Category: Accidents

Confused About Alberta’s Minor Injury Regulation?

In 2004, the insurance industry successfully lobbied the Alberta provincial government to “cap” damages payable to motor vehicle accident victims for minor injuries. Since that time, some insurance representatives have argued that the top damage award payable under the cap, is awarded only to those who have suffered the most serious “minor injuries,” and they then attempt to bargain down from this minimal sum. Some insurance representatives may also take the position that your injuries clearly fall within the “cap,” when in fact they do not, either due to the nature of the injuries or because the injuries resulted in a serious impairment. Continue reading

3 Safety Tips for Cold Weather Pedestrians

According to the government of Alberta, on average more than 1,170 pedestrians are injured each year in collisions and 43 of those injuries are fatal. Even though it’s “technically” spring, weather conditions still aren’t stellar and you will likely need to do some walking outdoors. Whether it’s to escort your children to school, make your daily commute, or getting in some exercise, following these three safety tips each time you venture out can help you avoid becoming a tragic statistic.

Plan Your Route and Make it Known

Extreme weather conditions make it essential to plan ahead. It’s smart to let someone know where you are going, what time you will be back, and what route you plan to travel. Continue reading

Do’s and Don’ts For Your Defence Medical Examination

If you are in a car accident that resulted in injuries and have decided to retain a lawyer, they will begin an action on your behalf to recover damages intended to compensate you for your injuries. Your lawyer will ask for medical reports from your doctor, and possibly from specialist doctors. To establish the extent of your injuries, the defendants (the opposing side) also have the right to have a doctor of their choice examine you. This examination is known as a “defence medical examination” or DME for short. These doctors will prepare an expert report in which they will give their opinion on the extent and severity of your injuries, as well as testify in court for the opposition if your case comes to a trial. Continue reading

Things You Can Do to Assist Your Personal Injury Lawyer

Your lawyer’s job is to take care of the details surrounding your personal injury claim so you can focus your time and effort on recovering from your injuries. That being said, there are some things that you can do to ensure that your personal injury claim proceeds as smoothly as possible. Here are some suggestions:

Follow Your Doctor’s Advice

It is our job to prepare your personal injury claim and present it in the best possible light so as to achieve a fair settlement from the at-fault party or to obtain a judgment at trial. It is your responsibility to follow up with your health care professionals to ensure that you recover from your injuries as quickly and as fully as possible. Continue reading

4 Serious Neck and Back Injury Symptoms From a Car Accident

It’s not uncommon for injuries to reveal themselves days or even weeks after a car accident. For some injury sufferers, it can be difficult to determine cause and effect of injury symptoms to the neck and back if they don’t surface until days after an accident. For anyone recently injured in a car accident, if you begin to experience any of the following injury symptoms, you need to seek immediate medical attention to ensure your injuries are treated and to avoid the risk of the injuries becoming more serious.

Neck Injuries – Whiplash Trauma

Whiplash trauma is one of the most common neck injuries following an accident. Continue reading

The Importance of Your Family Doctor in Your Personal Injury Claim

Anyone who has been injured knows that it can be an awful experience. In addition to coping with pain and suffering, you may be worried that your symptoms might not improve. Furthermore, your injuries impact those around you. It’s never easy for those close to you to see you suffer, and they may experience feelings of helplessness. It’s important to everyone involved that you do whatever you can to heal and feel better.

If you are injured, the best way to help yourself and, those you love, is to follow the advice of your doctors and other medical professionals. In fact, from a legal standpoint, taking reasonable positive steps to ease your own pain and suffering is an extremely important part of obtaining full compensation for your injury claim. Continue reading