Category: Motor Vehicle Accidents

The Impact of Convictions for Criminal or Traffic Offences on Personal Injury Actions

Bottom line – this will be a gift to you and your personal injury lawyer.

The other driver either being convicted of or pleading guilty to a criminal offence, such as impaired driving, or a traffic offence, such as failure to stop at a stop sign, will go a long way to proving the liability (fault) of the other driver in causing the motor vehicle accident, and thus go a long way to proving their liability for your damages suffered.

Impaired Driving

Take the impaired driving situation, for example. If the other driver is found guilty of impaired driving, under the Alberta Evidence Act, their conviction can be admitted as proof of the underlying facts in your civil trial for damages. Continue reading

Distracted Walking – A Modern Day Hazard

The distracted pedestrian is a common sight these days. You know the ones, walking with their eyes glued to their cell phones, frequently listening to music on headphones, or feverishly texting, oblivious to their surroundings. We have all had a laugh at videos of people falling into swimming pools and walking into poles while walking and texting. But more tragic are the increasing incidents of distracted pedestrians injured or killed in intersections, at railway crossings, and by light rapid transit. On May 16, 2017, for example, a 60-year-old woman was killed when she walked into the path of a C-Train at the Calgary Whitehorn station, spell-bound by her cell phone, and in February 2017 a 30-year-old man was killed at the same station, absorbed in his headphones and cell phone. 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

How to Avoid Car Accidents at Christmas

Edmonton’s winter season has been balmier than usual, but that doesn’t remove the risk for car accidents. The mild temperatures mixed with snowfall and chilly overnight cooling creates icy, slick road conditions. Add Christmas parties and traveling long distances over the holiday season, and the risk for a car collision is much higher.

The following list highlights some of Alberta’s most common causes for car accidents. As we approach the Christmas break, it’s important to practice road safety, know the risks and know how to avoid car accidents this season.

Common, but avoidable causes for car accidents:

Speeding in Poor Road Conditions

The winter has proven to be quite mild this year with fluctuating cold and warm temperatures. Continue reading

Car Accidents: Who’s at Fault?

It’s no secret that Alberta’s highways are crowded. Some days it seems as though half of the population is on the road, and they probably are. Often the cause for heavy highway traffic is, by no surprise, car accidents. Unfortunately, some people drive too fast or they drive drunk.

Types of Car Accidents

Alcohol may be the biggest factor causing car accident injuries on highways, including death. In addition to a fatality, a serious car accident may involve fractures: head, neck, back injuries and, the most common injury, whiplash. The abrupt smacking that results when a car slams into the rear end of another vehicle often causes chronic back or neck pain, which is often not recognized at the time of the accident. Continue reading