Ankle fractures are a common feature in motor-vehicle accidents. This is because drivers have their feet extended when the accident happens and they try to slam on the brakes or their feet are pressured between the pedals. Other passengers may sustain ankle fractures when the car is subject to extensive damage, in head-on and rear-end collisions, etc. The front portions of cars are designed to crumple on impact and spread the damage across a wider area. This helps to reduce the overall impact and force of the collision. However, drivers and passengers may sustain ankle-joint fractures as a result of reflexively trying to brake or extend their feet to brace themselves for the impact.

Broken bones are not only painful and immobilizing, they can also cause a variety of joint and muscle pains, deformity and open the body up to various infections. It’s important to get the fracture attended to immediately by a qualified physician. You may need painkillers, surgery, insertion of screws, plates, pins etc., putting on of a cast, physiotherapy and other types of therapy based on the nature and extent of damage. It takes at least six months for the fracture to heal.

If you or a dear one has suffered ankle-joint fractures in a motor-vehicle collision, contact an experienced car accident lawyer immediately. Ontario residents are entitled to statutory benefits payable by their own insurance companies. You may also be entitled to file a personal injury suit for compensation for loss of wages/income, medical and rehabilitation expenses, care-giver expenses, pain and suffering etc.

Broken bones in the ankle result in the condition termed “ankle fracture.” This results when one or more of the bones that comprise the ankle-joint are broken. Different types of damage can occur, ranging from a simple break in a single bone that will not restrict your mobility, to multiple fractures that could result in the patient having to avoid putting weight on the ankle for a long time.

Broken bones result in making the joint unstable and unable to bear weight. Usually, in ankle joint fractures, tendons, ligaments and surrounding muscles and soft tissues also suffer damage. This makes it a very painful condition. The victim is unable to move freely, continue their normal pattern or life, commute to work, play sports or enjoy life as before. It restricts them from moving freely and they may have to use crutches or walking sticks to help them move around the home and work-place. In many cases the pain is so severe that they have to take heavy doses of painkillers that make them drowsy and unable to work. Surgery may be needed to realign the bones properly and prevent further damage. You may also need bone grafting, implanting of plates, screws, pins etc. if the bone has been damaged beyond repair.

During this time, accident victims and their families suffer enormous physical, financial and emotional trauma. Car-accident victims are entitled under Ontario laws to seek statutory benefits and also file personal injury suits against those who were responsible for the accident for compensation. Contact an experienced car accident lawyer immediately.

Commonly termed as a “broken neck” cervical fractures are caused when any one of the seven cervical vertebrae in the neck are fractured. These fractures are caused by catastrophic accidents and can result in spinal cord injury, loss of sensation, paralysis or most commonly, instant death.

They usually occur in serious motor-vehicle accidents, contact sports like wrestling, football, hockey, rugby etc, some non-contact sports like gymnastics, diving, motor-racing, power-lifting and also penetrating neck injuries. Hanging is also a cause of cervical fracture.

The condition is suspected when there is a severe pain at the site, bruising, swelling, pain that travels down the neck, shoulders/arms. Diagnosis is made through X-rays, CT/MRI scans, etc. However, it’s crucial to make the diagnosis and start treatment as early as possible, hence physicians in ER rooms use a variety of tools like the Canadian C-Spine Rule and NEXUS criteria for swift evaluation of patients.

Treatments consist of immediate and complete immobilization of neck and head to prevent further spinal cord injury. Appropriate painkillers that don’t interfere with healing are prescribed. Cervical collars, traction, and surgery may be indicated based on the patient’s condition. Long-term physiotherapy may be needed. The victims may be disabled permanently or for a very long time.

Accidents are rarely accidental. They’re usually caused by someone’s fault or negligence. Victims and families suffer severe, long-term losses as a result of such accidents. If you or a dear one suffers a cervical fracture following a motor-vehicle accident, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately. You may be entitled to compensation.

Following a motor vehicle accident, people suffer a variety of injuries. Not all of them appear to be serious in the immediate aftermath of the accident. Some injuries may cause delayed response pains that can become chronic and debilitating. Whatever the nature and extent of injury, it’s important to get yourself examined by a qualified doctor as soon as possible.

Our experienced personal injury lawyers understand the physical, financial and emotional burdens that are placed on injured victims and their families. Accidents are rarely accidental. They are caused by someone’s fault or negligence and victims are entitled to seek compensation. We offer an initial, free, no-obligations consultation to accident victims so they can understand their rights and entitlements. It also gives us an opportunity to offer a genuine assessment of the situation and suggest the various options open to them.

“Pain” is a wide spectrum of conditions including chronic, acute pains, those caused by diseases like cancer, or arising from surgery, injury, nerve damage, metabolic issues like diabetes, or it can be a condition in itself with no direct cause. Pain management specialists are doctors who are trained in diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of pain. They have an in-depth knowledge of the physiology of pain, skills in various methods of treatment and interventional techniques and use of drugs and techniques.

They can offer non-surgical solutions for whiplash, herniated discs, neck and shoulder pain, lower back and hip pains etc. We help you get the best possible treatment while fighting for the compensation you rightly deserve.

When car accidents occur, they can result in a variety of injuries. Whatever their nature and extent, they cause disruption in the lives of not just injured victims, but also in their families. Loss of income/wages, medical and rehabilitation expenses and pain and suffering are some of the consequences that victims and families have to bear.

Common injuries include: head, brain, neck and back injuries, burns, wounds, cuts and laceration, soft tissue injuries, fractures and broken bones, internal organ damage, amputation, loss of function, disfigurement and even death.

Emergency room physicians prescribe painkillers to injured victims immediately to relieve them of the pain. However, in many cases, pains persist long after the accident has occurred. This persistent pain has to be treated with various drugs and therapies. Drugs include opioids and NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) and in a recent study, researches have compared the two types for risk of persistent pain. Opioids are highly addictive and doctors tend to be conservative in prescribing them.

Researchers found that the risk of persistent pain remains the same regardless of the type of drug taken. However if opioids were taken initially, the risk of the pain remaining after 6 weeks was higher and patients were found to be still taking them. Hence, it’s important to prescribe these drugs only for those patients who really need them.

Our experienced personal injury lawyers can ensure that you get the best and most appropriate medical treatment while we help you get the compensation you deserve.

The recent tragic death of a Mississauga golfer whose golf-cart lost control and crashed into a retaining wall has brought the issue of golf course injuries into sharp focus. Under Ontario’s Occupier’s Liability Act, the premises owner is responsible for ensuring the safety of all visitors to the property. If you or a dear one has been injured in such an accident, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately. You may be entitled to compensation.

Accidents are caused by someone’s fault or negligence. It’s important to determine whether the course is privately or publicly owned. In case it’s a government-owned property, governments are generally held by courts to be immune from liability for ordinary negligence.

In the case cited above, individuals/entities can be held liable for injuries arising from operating a powered golf-cart. There are various categories under which a personal injury claim can be made: negligence, breach of warranty, strict products liability against the driver of the cart, manufacturer, seller and the owner of the golf course where the accident happened. If the accident occurred on a government property, the owner (the government) is not liable. In the case of golf cart injuries, the issue of contributory negligence will be raised by the defendants, their insurance companies and legal representatives. Robust evidence has to be provided to back your claim and our personal injury lawyers can help you assemble this.

A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer from a reputed, well-established law firm can provide the right advice, assistance and advocacy.

Our personal injury lawyers often get calls from clients asking whether it’s legal for insurance-companies to conduct surveillance. These could be clients who have made long term disability claims following a serious accident in which they were injured.

Most clients are taken aback to know that it’s legally permitted for insurance companies to hire their own investigators. These investigators are employed to conduct various types of surveillance on claimants. Surveillance may include videotaping, clicking photographs, and the most recent, powerful methods of tracking claimants on social media platforms.

Investigators may gather evidence that shows people shopping, attending entertainment and sports events, emerging from bars or liquor stores, attending to small children in parks or at the school-bus-stop, traveling by car or public transport, posting comments about your state of health on social media, posting photos of yourself at parties, family gatherings etc, or even simply laughing at a joke. What such evidence can prove is that:

• you are not as physically disabled as you claim
• your mental and emotional state are not affected
• you are capable of conducting normal every day life

Such evidence can be used to contest your claim and deny long-term disability benefits.

However, there are certain limits placed on the amount and type of surveillance allowed. If you feel that your privacy is being invaded, investigators are trespassing or doing something out of the bounds of law, it’s important to immediately contact your personal injury lawyer. You can get a restraining order or contact the police authorities.

Catastrophic accident victims who suffer permanent or long term disabilities, disfigurement, amputation etc and their families undergo huge physical, financial and emotional trauma. As a result, they seldom have the right information, clarity or awareness of their rights and entitlements. It’s important to consult an experienced car accident lawyer or reputed personal injury law firm immediately. We can help you safeguard your rights and ensure that your compensation claim is underway as soon as possible.

Patients may not be aware of what their medical records contain. However, in the case of long term disability claims, complete transparency and openness are required. Your doctor needs to understand how urgent it is to provide the information demanded by insurers.

Many victims assume that long term disability means that they have to be confined to a hospital or nursing home. However, the definition of disability varies across insurance-companies. It can even vary across different plans offered by the same company.

A majority of long term disability conditions don’t require permanent or long term hospitalization. Once the medical emergency has been taken care of, and the patient is stabilized, they can be discharged from the hospital. Home-based care, with or without a dedicated care-giver may be required. There may be other treatments that are necessary, like psychiatric or psychological counseling, physiotherapy, regular testing, ongoing medications, follow-up visits to the hospital or clinic etc.

Your personal injury lawyer can help you to maintain complete records of your condition as clear evidence that you are unable to resume your regular occupation and are deserving of benefits.

As experienced personal injury lawyers, we are often consulted by clients whose long term disability benefits have been suddenly terminated by the insurance company.

It’s important to read the termination letter carefully and understand the exact reasons given for such termination. The letter may have been sent because information requested by the insurer from you/your doctor has not been provided. If so, you must contact the insurers immediately and explain reasons for the delay while making arrangements for the information to be provided.

In other cases, insurance-companies may have conducted their own investigations and surveillance. These may point to evidence that you are no longer disabled and thus not eligible for any more benefits. Your car accident lawyer can help you to contest these rulings.

There have been cases where the definition of disability is changed under new insurance regulations and benefits are terminated. Benefits may run for a two-year period beyond which the insurer could claim that you are capable of undertaking any other occupation. Your treating physician’s records and current opinions, based on actual evidence have to be presented to contest this ruling.

Long-term disability claimants may need to be examined by the insurance company’s own doctors and their opinion is taken as admissible by courts. They may not have not treated you or they may not have the necessary expertise in your type of disability.   Hence, you may have the right to challenge their findings with your lawyer’s assistance if your benefits are cut off based on such evidence.

It is critical to get your treating doctor’s support when you are making a long-term disability claim. The insurance company that’s making your settlement requires proof of your claims and medical records are the most important piece of evidence. The insurance company claims-adjusters need to see your pre and post disability medical records. These offer proof of a serious and long term medical condition that has to be compensated for.

Apart from your physician’s medical notes, many other records will be summoned and scrutinized. These include everything that was done medically, right from the ER room where you were taken immediately, to the hospital records, physicians’, specialists’ and  surgeon’s notes, receipts for tests, test-reports, nursing-care records, notes made on your file by neurologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, bills and receipts for medications and treatments etc. These are pieces of evidence that prove that something is indeed the matter with your mind and body and that treatments have been given appropriately. All these records indicate that you genuinely have a long term disability that involves huge medical and rehabilitation expenditure.

Certain terms in your policy may not be very clear to you and our experienced car accident lawyers or slip and fall attorneys can help you to understand them. For instance, terms like “total disability” are interpreted differently by different insurance service providers. If your benefits are abruptly terminated by the insurer though you’re still unable to work, this has to be contested by presenting the right medical records/evidence. We offer assistance, advice and advocacy.

Our experienced car accident lawyers can help you to put together a robust claim for long term disability and ensure that you get the maximum possible benefits. This gives you/your family relief from the enormous physical, financial and emotional burdens facing you following a devastating accident.

There are various types of disability benefits programs available. You are not eligible to receive any of them automatically. You can get benefits from the program whose criteria you meet. There could be more than one such program. These include workplace benefits, sick pay from employer which is the very first benefit you should apply for. Others include short-term disability benefits and employer insurance benefits.

Check your coverage: You must have coverage under a disability plan/insurance policy, either under a workplace group disability insurance plan from your employer/union, or a personal disability insurance plan that you purchased or other plan.

Consult your doctor: You need your doctor’s support in terms of his/her being convinced that you are a candidate for disability benefits.

Make Plans: You need a transition plan from employment to being on sick-leave. This helps you protect your employment, pension and your group medical plan. Consult your personal injury lawyer before accepting severance pay, early retirement, etc.

Fill the correct Application forms: We can help you with this and ensure that they are filed in time, at the correct jurisdiction and accompanies by accurate information/documents. Cooperate if more information is demanded. 

Decision: can take up to 30 days or more, based on the circumstances. In case of delays, you need legal assistance.

Most of us are regular users of various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat etc where we share a lot of personal information. When serious accidents occur, it’s only natural that friends and family-members express concern and we engage in conversations with them. We may also play some of the games available on these platforms to while away the time. What we don’t realize is that today, insurance-companies have discovered that these places can be hunting grounds for their investigators and claims adjusters whose focus is on protecting the company’s interests.

Today, social media posts are scanned and trawled by insurance-companies for any information regarding their clients. Innocent remarks like “I’m much better” or “I’m fine thanks” can be interpreted as information about your health. If you’re claiming long term disability but posted photos of yourself enjoying a drink with friends or attending a family event, these can jeopardize your claim.   Your claim could be rejected or disputed on various other technical grounds. For instance, if your social media platform reveals that you play a lot of on-line games, your insurance-company can use this as evidence that you are capable of taking up an on-line job and earn some income. This makes it difficult to make a valid claim of long term disability.

An experienced personal injury lawyer with expertise in long-term disability claims can give you the right advice and assistance. They can safeguard your rights and entitlements and ensure that you are vigilant about your social media presence and what it conveys.

When serious accidents cause life-changing injuries, you or a loved one may face serious physical, financial and emotional burdens. The injured person’s ability to work and resume a normal life may be temporarily or permanently destroyed. Long term disability benefits available in the form of insurance policies offer such victims a certain amount of relief. These benefits are intended to protect you and your family members from the devastating effects that follow loss of income and income-earning capacity. The benefits provide you with funds necessary to pay your bills, medical/rehabilitation costs and other expenses.

These income replacement benefits are generally in the range of 60-85% of your regular income, available for a specified amount of time. Even if you are permanently disabled, you may not get benefits for the remainder of your life. Generally, these benefits may run for about two years. After this period if you are still unable to do any kind of work and earn an income, you have to provide proof. It has to be shown that you are unable to perform any kind of work for which you are trained, qualified or have experience in. IN such cases, long-term disability benefits can be retained.

There are several complex medical, legal and insurance issues involved. Inputs and testimony are required from experts in these fields. There are strict deadlines and filing procedures for processing your claim. An experienced car accident lawyer can assess your circumstances  and help you to present a robust claim in the correct format and within prescribed time-limits.

When car accident injuries happen, most people assume that their insurance-company will take care of all their compensation claims.

However, victims soon discover that insurance-companies don’t always act in good faith. They are for-profit organizations, with a focus on protecting their own business-interests.

Claims-adjusters use a variety of tactics to delay/deny/dismiss/dispute your claim. This would include getting victims to provide recorded-statements while they’re still recovering from injuries and not in a completely healthy state. Insurers may also ask victims to sign release documents, waivers etc, promising a quick settlement. Often, there is continuous and persistent compulsion to settle immediately.

Victims need help in car accident injury claims. Most people are unaware of the complex medical, legal and insurance issues involved. They’re also unaware of their own rights and entitlements, the future costs involved in treatment/rehabilitation, complete impact of the injury on their lives etc. These issues have to be properly documented and backed by proper, robust evidence. Only then can victims get the full compensation that they and their families deserve.

Insurers may also use victims’ own statements/admissions/inadvertent remarks against them to prove that the accident was self-caused. They may also try to get unauthorized access to your private information, medical records etc. Today, social media platforms are also happy hunting grounds for claims investigators. Victims need an experienced personal injury lawyer on their side to safeguard their rights/interests.

Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee and No Fee-No Win arrangements to help you tide over the financial crisis caused by such unexpected disasters.

Motor vehicle accident claims have to follow a strict and highly regulated format. It is a complex process, involving several complicated medical, legal and insurance issues. An experienced car accident lawyer’s assistance, advice and advocacy are essential, especially if the injuries are serious, permanent or life-threatening/altering.

Ontario has a no-fault insurance system that provides statutory benefits to anyone injured in car accidents, regardless of fault. However, since this is payable by your own insurance-company, the benefits depend on the terms of contract.

Additionally, you can file a personal injury suit against the at-fault driver whose negligence/fault caused the accident. Disability benefits are available for short/long-term disability caused by the accident.

Benefits claimed to include:

• Income-replacement
• Medical/rehabilitation
• Non-earner
• Care-giver
• Death and Funeral Benefits
• Mental anguish
• Loss of companionship/care/guidance
• Pain and suffering

Other benefits may also be available, based on the circumstances.

After an accident, if you are not seriously injured:

• Always stop, no matter how minor/major the collision
• Never argue/confront/apologize/give recorded-statements
• Call the police/Collision reporting Center (in case of injuries)
• Inform your insurance-company
• Get the names/contact details of other driver/witnesses
• Call an experienced accident injury lawyer
• Visit a qualified doctor immediately, no matter how minor you feel your injuries are
• Start maintaining an accident journal to record every event that follows after this date

These basic steps help to protect your rights and interests. Your personal injury lawyer can give you the right information on how motor vehicle accident claims work. We ensure that your rights and entitlements are protected.

Truck accidents can be the most damaging and devastating of events. These accidents may involve trucks or trailers. They cause huge physical, financial and emotional losses and injuries. If you were a pedestrian, cyclist, motor-cyclist or driving a smaller vehicle, there are chances that you could suffer catastrophic injuries or even death. These injuries include traumatic brain injury, spinal and back injuries, broken bones, concussion, facial and dental damage, amputation, loss of function, paralysis, permanent or temporary disability etc.

Such accidents are frequent in Ontario, since there are many important highways and cross-border routes that are located here. In winters, these routes become very dangerous and risky, because of poor visibility, slippery road-surface and adverse weather conditions.

Dealing with the complex medical, legal and insurance issues involved in truck accident claims can be a huge challenge. If the truck was driven by a drunk/distracted/speeding driver, there are criminal, police and traffic violations involved. Clients are not sure how to learn more about truck accident claims and they rely on their insurance-companies for compensation. However, insurers are for-profit organizations with a clear focus on protecting their own business-interests. They may persuade you to settle for a meager, immediate settlement.

They may deny/dispute/delay/dismiss your claims on various grounds, leaving you with no recourse than to file a personal injury claim against the negligent truck-driver/operator/company-owner, Trailer Company, etc. There may be other issues like Worker’s Compensation and similar complicated regulations. Contact an experienced, local personal injury lawyer specializing in truck accident cases immediately for the best possible outcomes.

Personal injury claims are made when someone suffers injuries, damages and/or losses caused by another’s fault or negligence. These laws are part of civil or torts laws and are different from criminal laws, where crimes are committed and the state prosecutes the wrong-doer. In civil cases, there is a dispute between two parties. These claims are intended to provide compensation and help the injured person restore their circumstances as far as possible to what they were prior to the accident.

If you were hurt in an automobile accident, were attacked by a dog/pet, suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident, denied disability benefits etc, personal injury lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Getting great deals for a personal injury depends on the circumstances of your case, nature/extent of injuries, damage, losses suffered, and establishment of liability of the at-fault party, your insurance coverage and several other factors. Experienced personal injury lawyers, located near you, with specific expertise/knowledge in successfully handling cases like yours are your best bet.

Most reputed firms offer first, free, no-obligations consultation. You can discuss your case, understand your rights, entitlements, risks and opportunities. Clients can also clarify all their doubts regarding fees, time-line, getting interim funds till settlement, etc. Almost all personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee, no win-no fee basis, so no fees are charged upfront. Select a personal injury lawyer with negotiation skills, because most personal injury claims are settled out-of-court. Ensure that they also have trial skills, in case negotiations are unfruitful.