Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around since 1955. Today, computers that run on human-mimicking algorithms are found all around us.
Every time you ask Siri or Alexa to recommend a top Indian restaurant, you use AI without realizing it. When Google Maps suggests a detour to avoid a traffic pile-up, you are relying on a robot that was programmed to “think” like you.
AI can process enormous amounts of data in seconds, keeping it in demand in every sector. Stockbrokers and financial gurus use what they refer to as Expert Advisors. These enable them to predict market movements on the world stock exchanges.
If you imagined these “advisors” to be a panel of white-coated finance and statistics PhDs, you would sadly be mistaken. Instead, picture thousands of lines of code. These programs play out endless scenarios per second based on the input presented.
The “advisor” then produces a response that it “believes” a human would. This, in a nutshell, is what AI is. Wikipedia describes it as machines (or computers) that mimic human cognitive functions like learning and problem-solving.
Not unexpectedly, artificial intelligence and machine learning have found a significant role in leading law firms worldwide. One of these in Canada is Diamond & Diamond Lawyers, a full-service firm specializing in personal injury cases.
Diamond & Diamond is known for its innovative practices. According to senior partner Jeremy Diamond, “Automation in personal injury cases can expedite parts of the claims process. Clients benefit from this application of AI.”
Personal Injury Processes Boosted by AI Automation
Ask any lawyer, and they’ll tell you their profession requires lots of paperwork. Attorneys handle documents related to:
- Divorce
- Adoption
- Child custody
- Immigration
- Crimes
- Accidents
- Contracts and similar business documents
Personal injury cases are no different. Even the most straightforward case file can contain numerous documents, reports, and correspondence between parties. They may include:
- Complaint (also called a petition)
- Summons
- Service of process
- Answer
- Counterclaim and reply
- Cross-claim and answer
- Third-party complaint
Law firms must review all the material associated with a case. If an attorney misses essential facts or data, the consequences can be dire. Fortunately, automation in personal injury cases streamlines this tedious process.
Insurance companies can store legal paperwork digitally for easy access. AI can assist in processing by “learning” the essential sorting criteria.
Knowing which documents are most significant enables the software to speed up the search for suggested content topics. Automation’s impact on personal injury cases means fewer billable hours for the law firm.
Jeremy Diamond: “Automation of Legal Analytics Can Be Key in Personal Injury Cases”
Jeremy Diamond, a senior partner at Diamond & Diamond Law, explains that AI can quickly analyze historical data. It helps us access the facts that are relevant to specific cases.
For example, through automation in personal injuries, our team can analyze factors that determine the likelihood of winning a case.
An equally vital record is a database of judges who presided over personal injury cases. AI can analyze their decisions in similar situations in the past. This way, we can better predict the outcome of current legal processes.
Having all this information available at the click of a button is what makes Diamond and Diamond the apparent choice when searching for a law firm to handle your personal injury case.
Using AI to Assess Personal Injury Claims
The Swedish insurance giant Zurich claims that its AI robot can process a claim in five seconds. Company chairman Tom de Swaan further explains that because of a technology called “machine learning,” the bot is evolving with every case it processes.
Programming machine learning into the code means that the processing speed and accuracy are likely to increase over time. Robots manage low-value and less complicated claims by referring to data from similar cases in the past.
This data includes medical reports that detail the severity and origin of injuries. By analyzing this information, AI finds patterns that show which claims are likely to stand up in court.
When there are multiple similarities between a new claim and a previously processed one, it’s easier for AI to process the case. As a result, less human interaction is necessary.
Replacing clerks who slave through the night with intelligent computer software dramatically reduces the insurer and law firm’s workload.
Ultimately, this will have a host of benefits. You’ll reduce your carbon footprint by printing fewer documents. The customer will also enjoy a streamlined process.
AI Reduces Research Time, per Diamond & Diamond Head Lawyer
Since the internet was born, law firms have been using text retrieval platforms like Westlaw and LexisNexis for online legal research. The biggest flaw of such tools was their inability to distinguish relevance in search results.
Often, a typical search would return thousands of case files. Redundant and irrelevant results caused endless frustration for lawyers. They rendered the entire function of the software useless.
AI software is programmed to become more aware of what the user wants with every process it executes. Therefore, it can learn what the lawyer needs and narrow the results. It can even return a handful of the most relevant cases for a specific search.
A robot will also keep searching and sifting through the data to anticipate someone looking for the same info. This way, it will have all the cases ready quickly and accurately. Lawyers can save time and use the extra hours to develop and refine their arguments.
It’s like going to the grocery store and finding everything on your shopping list already waiting at the checkout point. You also get suggestions for alternative products that are better options than the ones you requested.
Allowing AI to Automate Clerical and Law Office Tasks
Automation in personal injury cases has become a household concept for law firms like Diamond and Diamond. AI can automate clerical tasks like:
- Creating and updating client records
- Scheduling appointments
- Answering questions by phone
- Handling online inquiries
Automation allows us to provide the quality service our clients deserve. Since it reduces human workload, we can offer a more competitive price.
We live in a world where digital technology is becoming more accessible. Recommended recipes can be displayed on a screen on our fridge door based on the food we keep in it. We see social media advertisements for products and services that we searched for online.
Cars are driving themselves. Our e-book readers use a specific voice and accent based on our demographic profile.
“Clients’ needs are evolving, and law firms need to embrace new technologies,” Personal injury lawyer Jeremy Diamond, Managing Partner of Diamond & Diamond Lawyers.
Jeremy believes it’s critical to introduce automation to the personal injury business. Doing so allows us to provide the best service possible.
