Edmonton Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Alberta and Western Canada
If you have been injured due to the negligent, reckless, or careless actions of another, you may be entitled to obtain substantial compensation for any damages suffered.
In a personal injury case, the term “damages” refers to the value of losses incurred due to a breach of duty or a violation of rights. In Edmonton, damages recovered in personal injury cases include pain and suffering, lost income, future costs of care, loss of capacity, loss of housekeeping abilities, medical treatment and property damage.
At Chadi & Company, our experienced injury team has been protecting the rights of accident and injury victims in Edmonton and the surrounding areas, and across Alberta, for 30 years.
We have successfully represented countless clients, helping them get the justice and compensation they deserve. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
Recognized as the Top Injury Law Firm in Edmonton
Chadi & Company has been recognized as Edmonton’s Top Personal Injury Law Firm. We are honoured to be selected for this award and will continue fighting for Edmonton, and Albertans who have been injured.
Table of Contents
Common Types of Personal Injury Accidents
Any time another’s negligence causes harm, the injury victim may be entitled to compensation. Although we represent clients in all types of personal injury cases at Chadi & Company, the most common involve:
Car crashes – Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of accidental injury and death. There were a total of 142,596 collisions in Alberta in 2018 alone. Fatal accidents are most common among drivers ages 24 and under.
Truck accidents – Due to their size, accidents involving commercial trucks—which can weigh more than 35,000 kilograms—often result in serious injury and death.
Motorcycle accidents – Motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to be killed in a crash than drivers and passengers of cars and trucks.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) – Every year, approximately 165,000 Canadians suffer a TBI, which can cause lifelong, and sometimes debilitating, complications.
Spinal cord injuries – According to Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, it is estimated that about 121,000 Canadians will be living with spinal cord injuries by 2030.
Slip and fall accidents – Although slip and fall accidents can happen to anyone for any reason, they are most common among older individuals. With Edmonton’s ageing population and challenging winter weather conditions, slip and fall accidents are exceedingly common in this province.
Serious Injuries – Any serious injury can result in life-changing consequences and implications. Serious/catastrophic injuries include traumatic brain injuries (TBI), spinal cord injuries, paralysis, amputation, complex bone fractures, wrongful death and more.
Why Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Following an injury accident, the last thing you should be doing is dealing with other involved parties, sifting through paperwork, and negotiating with insurers.
Keep in mind that is the insurance company’s job to pay as little as possible. When an injury victim comes to the table without legal representation, the insurance carrier knows how desperately they need a settlement check.
A few thousand dollars is often all it takes to get the injury victim to sign off and walk away. Sadly, they are nearly always entitled to a substantially larger settlement.
At Chadi & Company, we tirelessly pursue every area of compensation, while simultaneously engaging the highest-quality health care professionals to ensure that you receive the treatment you deserve.
In doing so, we are also able to ensure that any injuries are fully documented, which is critical to a favourable outcome in any personal injury case. We further retain economic experts to account for all losses, making sure that you receive the maximum compensation to which you are entitled.
We know how the big insurance companies think, and we will negotiate aggressively for full compensation. Although we always aim to settle out of court, if a fair settlement offer cannot be reached, we are prepared to take your case to trial.
With more than 100 years of combined experience, the injury team at Chadi & Company has won countless cases for our clients, obtaining hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements.
When you retain the services of one of our injury lawyers, you can rest assured knowing that we are dedicated to getting you the full compensation you deserve.
How Much Can You Get For Your Personal Injury Claim?
“How much will I get?” is the most common question we receive. This is determined by several variables, including but not limited to: the severity of your injuries, the time it takes to mend, case law in Alberta for similar injuries, how well you appear on the insurance company or court’s mind when they consider your pain and suffering, and how many of your costs are due to the accident. We have considerable expertise with all of these things and will work tirelessly to ensure that you are fairly compensated.
What Is Considered “Fair Compensation”?
In a perfect world, all people who are injured through no fault of their own would be compensated in full for all of their damages. This includes past and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, etc.
Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world, and the law does not require that all injured people be made whole again. The law requires that damages be “fair and reasonable” under the circumstances. This generally means that an injured person will receive some compensation for their damages, but not necessarily all of them.
What Questions Should I Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Personal injury lawyers are not one-size-fits-all. If you have been injured and want to obtain the compensation you deserve, it is critical to work with a skilled, knowledgeable injury lawyer with extensive experience in the particular area you need.
Furthermore, it is important to feel comfortable with your injury lawyer. You are going to be spending time with this person and sharing very personal details; if you don’t trust them, it will likely have a negative impact on the overall outcome of your case.
- How many years of experience do you have?
What areas of law do you specialize in?
How many cases like mine have you handled in the past?
Who will be my contact person at the firm, and what are the preferred modes of communication?
How will you update me on the progress of my case?
What do you believe are the strengths and weaknesses of my case?
If my case does not settle, are you prepared to take it to trial?
How much do you charge?
Interviewing potential injury lawyers is important. Not only because it answers these important questions, but it also gives you an opportunity to gauge the lawyer’s level of confidence and overall personality/demeanour.
If after asking the above questions you feel that a candidate is confident, trustworthy, knowledgeable, reliable – and you feel comfortable with them – it may be in your best interest to retain their services and begin the process of healing, obtaining the compensation you deserve, and getting your life back.
Contact Chadi & Company Today
If another’s negligence has caused you harm, the skilled legal team at Chadi & Company can help.
We will review the details of your case, determine fault, calculate damages, and negotiate with the insurance company for the maximum possible compensation.
Following an injury, the only thing you should be focused on is healing. Let us handle the rest.
Contact Chadi & Company today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
Personal Injury FAQ
Q: What is personal injury law?
Personal injury claims are based on the act being a part of the Law of Torts. In other words, it’s a wrongful act that one can sue due to somebody else’s actions. These types of lawsuits usually come about from physical or mental injuries but can also include property damages too. Potential recoveries an individual might see are things like pain and suffering, loss of earnings both now and in the potential future earnings, and medical expenses covered.
Q: How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer in Edmonton?
Personal injury law firms in Edmonton generally work on a contingency fee basis, which is sometimes called “no win, no fee.”
A contingency fee is a fee charged for a lawyer’s services that are payable ONLY if a lawsuit is successful and results in compensation; hence, “no win, no fee.” The fee charged by law firms is in the form of a percentage of the amount recovered on behalf of the client.
However, other options may be available depending on the firm you engage.
At Chadi & Company, we provide services on a “no win, no fee” basis to our clients. During the initial consultation, we will discuss what this means and any implications it may have for you.
If you have been in an accident, we will provide a free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer so that you are aware of all your legal options.
Q: How long does it take to resolve a personal injury case?
If litigation is required in your personal injury case, it can take years to have your case heard before a Judge.
Many factors are at play with a personal injury claim, including the following:
- Cause of the injury (motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, etc.)
- Nature of the injury – its seriousness and whether it is temporary or permanent
- The length of time you take to get legal advice
- The relevant statutes of limitations
- The type of claim – whether it is made through the Alberta Court of Justice (Small Claims Court) or the Court of Kings Bench of Alberta(Superior Court).
In most cases, insurance companies want to avoid litigation. However, they also want to minimize payouts, which can mean that the process may take some time in order to effectively negotiate with insurance companies.
At Chadi & Company, we are adept at reaching out-of-court settlements that allow you to receive your compensation with fewer delays. We are accustomed to negotiating these settlements on behalf of clients and in their best interests.
However, with serious injuries, it may take considerable time to gather the necessary medical information and await details of their full impact on your future.
We will always fight for the compensation you deserve, and that may mean initiating litigation against the insurance company in the event of a major dispute. Rest assured, our office has established precedent-setting case law at the trial and we will not shy away from a fight if necessary.
Q: How soon after my injury should I consult a lawyer?
If you have been injured in an accident, it is generally best to contact a lawyer for legal advice as soon as it is practical for you to do so.
You will need to contact the relevant insurance companies. This is best handled by a personal injury lawyer.
There are also some time restrictions to observe for making compensation claims. In Alberta, you generally have two years from the time of the accident/injury to make a claim. If your injuries only become evident later, you have two years from the date that the injuries are known.
Failure to claim within this timeframe can result in the loss of your right to make a claim and delays may prejudice any claim that you do make.
In some cases, such as those involving negligence on the part of a city or municipality, more stringent limitations may apply so it is best to discuss this as soon as possible with your lawyer.
Once you arrange legal representation, you can focus on recovery from your injury while your lawyer handles all of the necessary communications with the insurance company and the paperwork.
Q: What types of personal injuries do you help people claim compensation for?
At Chadi & Company, our lawyers can help you receive compensation for all types of injuries, including those suffered in car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall accidents, product malfunction accidents, and so on.
This includes everything from serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, amputations, paralysis or partial paralysis, and disfigurement injuries to broken bones, soft tissue injuries, and more.
Q: What if my personal injury claim is disputed?
If your initial claim is denied by the insurance company, you may be entitled to apply for mediation or arbitration to resolve the dispute.
Upon engaging Chadi & Company, one of our personal injury lawyers will follow up on your behalf to resolve the dispute with the insurance company and manage all aspects of the action required so that you receive fair compensation.
Q: What is a contingency fee?
Many personal injury lawyers agree to a “contingency fee.” This type of fee means you only pay the lawyer if he or she is successful in winning money for you. Oftentimes this is referred to as a “no win, no fee” arrangement. A contingency fee means that you do not have to pay a lawyer upfront for his or her services. Rather, the lawyer will collect his fee upon successfully concluding your matter, and their fee will be subtracted from the settlement sum you receive.