With over 4000 lawyers in Atlantic Canada, an injured person may feel overwhelmed when looking for a lawyer to take on their case. When choosing a personal injury law firm, there are a few criteria that may help you determine which firm is the right choice for you.
How do you choose a lawyer or a law firm to take your injury case?
Geography
When choosing a lawyer, you will want to consider where the firm is located in relation to where you are and where your action will take place. Some smaller firms may only practice within a single community or region. Many law firms will only take cases that have occurred within the province in which they are located.
MacGillivray Law works within Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Our lawyers serve every community, regardless of how big or small the city or town is. We will work with you remotely through Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or FaceTime whenever possible if you find our offices are hard to reach. We are an Atlantic Canadian Injury law firm committed to working with you wherever you need us.
Practice Area
When considering which lawyer to represent your case, you should consider what practice area the law firm focuses on. The law is a vast, ever-changing field, and lawyers often work in a specific niche that is complementary to their skills. For example, a tax lawyer would likely be more familiar with the case law and relevant experts in the field of taxation than a criminal defence lawyer might be. To use an analogy, imagine you are a coach choosing what players will be used in a shootout. You will more likely choose your forwards than your goalie because they are more experienced shottakers. This doesn’t mean your goalie is not an excellent and important member of your team; they serve a different function.
MacGillivray Law only takes on cases from people that are injured or denied disability. As a firm that exclusively practices injury law, we have processes in place to move through your case as efficiently as possible and break through any roadblocks that may get in the way of getting you the compensation you deserve.
Fee Structure
What a lawyer will charge you and when you will have to pay are important considerations when you hire a lawyer. There are a few ways that law firms typically bill, such as contingency, fixed rate, or hourly rate. In many fee structures, clients often have to pay upfront costs with no guarantee that they will be successful in their claims. This can be costly, especially for someone who may not be working at the time of their claim due to an accident.
MacGillivray Law works on a contingency basis. This means that you pay nothing until we obtain compensation for you. We do not charge an hourly rate for our services. Instead, when your case does settle, or if you are awarded compensation at trial, our legal fees are deducted from the total amount awarded.
We also pay upfront for any expert opinions required to advance your case. This might involve us consulting with an independent doctor or engineer to write a report about your case and be qualified as an expert witness. We cover the upfront cost associated with these reports. We try to recover them from the at-fault party, and they are paid at the end of your case.
Trust
When selecting a law firm to represent you, trust is a huge consideration. You want to feel as if your lawyer and their firm understand what you are going through. You want a lawyer that you feel comfortable with, and that will fight for you.
MacGillivray Law understands the value of trust and works to build it with all of our clients. Many of our lawyers are Atlantic Canadians that serve the communities that they grew up in and live in now, which helps our lawyers build a stronger relationship and sense of understanding with their clients.
Who you choose to represent you in your personal injury or insurance claim is an important decision that should be well considered. If you are interested in hearing more about how MacGillivray Law can help you get the compensation you deserve, reach out to us today.
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