Merricks Law Group: Unleashing The Power Of Expert Legal Advocacy

If you have retained us to seek compensation for injuries arising out of a motor vehicle collision, our contingency fee agreement covers the principal claim against the other drivers or owners responsible for causing the collision. We will also assist you in advancing the claim against your own insurer for Statutory Accident Benefits. Our retainers are limited to these services and do not include any other type of claim unless specifically included in the agreement. Similarly, unless we enter into a separate retainer agreement regarding an appeal, our retainers end when there is a settlement or a final decision by the court or tribunal on the merits of your claim. If as part of your injury you are unable to work and have access to private disability insurance, we may discuss with you entering into a separate retainer regarding this type of claim. Our services do not include representation regarding claims for property loss including damage to your vehicle plus any claim arising out of a government-funded disability or support programs such as Canada Pension Plan – Disability, Ontario Disability Support Plan, or Workers Compensation Insurance Board.

In almost all instances involving claims arising from a motor vehicle accident, it takes many months if not years for a claim to get to the stage where a settlement is likely. This is because the most important factor in assessing the damages sustained by accident victims is the long-term consequences of the injury. This is rarely apparent until significant time has elapsed allowing for any necessary medical investigations and thereby allowing your doctors to make reliable predictions about your long-term recovery. As a result, an “early” settlement is extremely unlikely and our fee rate in part reflects this. Some firms charge a sliding scale which means that you would end up paying a larger amount the more steps that are taken in the litigation, but we charge a fixed fee that provides our clients with greater certainty about their net compensation no matter when the matter is concluded.

In almost all instances, the funds are forwarded to our firm in trust. Upon receipt, we bill out and distribute these funds following the retainer agreement and your directions.