will go a long way in supporting programs, services and efforts to raise brain injury awareness.
The Brain Injury Society of Toronto supports brain injury survivors and family members. BIST aims to enhance the quality of life for people in the City of Toronto, living with the effects of brain injury through education, awareness, support and advocacy.
Click HERE to view photos from the event. To watch a video from the event click HERE.
This past summer the firms of the Personal Injury Alliance co-sponsored Practical Strategies – A one day conference for Health Care Providers – Catastrophic Impairment: A Look into the Future.
The conference was designed to increase awareness and understanding of SCI and provide an update on assessment and treatment strategies.
Oatley, Vigmond, Thomson Rogers and McLeish Orlando made a special donation of $12,000 to Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation – The Campaign to Cure Arthritis.
The Campaign to Cure Arthritis’ vision is to find a cure for arthritis by creating a world-leading centre for Arthritis. Their goal is to have early diagnosis, new treatments, personalized arthritis care and prevent, treat and cure Arthritis.
For more information on Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation’s – The Campaign to Cure Arthritis please visit: http://www.cureforarthritis.ca
From Left to right: James Vigmond –Oatley, Vigmond, Dr. Johnny Lau, Toronto Western Hospital, John McLeish – McLeish Orlando LLP, Sloan Mandel – Thomson Rogers.
