Canada is a country where people enjoy and love to participate in a variety of outdoor activities and sports. Whether it’s summer or winter, there are a number of facilities where people can compete, take part and keep themselves fit. The top sports that Canadians whether young or old enjoy are cycling, riding ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), skiing and snowboarding, playing in local or school playgrounds, hockey, football, rugby, skating etc. Other niche sports like animal-riding, motor-vehicle racing etc are also popular. Statistics show that cycling is the top sport that causes injuries that need hospitalization. ATVs and skiing follow next, while other sports cause fewer injuries.

Whatever the nature of sport, if you are injured due to someone else’s fault or negligence, you are entitled to seek compensation. These cases are challenging because there is a legal “assumption of risk” or in other words, you engage in the sport knowing fully well that there are risks involved. When you’re injured, an experienced Brampton personal injury lawyer can conduct independent investigations into the circumstances to establish who exactly was negligent or at fault in causing the accident and injury. This could be a person, an institution, corporation or organization or many parties together. We can help you put a robust claim together showing how exactly this person or entity’s carelessness or fault caused the accident. Intentional acts, recklessness, negligent coaching, defective products, etc can be the reasons. Contact Brampton personal injury lawyer now for a genuine, swift and comprehensive evaluation of the circumstances and a free consultation to help you take the claim forward.

Insurance companies are required to pay out certain moneys to those injured in accidents. This may be under the category of statutory benefits regardless of fault, or as a result of a personal injury suit. Following such accidents, injured victims and their families become dependent on such payments if they have no other source of income and/or the injured person was the sole/substantial breadwinner in the family. Sometimes these payments are delayed, or your claim is disputed. Whatever the reason, it’s important to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer without delay.

We can conduct inquiries on your behalf and discover the reason why your payments are not being made. For instance, if there is miscommunication between you and the insurance company, you have not answered their mails or your address is different from the one given on the policy, it’s a matter of setting the record straight. In other cases, the required paperwork may not be in order. What victims may fail to understand is that insurance-companies are for-profit organizations that focus on protecting their own business interests. They may conduct their own independent investigations and come up with certain information that contradicts your claim. Their own medical experts may provide them with information that doesn’t support your claims. Claims-adjusters conduct personal surveillance, talk to employers, neighbors, co-workers, friends, family etc and check social media for information on you and this could result in denial of claims. Toronto personal injury lawyers can help you to contest the insurance company’s stand and also go on appeal if necessary.

Most accident victims who institute a claim for compensation when they have been injured in car accidents face this situation. The insurance company that has to make the settlement payout makes an offer that seems attractive at first glance.

It’s important to understand that insurance-companies are for-profit organizations that are focused on protecting their own business interests. Hence, any offer that comes from them should be thoroughly discussed and analyzed with an experienced personal injury lawyer before you sign on the dotted line.

Expensive medical treatment, loss of income, difficult to sustain household maintenance and the stress caused by accidents makes people and their families vulnerable. The immediate relief that victims and families get with a swift if meager settlement is undeniable. Court processes can be challenging, unpredictable and lengthy. Many people prefer to “get on with their lives.” Settlement also ensures your privacy and confidentiality as your private matters don’t become a matter of public record. Another reason to prefer settlement is that it’s a fact that 95% of personal injury claims are settled out-of-court. Unless you’re determined to have your “day in court” or it’s a matter of social/ethical/national importance, settlement is a good option.

However, as your personal injury lawyers will advise, the fact that the insurance-company has come forward could mean that it’s a tacit admission of fault. Courts may award very large settlements. If your personal injury lawyer advises, it’s best not to grab the first offer that you get. Negotiation, mediation and arbitration could yield better results.

Recent studies show that nearly 60,000 people suffer from injuries of different types in Ontario annually as a result of car accidents. Some of these accidents result in the death of drivers, passengers and pedestrians, while in others, people suffer a range of injuries. Whatever the nature and extent of injury, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention from a qualified medical professional.

Another very important step to take is to inform the police right away. You or others with you may assume that the injuries and damage are minor, but in order to claim accident benefits, the police have to be informed. Ontario laws specify that injuries and damage to vehicles that are estimated to be $2000 or more have to be reported to the police. However, it’s not easy to estimate what exactly the extent of injury may be at first glance. Some injuries appear minor initially, but turn out to be serious at a later stage. If you have not filed a police or traffic report on the collision, it’s difficult to prove to insurance claims adjusters that your injury was directly caused by the accident.

If you can take photographs of the accident scene, with exact time and date stamp, that show the location, damage and injuries, position of the vehicles, with important landmarks nearby, these are important pieces of evidence. Contact an experienced car accident lawyer to help you with the process of achieving compensation. We can ensure that your rights and interests are fully protected.

A recent study involving 12,000 Ontario motor-vehicle drivers showed an alarming correlation between an aggressive style of driving and possibility of accidents. The drivers were given a series of questions to answer and their replies provide important clues to the cause of accidents.

More than 30% of those who took the survey admitted that they experienced short bursts of rage while driving. They reported that they had indulged in cursing, screaming and displaying offensive gestures to other road users. Though this behavior may seem insignificant, psychologists find that it is as distracting as texting while driving in terms of the way it affects a person’s driving habits. Aggression while driving can have almost the same effect as being impaired by marijuana or other narcotics, since it may create the same level of altered consciousness and judgment. As a result, such behavior can just as easily cause an accident as using a phone or briefly taking your eyes off the road. More than 200 Ontarians admit they felt such intense rage that they were willing to risk getting into a collision or injure another person.

Aggressive behavior includes improper following, speeding, failing to yield, not paying attention to weather or traffic conditions, improper passing, risky driving maneuvers, etc. If you or a dear one has been injured in an accident caused by an aggressive driver, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately. You may be entitled to compensation. We can help you to put together a robust claim backed by evidence of aggression while driving.

When car accidents happen, the primary focus remains on ensuring that injured people get prompt medical attention. Following this, there are several events that take precedence, like dealing with the financial, physical and emotional crisis, etc. Most people assume that their insurance company will take care of the compensation aspects. In fact, they are duty bound by contract to do so. However, in reality, being for-profit organizations, they tend to put their own business interests ahead of their clients’.

When the insurance company is informed about an accident, they immediately begin an investigation into the circumstances. This is mainly to confirm that the facts as claimed are true. A claims-adjuster is assigned to your case and this person’s loyalty is firmly towards his/her employer: the insurance company. Hence, they may adopt various tactics to dispute, delay, deny or dismiss your claim. Since there are several complex legal, medical and insurance issues involved, it’s difficult for victims to work through these and get all the benefits they’re entitled to.

Claims-adjusters may pose as your friendly, helpful agents, but it’s important never to give a recorded statement, make inadvertent remarks that assign some part of the fault to yourself, apologize, give permissions to access private, confidential, medical, personal and employment information, etc. Insurance companies may also undertake surveillance, investigate your social media profiles, talk to your employers/friends/family/neighbors etc in search of any contradictions in your claim. Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer without delay to represent you in all communications so that your interests and rights are well protected.

Insurance companies have to compensate injured persons for income-loss, medical and rehabilitation expenses, disability, death, pain and suffering, care-giver expenses etc based on the contract signed with the insured person. However, they may not act in good faith because they are focused on protecting their own business interests. Hence they may dispute or deny your claim based on various technical aspects.

A vital aspect is the medical testimony of your treating doctor. It’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention if you or a loved one has been involved in an accident. You may assume that your injuries are minor or that you’re completely unhurt. However, from a medical, legal and insurance point of view, it’s important to consult a doctor and leave a paper-trail. Otherwise it’s difficult to establish the connection between injury and accident.

Be completely frank in disclosing health status, habits, medical history, circumstances of the accident etc to your doctor. Never discuss legal concerns with your doctor. You could create a negative bias. Follow medical prescriptions/orders strictly and don’t miss appointments. Tell your doctor about all your symptoms including pain, emotional state, changes etc. without exaggeration. If you’re unable to work because of injuries/pain/disability/depression/anxiety, ensure that this goes on your medical record. Don’t forget to maintain an accident and medical journal to record each and every incident, report, test, diagnosis, treatment, medication, conversation etc related to your injuries.

An experienced personal injury lawyer team can help you get the best medical treatment available and also ensure that your rights and entitlements are safeguarded.