You don’t have to go through this alone. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured, we can help. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, you likely have questions about what comes next. We can help.
You will have an initial call where we will obtain some essential background information about you and the reason you have contacted MD Lawyers. If your case is something we might be able to assist with, another call will be arranged with a lawyer.
A lawyer will ask more detailed questions about what happened, when, and who was involved. They will also ask questions about income, out of pocket expenses, and care costs to get a sense of what compensation you might pursue. Once that information is gathered, the lawyer will give you some information about your legal rights, options and obligations. The lawyer will let you know if MD Lawyers is interested in further investigating your case.
In a medical malpractice case, it is impossible to know if you have a viable lawsuit until more investigation is done. This is because not every bad medical outcome means someone is at fault. At the first consult, the lawyer will tell you what additional investigation will need to be done to determine if you have a viable lawsuit.
The first consult with the lawyer will cost nothing.
Each case is different, but most cases require us to obtain and review medical records and hire medical professionals to determine if someone is at fault and caused your injuries. Those medical professionals are referred to as “experts”. Since they have knowledge and expertise beyond the ordinary person, they are necessary in a lawsuit to give evidence about fault and cause of injuries.
If we hire experts, they will review your records and any additional pertinent information. We will consult with them about whether someone is at fault and caused your injuries. If the experts think someone is at fault and caused your injuries, then you likely have a viable lawsuit to pursue. That does mean you will be sure to win. It just means you have a chance to win. If the expert says no one is at fault or caused your injuries, then you may not have a viable lawsuit. If we consult with experts, we will discuss their opinions with you in detail.
Each case is different and depends on its own circumstances. We do not charge for our time when investigating your case, but might ask for some money to cover the costs of obtaining records or hiring an expert. The lawyer will discuss this with you in your initial consult.
It can take several months to obtain the records, review them, hire an expert and have them review them, and then consult with them about your case. You should not wait until the last minute to decide to proceed with an investigation.
Yes. In Ontario, generally, you must start a lawsuit within two years of the date of the injury. That timeline may be extended in some cases to a date that is two years from the date you knew or ought to have known of the negligence. For a minor, the limitation generally does not run while they are under the age of majority (currently 18 years of age). When they reach 18, in most cases, the limitation period of two years starts to run. There are other events that can trigger a limitation period before a minor reaches the age of majority. The lawyer can discuss that with you.
A medical malpractice or other injury lawsuit generally takes several years. The amount of time depends on many factors including the complexity of the issues, the number of parties and the ability of the Court for hearings in your case. The lawyer will speak to you about these things throughout the case.
You are a critical part of the lawsuit. It cannot be successful without your cooperation and participation. You will be required to provide a lot of documents and information. You will meet with your lawyer on several occasions. There will be several other times when you will have to take time away from your day-to-day life to participate.
Possibly. We will try to resolve your case without the need for trial, but you may ultimately need to go to trial to recover compensation.
Once we determine that you have a viable lawsuit, we will enter into a contingency fee agreement with you. That allows you to wait until the end of the lawsuit to pay us.
If we enter into a contingency fee agreement, we will be paid a percentage of what you recover in your lawsuit. The fees are “contingent” on you recovering compensation.
If you lose your lawsuit, you will not have to pay legal fees to MD Lawyers. However, you will likely have to pay some of the defendant’s legal costs. For that reason, we will discuss the risks of your case with you throughout the lawsuit.
The percentage is based on the risks involved in your case. The maximum we will charge is 35%.