The paralegal who told me to settle fast vs the lawyer who said to wait 6 months

So I got into a fender bender near Whyte Ave last September and my insurance company's paralegal kept pushing me to accept their first offer of 2,500 bucks. My buddy's brother is a lawyer at a firm downtown and he told me to wait because my back pain might get worse. I held out for 6 months like he said and ended up needing physio that cost way more than I expected. The final settlement came in at 6,800 after negotiations but I also paid 1,200 in legal fees. Was the wait worth it or did the paralegal have a point about taking the quick cash? Has anyone else been caught between two advisors on an injury claim here in Edmonton?

2 comments

2 Comments

dixon.amy1mo ago

Oh man, @troy_wilson8 nailed it. I went through almost the same thing near South Common a couple years ago, and the insurance paralegal kept texting me about taking $3k fast. I'm glad I held out too, because my neck got way worse around month four and the extra physio costs would have eaten that quick cash anyway. Sometimes waiting really does pay off even with those legal fees tacked on.

troy_wilson81mo ago

Did the paralegal actually work for your insurance company or your own insurance company? Because that changes everything. In Alberta, insurance company paralegals are paid to save the company money, not to look out for you. They push quick settlements because once you sign, you can't ask for more later even if your back gets worse. Your buddy's brother gave you solid advice, but 1200 in legal fees on a 6800 settlement is a lot. Most injury lawyers here charge a straight percentage, usually around 25 to 30 percent, which would have been about 1700 to 2000 on that amount. So either you got a deal on fees or he charged you a flat rate that didn't include the full contingency. The real question is whether you would have ended up paying more out of pocket for physio if you took the 2500. Back pain from accidents can take months to fully show up, so holding out was probably the smart move even with the fees.