Why Hire a Legal Representative for your WSIB claim?
Because the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is a very complicated system.
Both Paralegals and Lawyers are licensed and regulated members of the Law Society of Ontario and are under the same strict obligations. This includes rules of professional conduct and requirements with respect to trust accounts, insurance, continuing professional development, payment into a compensation fund, and a complaints system that includes investigative and disciplinary processes.
To become a Paralegal, a person must complete a paralegal program at an accredited university or college. They must also pass a Paralegal Licensing Exam before being licensed as a paralegal by the Law Society of Ontario. The education that they receive is specific to the areas of law that they are allowed to practice. Because they study the specific areas they have a greater knowledge and understanding of the law that they practice after passing the test.
Many legal representatives that assist with WSIB claims have also dedicated their time to learn the process and the language of the law within the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and Policies.
Why Hire a Paralegal (rather than a Lawyer)?
Sometimes you DO want to hire a Lawyer – Paralegals cannot help with all matters – particularly involving Indictable Offences, Real Estate, Estate Law or family Law.
However, for matters that fall within the Paralegal Scope of Practice, Paralegals offer two primary advantages:
Cost:
Paralegals charge a fraction of what lawyers typically charge. Paralegals are able to fulfill a vital role in Ontario’s Justice System by providing affordable and professional legal services.
Paralegals can investigate the details of a case and research or draft pleadings, write legal reports, and collect documents. They are able to work independently without needing a lawyer to review their work, cutting out extra steps, resulting in a cost savings.
Specialty:
The law is complex and constantly changing. There is too much for any one person to know everything. Many paralegals choose to only represent people in a few courts or tribunals. Those of us with several years of experience become experts in our field.
Many Paralegals also spend time doing tasks lawyers are not required to do. Paralegals have a more in depth understanding of how court proceedings function. This extra skill set can be useful when trying to navigate the complexities of the law.