In most cases crash victims would be foolish to try to deal with ICBC without a personal injury lawyer. ICBC’s main interest is to pay out as little as possible on a claim. This is simply sound business practice. Your personal injury lawyer’s main goal is to get you fair compensation for your losses.
However, in some cases where the injury is minor, recovery is complete within a very short period of time and there is a limited and clearly defined income loss claim, then it may not be worthwhile retaining a personal injury lawyer. Hoogbruin & Company we will review your circumstances in detail and if we are of the view that your case falls within that category of cases where you are better off without a personal injury lawyer, we will let you know. We will tell you what we think your case is worth and make recommendations on how to approach ICBC to try to get that amount. If you are unsuccessful then you can always come back to us. We will not charge a fee for this consultation.
At Hoogbruin & Company we want to bring value to your case. In other words, we want you to know and feel that you are better off having hired us even after paying our fees. Not only do we feel this is the right way to approach the practice of law but it is also good business. If you are a satisfied client than you are more likely to refer your family and friends to us in the future.
Some people feel uncomfortable about hiring a lawyer. At Hoogbruin & Company we understand that.
Lawyers are not often portrayed in a favorable light in the popular media. In criminal cases, rather than being seen as defending an accused person against the vast resources of the state, they are seen as helping guilty people get away with crime. In civil cases they are portrayed in the popular media as bringing frivolous lawsuits or class-action cases where the lawyers reap extravagant fees. Finally, lawyers are often portrayed as slippery, slimy and untrustworthy.
The truth is, in Canada we have limited class-action lawsuits and frivolous lawsuits are heavily discouraged and rarely brought. In terms of ethics, lawyers in British Columbia as a general rule are very ethical. Lawyers are trained to be ethical and the Law Society of British Columbia, our governing body, has rigorous rules of professional conduct which it strictly and diligently enforces.
Rules and oversight aside, it is the experience of Hoogbruin & Company that although we might not always agree with the lawyers on the other side of a case, and both sides fight vigorously for their clients’ interests, lawyers advance those interests ethically.
The best way to satisfy yourself whether or not you should hire a lawyer and whether or not Hoogbruin & Company is the right law firm for you is to come talk to us and have a consultation.