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Melanson Law offers personal injury law services to clients throughout New Brunswick. With over 35 years of experience, specifically in the area of personal injury law, our legal team can provide you with excellent legal representation for your claim. If you have been injured in an accident in Saint John, we can help.
How Melanson Law can help
Being injured because of an accident can be overwhelming. Your primary focus should be on getting better and rehabilitating your injuries. This can be hard to do if you are worried about what the future holds, are experiencing a loss of income due to your injuries, and/or are faced with costs for medical and treatment expenses. Melanson Law can support you through the rehabilitation process. Melanson Law can also guide you through the claims process and the legal system and ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
We have two main goals in resolving your claim: To get you full, complete compensation and to ensure that your experience with the legal process is as quick and positive as possible. We have helped thousands of injured individuals resolve their claims with excellent results. We have extensive experience with the rules and laws for these types of claims, and we wield this knowledge to our client’s advantage. We are also mindful that our clients have already experienced trauma, and we are knowledgeable about trauma-informed practices to help our clients. We take a case-by-case approach with each client to best support them through the legal process.
Personal injury practice is, at its core, about helping individuals. Our clients have been injured through another’s fault, and it is our job to help put them back on their feet. We work hard to ensure that our clients are fully compensated for their losses and that their experience with the legal system is as positive as possible.
Our lawyers exclusively practice personal injury law, and we only ever represent the side of the injured party. We have represented thousands of injured individuals in their personal injury claims in Saint John and throughout New Brunswick. We work hard to ensure our clients get the compensation they deserve and the maximum recovery. Our personal injury lawyers will not only get you an excellent result on your injury claim, we are also trained in trauma-informed practices to help support you as we guide you through the legal system.
We represent injured individuals for the following types of claims:
New Brunswick has mandatory automobile insurance, that includes some basic coverage under four policy sections (A, B, C, & D). If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you are entitled to different types of compensation and benefits under these policies of insurance.
Slip and fall claims involve accidents resulting from slipping on ice, slipping on water, tripping over a hazard, or having a hazard strike you. These accidents may occur in a store, on a walkway, at someone’s home, or in other areas.
Medical malpractice claims occur when a doctor, or other medical professionals, makes a mistake that results in injury or loss. These claims often require securing evidence and expert opinions early and it is important to consult a lawyer as soon as possible.
Tragically, some accidents can result in death at the time of the accident or after. In New Brunswick, special statutory claims can be brought for a wrongful death or fatal accidents.
New Brunswick has mandatory automobile insurance, that includes some basic coverage under four policy sections (A, B, C, & D). If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you are entitled to different types of compensation and benefits under these policies of insurance.
If you have been assaulted, you may have a claim for compensation for your injuries. An assault may include hitting, kicking, punching, or pushing. An assault can also be of a sexual nature, such as rape. Even if criminal charges are not pursued, or the perpetrator is not convicted, a civil claim can still be successful.
If you are involved in a collision with a motor vehicle while walking or on a bicycle, you are entitled to coverage for your injuries under the motor vehicle’s insurance policy, regardless of whether you have insurance. If someone else is at fault for the accident, you may be entitled to compensation for treatment and medication expenses, past and future loss of income, general damages for pain and suffering, loss of valuable services, future cost of care, and more.
Courts have recently recognized that violations of privacy can give rise to a claim. You may have a claim where your privacy is invaded when your information is improperly accessed, collected, or shared.
Types of Injuries
We represent clients for personal injury claims with all types of injuries. Some of the injuries that clients commonly sustain are:
1
Retaining a lawyer, preserving evidence, and notifying the relevant parties and insurers.
2
Collecting information and documents to support the claim, exchanging information with the other party or insurance company, and examination for discovery (if necessary).
3
Resolving the claim through a negotiated settlement, mediation, settlement conference, or trial.
Take a moment to explore experiences shared by our valued clients who have found success with Melanson Law’s legal services.
10 Reasons to choose Melanson Law
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Thinking about pursuing a personal injury claim? Here is some information to consider.
If you have been involved in an accident, there may be different insurance or other benefits that are available to you. You may also be entitled to compensation from a legal claim. It is important to talk to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible: To determine what your legal rights are, to ensure that you are aware of all benefits you might be eligible for, and to ensure that you know what steps to take to best support your claim.
If someone else is at fault for the accident or incident, you may have a legal claim against them. This could include an individual, a corporation, a business, or another entity. There are often limitation periods for bringing a claim. Once these limitation periods expire, you could completely lose your right to any compensation. It is, therefore, extremely important to consult a lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your potential claim, your legal rights, and any potential limitation periods.
Depending on the type of accident, there may be different benefits available to you outside of your legal claim. An injury lawyer can help explain what benefits might be available to you and how you can access these benefits. This can help reduce the losses you experience or the expenses you incur before resolving your legal claim.
It is usually necessary for the person bringing the claim to prove elements of a legal claim, such as who was at fault for the accident or what damages resulted from the accident. It is often essential to collect or preserve evidence for the claim soon after the accident. It is important to consult a personal injury lawyer to determine what evidence might be necessary to support your claim and to discuss the best way of ensuring this evidence is collected or preserved early on. For example, in the case of a car accident, sometimes it is necessary to measure marks on the roadway, document damage to the vehicle, or obtain the vehicle’s black box information. If this evidence is not preserved early on, it can be lost, and this may cause complications for the claim later on.
The amount of time it takes to settle your car accident claim depends on the circumstances of the accident and the complexity and severity of the injuries from the accident. Once a settlement is reached, the injured individual can not ask for more compensation for the same accident later on. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the permanent aspects of the injuries and what the future holds for the injured person before reaching a settlement. Usually, settlement negotiations can begin once the injured person has reached ‘maximum medical improvement’. Or in other words, their injuries have stabilized and will not get any better or worse.
Melanson Law offers free consultations for car accidents. One of our lawyers can discuss the process for bringing a car accident claim and the different factors that determine the length of the claim. They might also discuss the types of compensation that may be available to you for your injuries from the accident.
Assess Whether Ambulance and/or Police Should Be Called
Assess whether it is appropriate to call the police, an ambulance, or both to the scene of the accident.
If anyone is seriously injured, call an ambulance immediately so the paramedics can assess the injury.
Section 130(1) of The Motor Vehicle Act RSNB 1973 requires that the driver of any vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident report to the police any accident that results in: Injury to any person, death to any person, or property damage to the extent of one thousand dollars.
Not only is calling the police often a legal requirement, but it is usually beneficial to have the police at the scene of the accident so that there is an objective record of how the accident happened.
Exchange Information With Other Drivers and Witnesses
Ensure that you have the other drivers’ names, addresses, and motor vehicle insurance information. If possible, take photos of the insurance cards and the driver’s licences of all of the other drivers involved in the accident. This information will be necessary later for your insurance company and your lawyer.
Get the name and phone number of any witnesses to the accident, including the passengers in other vehicles. We often have clients who talk to witnesses at the scene of the accident and fail to get their names and contact information. It is often very difficult or impossible to track these witnesses down later. These witnesses could have vital information to corroborate how the accident happened.
Do not discuss the accident with anyone but the police. Avoid apologizing to anyone at the scene of the accident.
Take Photos
Take photos: Where the vehicles came to rest after the accident, any damage to the vehicles, and any marks or skid marks on the roadway. This information can be used to help corroborate how the accident happened and is important if an accident reconstruction report is needed.
Seek Medical Assessment
After the accident, individuals often have a rush of adrenaline or might be in shock from the event. It is very easy in this situation to miss the cues your body is trying to send you. If there is any possibility you might have been injured in the accident, visit the closest hospital’s emergency room, walk-in clinic, or your family physician asap. This will ensure any potential injuries are identified early and treated appropriately.
Call a Lawyer
It is important to know your legal rights and what compensation might be available to you after a motor vehicle accident. A lawyer can walk you through what types of insurance benefits might be available to you and what your legal rights are. Do not speak to the insurers of the other motor vehicles involved in the collision before you have consulted with a lawyer.
Call Your Motor Vehicle Insurer
All motor vehicles in New Brunswick are required to carry standard form automobile policies of insurance. Most individuals have access to health and property damage benefits after being involved in an accident, regardless of who is at fault for the accident. A lawyer can explain what types of benefits are available and how to access those benefits. If you choose not to talk with a lawyer, it is still important to call your insurer after the accident to report the accident and to discuss opening up a claim.
The cost of a personal injury lawsuit depends on the fee arrangement between you and your lawyer. At Melanson Law, we offer different fee models for our clients pursuing personal injury claims. Some clients choose to retain us at an hourly rate and pay by the hour, but most of our clients have us on a contingency fee agreement. In addition to lawyer’s fees, you may also need to pay for disbursements and, if you are unsuccessful in Court, some of the other side’s costs, too.
With a contingency fee agreement, our lawyer fees are a percentage of the amount of compensation recovered. This means that there are no legal fees unless and until your claim is settled or there is an award at trial. As part of the contingency fee agreements, there are usually also different arrangements available for disbursements or expenses incurred on the file. These expenses can include the cost of documents and reports necessary to support the claim. For most cases, Melanson Law will usually agree to pay for these disbursements/expenses on our client’s behalf, and the client does not pay for these until the claim is settled or resolved.
Give us a call today to discuss what fee arrangements might be available for your claim.
Medical malpractice claims occur when a doctor, or another medical professional, makes a mistake that results in injury or loss. Medical malpractice can happen as the result of a failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis, misreading laboratory results, unnecessary surgery, surgical errors, improper medication, not taking appropriate patient history, or poor aftercare. A medical malpractice claim can also occur where the doctor or medical professional did not properly explain the risks of the treatment or procedure or did not get proper consent. If you have been injured as a result of medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation for: Expenses for medication and treatment, past and future loss of income, general damages for pain and suffering, loss of valuable services, future cost of care, and more.
Melanson Law has over 35 years of experience in the area of medical malpractice claims. We have represented clients who have suffered malpractice injuries from medical practitioners such as doctors, surgeons, dentists, and chiropractors. Medical malpractice claims are a complex area of law, and our lawyers have extensive experience in these types of claims. We are intimately familiar with the relevant statutes and laws. Our lawyers are also trained in trauma-informed practices to best support you throughout the claims process.
Melanson Law will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Injuries resulting from medical malpractice can be time-consuming and costly. It can often be difficult to get appropriate compensation from the doctor, medical practitioner, or hospital, and it may be necessary to bring a legal claim.
Consulting Saint John injury lawyers as soon as possible is important for medical malpractice claims. These claims often require securing evidence and expert opinions early. Melanson Law offers free consultations for medical malpractice claims. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment to discuss your potential claim.
Count on Melanson Law for
all your legal needs in Moncton,
Saint John, Fredericton and
throughout New Brunswick.