Distracted driving: it’s not just calls and texting
It is clear that distracted driving is one of the most serious problems our country faces these days. According to the Ministry of Transportation, drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely...
View ArticleWhy should I talk to a lawyer after a car accident injury?
You have been involved in a car accident. You have had an injury and filled out the accident report, and are starting down the path of recovery. Did you know that no matter how you were involved in the...
View ArticleI’ve been in a car accident. Should I call the police or 911?
Being involved in a car accident can be an intense and overwhelming experience, regardless of whether there are serious injuries. Sometimes one party wants to contact the police and the other does not....
View ArticleI lost my job after being injured in a car accident. What now?
If you have lost your job following a car accident, you may find the financial uncertainty extremely difficult to cope with. Regardless of whether you are the primary breadwinner, you are likely...
View ArticleAre Ontario car accident victims better off now than they were five years ago?
Are car accident victims better off now than they were five years ago? According to Alan Shanoff in the Toronto Sun, the answer is a resounding “NO”. In his recent opinion piece called Hard road for...
View ArticleThe Dos and Don’ts of Independent Medical Examinations (IME)
If you have been injured and advance an insurance claim, there is a good chance that your insurer will ask you to attend a medical examination with a doctor or specialist of their choosing. These exams...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Putting faces to names: meet the Van Dyke Law Office team
Curious about who works at Van Dyke Law Office? We’ve recently added an “Our Team” page to our website so you can put faces to the names you’ll encounter when getting in touch with our law firm. Take a...
View ArticleSome tips for attending court
Attending court to testify can be a intimidating prospect. The rules of decorum in a courtroom are likely completely foreign to you and it is natural to be worried about doing or saying the wrong...
View ArticleRemembering Canada’s road crash victims
Today, November 18th, is Canada’s National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims. It’s a day to remember and honour those who have lost their lives in road accidents, and to acknowledge the loss...
View ArticleAccidents with unidentified, uninsured or underinsured drivers
Aside from physical injury, financial worries are often one of the hardest parts of an auto accident to cope with. In Ontario, auto insurance is mandatory, but there are certain situations where the...
View ArticleCan a pedestrian be liable for being injured in an auto accident?
Did you know that in our province in 2013, more than 4000 pedestrians were injured in road accidents? Tragically, 91 of those pedestrians lost their lives in these accidents. Unfortunately, as long as...
View ArticleCan I get an insurance discount for using winter tires in Ontario?
Research shows that one of the best ways to increase your safety on the roads during the winter is to install winter tires. Earlier this year, the government of Ontario decreed that insurance companies...
View ArticleWhat makes an injury “catastrophic”?
A term that is often heard in the context of auto accidents, insurance, and lawsuits is “catastrophic injury”. As you’d imagine, a catastrophic injury is very serious, but there’s an actual definition...
View ArticleOntario introduces stronger laws to protect pedestrians
At long last, the province has acted on recommendations in the 2012 Chief Coroner’s Report on Pedestrian Deaths, which analysed the 95 accidental pedestrian deaths that occurred in Ontario in 2010. As...
View ArticleGeneral damages for pain and suffering: what is the maximum you can be awarded?
If you are badly injured, you may wish to file a lawsuit with the goal of getting financial compensation for your pain, suffering and other expenses you now have as a result of your injury. The money...
View ArticleSolving Ontario’s Auto Insurance IME Problem
Saying that the Ontario auto insurance system is in crisis, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association recently called on the provincial government to “establish a commission to conduct a public inquiry to...
View ArticleHow To Help a Brain Injury Survivor
We know from working with hundreds of clients hurt in accidents that an injury can change everything. When that injury involves the brain, some of the biggest challenges are related to relationships....
View ArticleBC and Ontario are cracking down on auto insurance fraud — but at what cost?
The legal and insurance worlds are abuzz with a recent decision of the BC Supreme Court. In the decision Arsenovski v. Bodin, 2016 BCSC 359, an adjuster with BC’s provincial auto insurer (ICBC)...
View ArticleIt’s Official: Distracted Driving Is Just As Dangerous As Impaired Driving
The OPP is in the midst of their annual distracted driving campaign, and has released some very troubling statistics: 2015 was the third consecutive year that driver distraction as a causal factor...
View ArticleChanges ahead for Accident Benefits Dispute Resolution
If you have ever had to dispute a decision related to accident benefits under the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS), you probably dealt with the Financial Services Commission of Ontario...
View Article