You have done as much work as you can do alone — now you just need a legal set of eyes to help you out. This article will help you understand the differences between a legal advice certificate, a document review, and a legal advice call. With this comparison, you will know how to choose the right legal service for you.
Maybe you are submitting a document and you want to be sure it’s filled in right. You might need a lawyer to take a look at a document to make sure you understand the information within it. Perhaps you just have a question. How do you know which service you should be requesting?
When comparing these services, ask yourself the following questions:
Are you on long-term disability benefits? Has your insurance company or employer offered you a lump sum buyout or severance package? If yes, read the Independent Legal Advice Certificate section.
Do you have other documents you want explained to you? This could be any document from a disability insurance provider, Service Canada, WCB, another disability claim, or from another employment-related matter. If yes, read the document review section.
Do you just need to quickly speak with someone to answer a question or determine your rights? This might mean you just need a legal advice call.
Read on for more details about each of these services as we provide them here at Resolute Legal.
Independent Legal Advice Certificate
If you are currently receiving long-term disability benefits and have been offered a lump-sum buyout or severance package, we can confidently say that what you need is an Independent Legal Advice Certificate. This service may vary between law firms, but the end goal is that you receive an Independent Legal Advice Certificate. Your insurance company requires this certificate to prove that you sought out and received legal advice before you accepted or declined their offer.
We will provide you with a 30-minute phone call to receive independent legal advice on either
- a disability-related employment severance offer, or
- a lump-sum buy-out offer from your insurance company.
We will analyze the offer and advise you on the pros and cons of accepting or declining the offer. After the call is finished, our lawyer will provide you with an Independent Legal Advice Certificate by email.
This service is only available to those who have already received an offer — this is not to individuals looking to approach their insurer or employer to negotiate one. We also do not communicate with the insurer at any point. This service is provided by the lawyer to you directly and is solely offered by telephone. It is your responsibility to return the legal advice certificate to the correct individual. This service is currently available to those with claims in Atlantic Canada and Ontario.
Document review
This service comprises a review of any form, letter, or document related to your disability claim. The lawyer reviews your documents before your call. When they call at the scheduled time, they will speak with you to discuss the documents and answer your questions. By the end of the call, you will know exactly how to protect your claim. You should feel confident you are moving forward and making the best decision.
The document review service is right for you if you have a specific question or concern about a document related to your disability claim. Some common documents we review include insurance policies and letters received from the insurance company. Please note: this service does not include a review of the completed application forms you intend to submit to the insurance company.
This service is only available to those who have already received a letter or document from an insurance company, employer, or government agency. This service is provided by the lawyer to you directly and is solely offered by telephone. It is your responsibility to handle any additions, edits, and submissions based on the findings and discussion. We do not handle communications for you and we are not responsible for any submissions or making edits on your behalf. This service is currently available to those with claims in most Canadian provinces.
Legal advice call
If neither of the above options seem quite right, there’s a chance that you just need a good old-fashioned legal advice call.
The main difference is that a legal advice call doesn’t include any exchange or review of documents. If you have a specific question about a disability claim or want to know your legal rights in a certain situation, this service is for you.
What’s next?
If you still aren’t certain you understand which legal service is the best fit for you after reading this article, we’re here to help.
You can click the bubble in the right-hand corner to message us through our chat or call us toll-free at (888) 480-9050 to speak to a member of our support team. We will help you determine the right service for you to meet you where you are in the claim process.
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