Author: Ron Jewitt

Can you recover damages for a slip and fall on an icy sidewalk?

Walking on city sidewalks in Alberta in the winter and colder spring months can be treacherous. Many homeowners neglect to shovel the snow on city sidewalks in front of their homes following a snowfall, even though city and town bylaws require them to do so. In Edmonton, the city bylaw requires that a homeowner shovel the city sidewalk that runs alongside their property within 48 hours of the snowfall – in Calgary, the requirement is within 24 hours. Even if a homeowner shovels the city sidewalk, and perhaps also sands or salts, the sidewalk can remain treacherous, and pedestrians can slip and fall. Continue reading

5 Experts your Personal Injury Lawyer Should Know About

Every personal injury claim has different issues that will have an impact on the outcome of a case. To represent you properly, the lawyer you hire must know which experts are helpful and necessary to prove the essential elements of your case and how to use them effectively to achieve the best outcome for you.

The following list identifies five types of experts frequently needed to address specific questions. An experienced personal injury lawyer will know when such an expert is required, and, equally import, will know who to call on your behalf.

How did the accident happen?

If there are questions about how the accident occurred, and who is at fault, your injury lawyer may need to hire a Reconstruction Expert. Continue reading

Choosing the right type of lawyer to handle your personal injury claim

Not all lawyers are the same

After a motor vehicle accident, many injured accident victims may be tempted to call any lawyer they happen to know, regardless of what kind of law that lawyer practices, to see if they can get advice regarding their injuries and their rights.  Most general lawyers are smart enough to know what they don’t know and, if they don’t practice personal injury law, they will refer their client to a lawyer who has practice experience in the area of motor vehicle accident claims. However, some lawyers dabble in personal injury law and may decide to keep the claim for themselves. Continue reading

You should have at least $2,000,000 in third party liability insurance!

How much motor vehicle liability insurance do you need in Alberta?  $200,000 is the mandatory minimum, and it may seem like a lot to some people, but it is never a recommended amount.  If you want to protect yourself and your loved ones you need at least $2,000,000 of third party liability coverage.

Many US jurisdictions have mandatory liability insurance amounts that are less than $100,000.  When you hear about big Jury Judgments in the US, more often than not they go unpaid.  In Canada, Judgments are intended to put the victim back in a position they would have been, had the accident not occurred.   Continue reading