LAW RESOURCES & NEWS

Getting the Care You Need … Now!

Injured person and lawyer in hospital - getting the care needed

Your life is often thrown into turmoil if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident. Coping with serious injuries, along with a delay in getting care and/or wage loss benefits, can make a difficult situation that much worse.

At Martin & Hillyer we believe it is critical to become actively involved in our client’s case as soon as possible, preferably even before discharge from the hospital. 

Why is it important to hire a lawyer quickly after a MVA?

Here is how we help to ensure that you have the support you need to assist with your recovery. 

  • We often meet with clients at the hospital and bring the necessary application forms (OCF-1) to start the payment of wage loss benefits and access much-needed medical and attendant benefits. 
  • We will arrange for an occupational therapist to attend at our client’s home to ensure that it is accessible and to identify whether renovations need to be conducted (e.g., installing a wheelchair ramp or grab bars). 
  • The occupational therapist also quantifies the amount of attendant care our client will need in order to function safely in her home. We then submit this claim to the insurance company which will allow our clients to receive the care they need immediately. This is called a Form 1 assessment. 
  • We contact our client’s employer to ensure that the employer has completed the Confirmation of Income form (OCF-2) so that our client can start receiving wage loss benefits. 
  • We fax or email all completed forms to the insurance company to expedite the provision of benefits and services. 

It often takes insurers weeks to mail the necessary forms to car accident victims. This delay can be detrimental to your safety and recovery as you may have to wait more than a month to get the services and devices you need to function safely in your home.

This delay also results in you having to wait more than a month to receive any wage loss benefits. The last thing you need to be worrying about is paying the rent when trying to recover from your injuries!

By being actively involved at the onset we ensure that the crucial medical, attendant care, and wage loss benefits are in place when you need them. 

In cases where there will be a claim against the other driver, we arrange for the vehicles involved in the accident to be photographed by an investigator. These photographs can be invaluable especially if there is a dispute over who caused the accident. 

Engineering experts can often conclude who was responsible for the accident based on the extent and type of damage to the vehicles involved. We sometimes hire investigators to track down witnesses and obtain statements while the accident is fresh in their minds. 

We do not charge for the initial interview so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have been involved in an accident and need help understanding the insurance process.

We are happy to educate you about the process even if you may not require a lawyer at this time. Remember … knowledge is power! 

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About the Author

david hayward - Burlington Lawyer

DAVID HAYWARD

David’s practice includes representing injured people in various areas including automobile accidents, Mediations/Arbitrations at the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, slip-and-fall accidents, LTD claims, CPP, and ODSP disability claims.