Archive for the ‘Personal Injuries’ Category

How Ontario Injury Lawyer Fees are Determined [video]

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Lawyers are governed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, but that being said, lawyers are not regulated on how much they can charge you on a per hour basis. It is a free market based on experience, as well as supply and demand. There are some exceptions to this rule when it comes to minors and disabled individuals who are always protected by courts pertaining to legal fees.

Personal injury law is different in how lawyers charge clients for their services. It is fair to estimate that at least 95% of personal injury lawyers are paid on a contingency fee basis. This means they only get paid a percentage of what they recover on your behalf.
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How Personal Injury Settlement Values are Determined in Ontario [video]

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

How do lawyers come up with personal injury settlement values in Ontario? In other words, how much is your case worth?

There are two critical factors that maximize the value of any settlement:

  1. Your personal situation
  2. How your lawyer approaches your case

Your personal situation is of course the most important factor taken into consideration. Factors like your profession, salary, age, severity of injury, expected medical expenses, your medical diagnosis and issues of liability (how the accident came to be) are all factors considered to determine how much you should be fairly compensated.
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Social Media and Its Risks to Employers

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

In a society where checking Facebook or accessing Twitter becomes a daily habit, it is safe to assume that employees visit these types of sites during work hours and on work designated devices, like smartphones or laptops. It is also safe to say that these social media outlets are used daily for the purpose of business.

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Winter Tires: Could You Be Found Negligent?

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Did you know that in Ontario you could be found negligent if you are in a car accident in the winter time and found to be driving without winter tires? In the province of Quebec it is actually illegal to drive in the winter time without winter tires. Multiple studies have shown the benefits of winter tires when it comes to slippery road conditions. When it comes to liability, after a car accident if you are sued by someone involved in the accident, you could be found partially responsible for the accident as a result of not having winter tires on your vehicle.

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Defining ‘Minor Injury’ in Personal Injury Motor Vehicle Cases

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

In September 2010, the Ontario Liberal government dramatically reduced the amount of medical and rehabilitation benefits available for injured people. For most Ontario car accident victims, the amount of available rehab money dropped from $100,000 to $3,500 with the introduction of the Minor Injury Guideline (MIG).

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Immediately After a Car Accident

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Immediately after a motor vehicle accident, families may often find themselves having difficulties dealing with the sometimes overwhelming emotions they feel for the loved one involved in the car accident.  It is at this moment, during the crisis, that things like taking care of making phone calls, helping to arrange childcare, providing compassion by holding their hand and listening to the ones affected by the accident are so important.

Organizations like the “Victim Assistance Volunteer Program” offered by the Burlington Ontario Provincial Police are crucial.  They provide community-based short term emotional support and practical assistance to victims of car accidents and their loved ones through the use of specially trained volunteers. Their goal is to help victims and their families cope during these types of crisis situations within the first few hours in which they occur.  In addition to providing the types of compassionate services mentioned above, these organizations can also provide important referrals necessary to help the family deal with the immediate situation and the events that follow.

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Is File Handling one of Your New Year`s Resolutions?

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

You enter your office and you sit at your desk. A letter addressed to you “personal and confidential” stares you in the face. You open it and read the allegations against you.  You feel personally and unjustifiably attacked. Your hands perspire and you call for the file to reassure yourself that this letter has no merit. Your assistant hands you the file.  You cancel your appointments so you can deal with this. At the end of the day, feeling exhausted, you pick up the letter one more time and question why you chose to represent a client on a matter outside of your area of expertise.
Unfortunately this story is not fiction.  Some lawyers were unfortunate enough to receive this letter in 2010. One of their New Year’s Resolutions is now: “Think twice before accepting retainers for any client who comes asking for your help.” 

If any of these files include personal injury or disability insurance matters, my office is more than willing to assist.  Any lawyer who may have realized over time that they require additional expertise in one of these areas of law, or who may need a quick second opinion, should feel free to contact me.

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Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Disability Claims

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be devastating disabilities to experience.

Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic disease resulting in a number of symptoms, including pain tender/trigger points, difficulty with sleeping, concentration and a host of other symptoms. Fibromyalgia can affect both adult women and men. 

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by a prolonged, debilitating lack of energy that leaves some individuals the inability to leave their own bed.  Both conditions can be long-lasting, chronic, and severely disabling medical conditions.    

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