-- Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just a tech buzzword — it’s changing how Canadian lawyers work when handling personal injury claims. Canadian lawyers now use different forms of AI for different reasons.
AI can sift through evidence and even predict case results, and many AI tools are becoming routine in the practice of law. A new report now says up to 81% of legal professionals would use AI to review material and do other non-creative writing tasks.
Retired personal injury lawyer Girolamo (Gerry) Falletta noticed the trajectory shifting during his 10+year career serving injured clients. He figured that many hours were spent organizing paperwork, reviewing records, and preparing litigation plans.
Gerry is confident that AI can significantly reduce this burden when it comes to personal injury cases, but also warns that its use could bring new challenges.
What AI Is Doing in Personal Injury Law
Let’s start with the obvious. AI is helping to automate many aspects of a case that used to take hours or days. For example, it can:
- Sort and review large volumes of documents quickly and easily.
- Review accident reports and medical records to identify issues.
- Request digital information from phones, fitness devices, or social media.
- Estimate likely settlement and total resolution amounts based on precedent cases with similar fact patterns.
For lawyers, this means spending less time doing repetitive work and more time focused on strategy and client communication.
Gerry Falletta’s View: Use AI, But Don’t Lose the Human Side
Gerry Falletta built a reputation for being strategic, efficient, and results-focused. But what set him apart was his ability to relate to clients— people who were often experiencing some of the most difficult periods in their lives.
And that's something that technology can't replicate, he says.
According to Falletta, “The tools are useful, but they don’t replace human judgment. Injury law is about helping real people. That part doesn’t change.”
And he’s right — while AI can help lawyers prepare a case, it's not going to sit across from a client suffering in pain or facing unemployment or financial ruin and negotiate with compassion.
The Role of Digital Evidence—and What It Means for Privacy
Another significant development in Canadian personal injury law is the shift in how digital evidence is collected and used. With the right know-how, AI can mine data from sources like smartwatches, dash cams, or even texts and photos posted online.
AI can also create timelines, demonstrate how an injury has impacted someone's life, or even recreate what occurred during an accident.
That said, Gerry sounds a note of caution: this kind of evidence needs to be treated with care. After all, it’s one thing to have the technology, but quite another to use it in a manner that is respectful of privacy and within legal parameters.
Canadian courts are still grappling with where those parameters should be set. Recently, the Canadian Judicial Council issued guidelines on the overall use of AI in Canadian Courts. The guidelines caution judges in their use of the technology and stress the principles of judicial independence and judicial ethics.
Predictive Tools Are Helpful—But They’re Not a Crystal Ball
Machine learning is also changing how some law firms think about strategy. Algorithms can analyze years of case data to predict how a case might unfold, helping lawyers determine whether to settle, proceed, or adopt a different strategy.
That can be useful, but there’s a risk in treating predictions as guarantees. Gerry Falletta cautions that while these tools are helpful to guide a framework, they don't know the client, the judge, or the jury. They don't know pain and loss or human resilience. There is still no substitute for a lawyer to consider and input these factors.
Self-Driving Cars Are Adding to the Challenge
Autonomous vehicles are another point of collision between AI and personal injury law. As self-driving cars become more common, the accidents involving them raise difficult questions such as:
Who’s at fault: the driver? Car manufacturer? The company that designed its software?
“These aren’t easy cases. They often require complex liability arguments and reams of technical data. This is one of the starkest ways that personal injury law is being pushed to adapt,” Girolamo Falletta says.
Lawyers have always needed to understand traffic laws and regulations, but now they must also know technology standards, coding errors, and manufacturing processes. AI can help them do that—if they know how to use it.
Training the Next Generation of Lawyers
To be ready for this transition, Canadian law schools and legal programs generally will need to incorporate more training on AI tools and data management. This will not just involve training lawyers to understand how these tools operate and their limitations. Still, also an appreciation for the contexts in which they can (and notably should not) be employed.
Girolamo Falletta believes that education is key to ensuring AI is used responsibly. He's been through other technological shifts — from typewriters to computers, from faxes to email — and he knows just how quickly it can all go. The key, he says, is to keep learning and stay focused on what clients want.
Final Thoughts
In Girolamo Falleta's view, the Canadian legal profession stands to benefit and be at risk from the ever-evolving capabilities of AI. As such, the involved parties must implement the necessary safeguards moving forward.
For those who have been injured and are planning on hiring a personal injury lawyer, ask how they utilize this technology to the client's advantage. And not just as a showpiece, but what it means for the case in question.
Ask how they will be collecting and reviewing the evidence, which AI tools will be used to assess a payout on the claim, and what digital data checks are in place to ensure accuracy and privacy.
Despite the many unknowns surrounding AI, Gerry is optimistic about its impact on personal injury cases in Canada. Weighing its ability to bolster efficiency, demystify complex concepts, and widen access to justice against its potential risks and threats, he sees a future where the real winner is the client.
Contact Info:
Name: Girolamo (Gerry) Falletta
Email: Send Email
Organization: Girolamo (Gerry) Falletta
Website: https://girolamofalletta.com/
Release ID: 89166434
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