How do I prepare for Examination for Discovery?

If you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit in Ontario, you will probably have an examination for discovery. An examination for discovery is when the lawyer for the insurance company asks you questions. For the most part, the questions are about:

• Your background;
• The accident;
• Your pre-accident health;
• Your injuries;
• Your employment / loss of income; and
• Any losses you have suffered around housekeeping.

In this video, Ottawa personal injury lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth explains to young lawyers how she prepares for discovery.

http://youtu.be/JBG7xrgtP38

If you would like to speak to a personal injury lawyer about your accident case, call us at 613 233-4529.

Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth

HI Folks. We've moved our blog to http://www.personalinjuryottawa.ca. We hope you join us!

Video Fun

We posted some new videos on You Tube, video.google.com and various other sites. Yes, they are home made. No, we did not hire Hollywood writers. But, we think they might actually be helpful!!

The first one is about what to expect when you first meet a personal injury lawyer. I describe what I think you should hear at the meeting (such as a plan for handling the case) and what you should not expect to hear (such as a hard sell) and some other tips I hope you find useful.
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7zvFeMzGf0

The second video explains the merits of seeing a lawyer early after the accident. There are important steps after an accident that really should be taken right away. Have a listen to see if you agree. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNBQasLTzsA

Holidays are Over...For Now

It was back to the grind today after a beautiful week in Prince Edward County.

We have had a lot of great articles that have been picked up on the web over the past few weeks.

Here they are some for starters:

Answers to 7 Questions Accident Victims Must Know is at http://searchwarp.com/swa347430.htm

Sexual Assault Primer: Legal Options for Victims is at
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1001233

Myths About "Impaired Driving", "Drunk Driving" or Driving "Over 80" Charges is at
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1000201

Settlement Savvy: 5 Tips for the Car Accident Scene is at
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1000201

Let us know what you think.

Settling an Accident Claim

I was happy for an Ottawa car accident victim whose claim we settled today. A day of mediation is tough for everyone-- especially the client who was talked about and talked at hour after hour. I was very glad I had spent the time with her yesterday to prepare her for what was in store. Because she had been briefed in advance, the developments were at least somewhat expected. This is a good news story. The accident was less than 2 years ago and she is very happy to be receiving a nice-sized cheque.

Back to the Grind

The first real summery weekend is done. Rich and I were supposed to record our new videos for the firm...but it was too nice out. We just couldn't get it done.

I have one video on You Tube now. The lighting isn't great but it gives a good sense of who I am, at least as a lawyer. Take a peak. Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYLWh4_GrAk

Looking forward to making more soon.

More about Accident Benefits

Let me follow up on Wednesday's post.

Yesterday I wrote to the insurance company to claim the attendant care benefits back to the date of the accident. I also claimed the client's housekeeping benefits back to the date of the accident.

This morning, by the time I arrived at the office, I had received a fax from the adjuster saying a cheque for almost $10,000 would be sent to my client right away.

This is money Ms. X never would have received if she had not hired a lawyer. She is not someone who was ignoring her accident benefits. She was handling them on her own, dealing with the adjuster directly.

It just goes to show...and it made my day.