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Personal Injury Law
St. Catharines Personal Injury Lawyers
Unparalleled legal representation for accident victims
Practicing Lawyers:
For more than fifty years, the personal injury lawyers at Chown Cairns have been representing injured individuals in disputes against insurance companies.
With our experience has come a commitment to obtaining the best possible results for our clients.
Identifying and asserting the rights of injured persons in Ontario has become an increasingly complex task. Whether involved in a motor vehicle collision, or injured as a result of some other accident, it is difficult for an individual to fight for the compensation to which they are entitled. We represent individuals by assisting with initiating legal proceedings, negotiating settlements and representing you in court.
Full-Service Personal Injury Law Firm Near You
Chown, Cairns LLP offers a comprehensive personal injury practice, advising and representing clients on most types of personal injury matters. Our Niagara Personal Injury Claims Lawyers provide advice and counselling in the following areas:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Insurance Claims
- Slip and Fall Cases
- Disability Claims
- Medical Malpractice
- Serious Bodily Injury
- Driving Offences
- Impaired Driving
- Drug Offences
- Pardons and Record Suspensions
- Car accidents
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Niagara Falls
Regardless of the type of accident you have suffered, it is highly advisable that you get in touch with a personal injury lawyer in Niagara Falls as soon as possible, as they can:
- Start gathering evidence, such as police reports, photographs of the scene, and witness testimony before they fade or become inaccessible.
- Advise you on your options and prepare a legal strategy for your claim.
- Identify when insurance companies have sent low-ball offers.
- Help you claim accident benefits in the immediate aftermath of the accident.
- Tell you how to document medical reports, medical expenses, and loss of income.
- Prevent you from saying or doing something that may harm your claim later.
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Boating accidents
- Dog bite
- Traumatic brain injury
- Birth injury
- Product liability
Our team brings over 60 years of expertise representing clients in the Niagara region. We have helped raise the bar for care and compensation for personal injury victims.
Personal Injury Lawyer Services St. Catherines
Motor vehicle accidents can lead to severe injuries, loss of income, life-long physical and psychological consequences, and even death. If you or your loved one has unfortunately gone through this type of accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to Chown Cairns because our St. Catherines legal team is here to help you.
Why Seek the Assistance of a Personal Injury Lawyer in St. Catherines?
It’s part of a lawyer’s responsibility to have sufficient expertise in different categories of the law. However, if you seek the help of a lawyer who is highly skilled in a specific category of law or specializes in a particular type of legal situation, you will have a better chance of getting a favourable outcome from the litigation process.
As your St. Catherines personal injury lawyers, we focus on helping clients obtain justice for a variety of accidents and unfortunate events in which another party was negligent, or a denial of disability insurance has occurred. Here at the Chown Cairns, we focus on representing people who need to be protected, advocated for, and helped.
Since the ’80s, we have been on a mission to provide the legal representation that our clients need and deserve. As long as you choose us, you can expect our St. Catherines team to advocate for you from start to finish.
Different Insurance Claims
- Life insurance: Chown Cairns can help you get the insurance payout you are entitled to when you have been told that your claim for life insurance after the loss of a loved one has been denied.
- Long-term disability: If you have been denied long-term disability benefits, even when your doctor has said that you cannot return to work, Chown Cairns can help you get the benefits to which you are entitled.
- Accident Benefits: When you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, you are entitled to receive benefits from your own insurer or the insurer of a policy for which you are covered as a dependent etc. As part of your motor vehicle accident claim, we will assist you not only in your claim against the driver that caused the accident, but also in dealing with your own insurer to make sure you receive the treatment and income replacement benefits to which you are entitled.
Chown Cairns: Personal Injury Lawyers in St. Catherines
If you are a victim of a St. Catherines motor vehicle injury, you can seek damages from the insurance company of the people responsible for what happened. Chown Cairns is committed to becoming your advocate to get the compensation and benefits you deserve.
Hire a Motor Vehicle Accident Injury Lawyer St. Catherines
Are you on the hunt for a St. Catherines personal lawyer for a motor vehicle related injury? Chown Cairns specialize in a wide range of legal services that fall under personal injury. We take pride in having a team of lawyers who are passionate about empowering and protecting their clients’ rights. We seek justice on your behalf using our expertise and industry experience.
Reach out to us today to book an appointment with a personal injury lawyer in St. Catherines.
How Can I Find the Best Personal injury lawyer Niagara?
Choosing the right personal injury lawyer in Niagara that best suits your needs can be tricky and overwhelming. Although many of these professionals have industry experience and legal expertise, not all of them are passionate about helping clients and specialize in helping accident victims, not insurance companies.
Book an appointment with a Niagara personal injury lawyer today!
Chown Cairns: Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Niagara
Chown Cairns offer representation for clients who have suffered a variety of personal injuries including, but not limited to:
- Slip and fall/trip and fall accidents: From broken bones and severe sprains to concussions and spinal cord injuries, our Niagara team will help you seek and receive compensation from the owners or occupiers of the space or property where your fall occurred.
- Dog bites and animal attacks: These events can happen in seconds, but may result in lifelong consequences, such as facial disfigurement, significant scarring and psychological trauma. Chown Cairns will help you get the appropriate compensation for all the damages you suffered.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Niagara
Chown Cairns is a legal firm specializing in providing personal injury legal services in Niagara. We take pride in having several decades of combined expertise that allows us to give clients the justice they deserve. We do not have a one-size-fits-all template for every case. However, we make sure to implement best practices and consider our work on previous cases in helping clients that have had similar situations.
We understand that you are currently going through a tough time recovering from an accident and injuries. This is why we do not ask for any fees upfront and receive payment only on the resolution of your claim. We also offer a free one-hour consultation at our first meeting so you can assess whether our personal injury law firm in Niagara is right for you.
Chown Cairns will also take this opportunity to get a brief overview of your situation and to explain a list of possible solutions that our legal professionals can provide.
Get in touch with our Niagara team today to get started.
Experience Matters
When you or your loved one has been involved in an accident, your lives can be changed forever. A personal injury is as individual as the victim. You may need to seek out accident benefits from your own insurance company in a car accident case. You may need to seek compensation from the liable party. You may be unsure as to where to turn and what steps to take in the aftermath of your injury or tragedy. This is not a time when you want to make quick decisions that will impact the rest of your life and quite possibly the quality of life you lead moving forward.
Speak to us. At Chown Cairns Lawyers LLP we are experienced in the aftermath of all personal injuries. We can represent you and work on your behalf to obtain all the accident benefits you are entitled to. We will be your skilled representation in the legal system, seeking out the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We will help you to get the care you require now and into the future. And we will do this with kindness and compassion, speaking to you as a person and not a legal case.
When We Can Help
The lawyers at Chown Cairns Lawyers LLP and the entire support staff work on your behalf to ensure a brighter future following a difficult time in your life. We work efficiently and diligently to seek out solutions that work for you and your loved ones. We take the burden of seeking out treatments and affording the payments out of your hands as we handle your claims.
Experienced, Skilled and Compassionate
Every lawyer in our firm practices personal injury law and only personal injury law. We are never divided on who we represent – we represent the injured party, never insurance companies. When you choose our firm, your consultation will be directly with a lawyer. We are committed to aiding our clients with all of our resources, contacts and professional network of experts.
Each lawyer who has joined our firm since its inception has been hand-picked for their knowledge of the law, their skills in representing our clients and their dedication to personal injury law. We pride ourselves on our compassion and our quality of service. When you have been injured, you need not only a personal injury lawyer, you need someone who will listen to you, someone who you can trust and who has your best interests at heart. At Chown Cairns LLP Professional Corporation you do not need to choose between having an excellent lawyer or someone you want to work with – here you get both.
Any one of our lawyers below would be pleased to help you and discuss your situation.
What Compensation Can You Claim for Your Injuries?
Personal injury claims are all about compensating victims for the physical pain and emotional anguish they have suffered. In addition, the compensation can cover any expenses you have incurred during your rehabilitation or recovery.
A compensation claim can account for:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Loss of income
- Attendant care costs
- Family care costs
- Long-term rehabilitation
- Long-term disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of prospects
- Home modification costs
Shielding You from Unfair Scrutiny by Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are incentivized to lower pay-outs and will leverage their dominant position to achieve their goals. This could be in the form of surveilling the injured person, accusing victims of fraud, downgrading the severity of injuries, or simply declining claims.
An experienced team of lawyers can shield you from the harsh glare of a personal injury trial. We will advocate for your best interests at negotiations, communicate with the insurance company on your behalf, and help ensure you have the space you need to recover.
What Does a Personal Injury Law Firm Mean by "No Win, No Fee"?
The time after a serious accident is one of upheaval. The injured person and their family can be faced with a long road to recovery and countless medical expenses. In such a time, the uncertainty of hourly legal fees can be daunting for anyone.
We strongly believe that justice should not be limited to those who can afford to pay for it. It’s why we offer contingency fee – more commonly known as “No Win, No Fee”.
Simply, this payment structure means you will not pay legal fees if we don’t succeed in obtaining compensation for you. Instead, a pre-determined percentage is deducted from the compensation you receive. We will explain this at the beginning, and it will be clearly written outlined if you choose to move forward with us as your representation.
Choosing the Right Personal Injury Law Firm
A personal injury claim can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years to decide. The severity of injuries, conduct of the parties involved, and untangling liability can all impact how long your claim takes to come into effect. When the case is settled or decided, only then may you receive the payment.
That’s why you need to find a personal injury law firm near you that has the resources to represent you successfully. Moreover, you need to work with a team you can trust. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the right personal injury law firm for your case:
- Assess their expertise in the field.
- Ask about their track record; note that past results do not ensure future success.
- Enquire about the lawyers you will be working with.
- Understand their fee structure.
- Discuss potential legal strategies.
- See if you are comfortable working with their lawyers.
A Personal Injury Law Firm That Guides You Throughout the Claim Process
The personal injury claims process is often unfamiliar to injured persons and their families, so here is a general outline of what the claims process looks like:
- Gather evidence pertaining to the accident.
- File a claim with the insurance company.
- Send a statement of claim if the claim is contested.
- Conduct an examination for discovery.
- Attend medical examinations.
- Attempt to resolve and simplify the claim during mediation.
- Attend the pre-trial conference.
- Advocate for your ideal outcomes at trial.
Depending on the nature of the accident and the conduct of the parties involved, the claim can settle early or undergo a long trial.
What Should You Bring When Meeting a Personal Injury Lawyer in Niagara Falls?
The initial consultation is your opportunity to introduce a lawyer to your case, any circumstances, and your preferred outcomes. To make the most of the meeting, consider the following advice:
- Bring all medical records pertaining to the injuries you experienced in the accident.
- Any photographs or witness details that you have gathered.
- The police report, if you have it.
- Any questions you want to ask.
- Expense receipts that occurred due to the accident.
Our Personal Injury Law Firm Provides Compassionate Care for Clients
Ontario’s personal injury laws are complex, and the claims process is intricate. That’s why you need to work with a compassionate team that guides you at every step.
At Chown, Cairns LLP, our lawyers will help you look past legal complexities towards a hopeful future. We will shield you from the glare of negotiations and unfair scrutiny, ensuring your focus is on getting healthy.
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation
If you or someone you know has suffered serious injuries, schedule a complimentary consultation today. Our personal injury lawyers in Niagara Falls will take the time to understand your needs, explain your options, and advise you on the next steps.
FAQ’s
What is a personal injury lawyer?
A personal injury lawyers helps people with obtaining compensation and treatment for injuries and property damage they have suffered due to the fault or negligence of others. They help in the filing of insurance claims, securing accident benefits, and represent clients in settlement negotiations and court proceedings.
The sooner you approach a personal injury lawyer, the sooner you can take informed next steps for your claim.
How can I find a personal injury lawyer in St. Catharines?
To find a suitable personal injury lawyer, you can explore various options, including:
- Referrals from friends and family.
- Online legal directories and publications.
- Physical and online advertisements.
- Highly rated lawyers on Google and Facebook.
It is essential you do your research to find a competent team that has the necessary skills and resources to advocate your interests vigorously.
When should I hire a personal injury lawyer?
If you or someone you know has suffered significant injuries in an accident, such as car accidents, slip and falls, workplace accidents, bicycle accidents, or others, consider hiring a personal injury attorney.
Time is of the essence in these situations, as the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to gather evidence and prove the harm you have suffered. Therefore, it is advisable to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after an accident.
What percentage do most personal injury lawyers take?
Under a contingency fee agreement, the ‘percentage’ charged can vary from 25% to 40%, depending on several factors such as:
- The complexity of the case.
- The resources needed.
- The risks associated with pursuing the claim.
To understand how contingency fee works and how it protects you from the uncertainties of hourly fees, consult with your lawyer.
Can you sue for personal injury in Ontario?
In Ontario, you have the right to file a lawsuit for personal injury caused due to the mistake or negligence on another person, organization, or government entity.
You may be eligible for various types of compensation, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income
- Loss of future opportunities
- Medical expenses
- Attendant care
Additionally, your family members may also be entitled to damages for the time spent providing caregiving services.
How long after an accident can you sue in St. Catharines?
While you have up to two years to sue after an accident in St. Catharines, it’s recommended that you consult with a personal injury lawyer immediately after an accident.
Certain types of accidents, such as slip and falls, have a shorter limitation period of 60 days, while others may require you to bring a claim against a municipality within just 10 days.
While it may still be possible to pursue a claim after these periods have passed, you will have to provide the court with convincing reasons for granting an exception.
How long do most personal injury cases take to settle?
A personal injury settlement can take anywhere from six weeks to six months to reach, provided that the other party is willing to settle.
However, working with a firm like Chown Cairns LLP can make all the difference. Our team possesses the necessary skills and resources to vigorously represent your case and negotiate a favourable settlement.
Why do most personal injury cases settle?
Resolving a personal injury case through a settlement is a financially prudent approach. It eliminates the unpredictability of protracted legal proceedings, the burden of unexpected legal costs, the emotional toll of pursuing a court case, and the need to attend multiple court hearings.
Additionally, settlements release the party at fault from further liability.
What can you claim for in personal injury?
In contrast to an insurance claim, a personal injury lawsuit allows you to seek compensation for a variety of losses, including:
- Medical bills
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of income
- Disfigurement
- Loss of social life
- Attendant care expenses
Moreover, your family members may be eligible for compensation for the time they spend providing you with care.
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
Experiencing a severe injury can be one of the most distressing events in a person’s life, causing significant financial strain. Rather than adding to your uncertainty with hourly fees, we offer a contingency fee agreement, commonly known as “No Win, No Fee”. This means that you are not required to pay legal fees if you do not receive compensation.
Contingency fees can range from 25% to 40%, depending on a variety of factors. To get a better understanding of what your fee will be, speak to our lawyers.