Frequently Asked Questions
An important aspect of your case is that the timing of a lawsuit can be difficult to predict. It depends on many things, including actions the defendant takes, court schedules, and the decisions you make. A lawsuit could take up to 2 years or longer to settle or can go to trial. It can take less time too, though. Most lawsuits go through the same basic steps, although not always in the same order. Some lawsuits skip some steps, and some steps are repeated many times over. At Dick Byl Law Corporation, we have listed some main steps that occur and will give you a general idea of what to expect in your legal service. You may also refer to the "Wit and Wisdom" page on our website for more information on various topics related to family and personal injury law.
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Gathering the EvidenceWith your help, we are obligated to gather all of the available facts and medical information concerning the claim, including interviewing and taking statements from witnesses where required. Sometimes, we hire investigators or experts to help us. In your best interest, we may send you to specialists, usually in Vancouver, and we will get their reports
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Starting the LawsuitOnce we have obtained evidence, we shall begin by preparing the necessary documents and file them in court. The court date-stamps all copies of the documents, keeping one copy for their official record. We then deliver filed copies to the defendant’s lawyers or to the defendant personally as the case warrants. This step also involves expenses such as court filing fees and document service fees.
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Interim ApplicationsAfter we start a lawsuit, but before any trial which may be contemplated, the defendant’s lawyers or we sometimes need to ask the court to decide certain things. Going to court to ask for an order is called an interim application. These interim applications are usually about how the lawsuit should be handled. For example, we might ask the court to order that the defendant show us a particular letter or document that the defendant would, for some reason, rather not let us see. The defendant may make similar applications.
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Examination For DiscoveryAfter gathering the facts, either the defendant’s lawyers or we arrange an examination for discovery. At that time, we are permitted to question the defendant about the accident if liability for the accident is an issue. In return, the defendant’s lawyers are also permitted to question you about the accident and the injuries you have suffered, as well as the effect of the injuries on your employment and lifestyle.
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Review of the LawOnce we have a good idea of all the facts, we can then review the law. We will give you our legal opinion about what the likely outcome of a trial would be and how much money you can expect to get as a result of the injuries and damages which have happened to you.
-
Gathering the EvidenceWith your help, we are obligated to gather all of the available facts and medical information concerning the claim, including interviewing and taking statements from witnesses where required. Sometimes, we hire investigators or experts to help us. In your best interest, we may send you to specialists, usually in Vancouver, and we will get their reports
-
Starting the LawsuitOnce we have obtained evidence, we shall begin by preparing the necessary documents and file them in court. The court date-stamps all copies of the documents, keeping one copy for their official record. We then deliver filed copies to the defendant’s lawyers or to the defendant personally as the case warrants. This step also involves expenses such as court filing fees and document service fees.
-
Interim ApplicationsAfter we start a lawsuit, but before any trial which may be contemplated, the defendant’s lawyers or we sometimes need to ask the court to decide certain things. Going to court to ask for an order is called an interim application. These interim applications are usually about how the lawsuit should be handled. For example, we might ask the court to order that the defendant show us a particular letter or document that the defendant would, for some reason, rather not let us see. The defendant may make similar applications.
-
Examination For DiscoveryAfter gathering the facts, either the defendant’s lawyers or we arrange an examination for discovery. At that time, we are permitted to question the defendant about the accident if liability for the accident is an issue. In return, the defendant’s lawyers are also permitted to question you about the accident and the injuries you have suffered, as well as the effect of the injuries on your employment and lifestyle.
-
Review of the LawOnce we have a good idea of all the facts, we can then review the law. We will give you our legal opinion about what the likely outcome of a trial would be and how much money you can expect to get as a result of the injuries and damages which have happened to you.