Warns Public Against Drunk Drivers as the Summer Driving Season Heats Up

A personal injury law firm serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), warns the driving public and pedestrians against drunk drivers after an infant and adult male were killed in two separate motor vehicle accidents in Ontario.

Peel Regional Police charged a 32-year-old man with impaired driving-related offences after a man was killed in Mississauga. Two other people were injured in the crash. In a separate incident, charges have been laid against an alleged drunk driver following the death of a 17-month-old girl in a collision; the 36-year old mother was airlifted to hospital in critical condition, while the 38-year old father received minor injuries. (Sources: Kitching, C., “Impaired charges laid in fatal crash in Mississauga,” June 1, 2013, 

http://www.cp24.com/news/impaired-charges-laid-in-fatal-crash-in-mississauga-1.1307661#ixzz2VGRIlM00; Ritchie, D., “Drunk driving charges laid in crash that killed infant,” March 17, 2013, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2013/03/17/toronto-kitchener-fatal-collision-infant-girl-killed.html.)

“Every year, roughly 17,000 drivers are convicted of Criminal Code of Canada offences," says Spyros Bekiaris, a lawyer at Hanson Duby. "Drinking and driving offences are one of Ontario’s most significant road safety issues. Over the last 10 years, more than 2,000 people have died and more than 50,000 have been injured at the hands of a drunk driver.” (Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation, “Impaired Driving; Fact Sheets,” http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/fact-sheet.shtml, last accessed June 7, 2013.)

Bekiaris joined Hanson Duby Personal Injury Law as an associate in September 2010. He graduated from York University with an Honours BA in political science in 2006 and from the Queen’s University Faculty of Law with a JD in 2009. He formerly worked at a boutique insurance defence firm in Toronto, representing insurance companies.

Bekiaris has appeared before the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the Small Claims Court, the Superior Court of Justice, and the Divisional Court. Bekiaris represents clients in a variety of disputes, including motor vehicle accidents, accident benefits, slips and falls, property damage claims, and assault, representing the victims. Bekiaris is a member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and the Hellenic Canadian Lawyers’ Association.

“Every year, people are tragically and unnecessarily injured or killed in accidents on Ontario highways," Bekiaris adds. "Whether at the hands of a drunk driver or a reckless driver, or through other causes, these accidents can impact a victim's life in a flash.”

Drunk-driving accidents can be emotionally and physically traumatizing, leaving severely injured victims in their wake. In many cases, victims and family members are left with a lifetime of pain and costly treatment.

Victims involved in an alcohol-related crash need to consult with a personal injury lawyer in Toronto immediately after the accident occurs. They can provide useful advice relevant to your personal injury case and help victims receive all available compensation they deserve, from pain and suffering to missed salary earned, and accident-related expenses such as attendant care, rehabilitation, and medical services.

  

Hanson Duby Personal Injury Law is a personal injury law firm located in the Annex district of Toronto. The firm specializes in helping injured victims obtain compensation due to car accidents, long-term disability claims, life insurance claims, and product liability claims. The firm serves clients from across the Greater Toronto Area and provides service in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, Greek, and French. The site will soon evolve again and be updated to include pages in Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, and Greek to better serve those communities.

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.HansonDuby.com or by calling 416-588-9100.

Top 4 Tips for Personal Injury Claims

Dealing with a personal injury claim can be a tedious and stressful task, as there are so many things which you need to take care of during such painful situation. To help you out is such difficult time and to simplify your claims procedure, here are the top 10 tips to prepare you for filing a lawsuit for personal injury claims:

1. Seek medical care immediately

Be it a slip and fall accident or an injury due to motor vehicle accident or any other type of personal injury, the very first step is to seek first aid immediately. Failure in treating your injuries at the right time may result in complications. Hence, to avoid further damage, make sure that you do not neglect this point.

2. Summon the Police and the Insurance Company

After you finish with the initial medical treatment, summon the police about the injury, if applicable. By doing this, you may get a great help in collecting information about those who were responsible for the injury and those who were present when the incident took place.

In addition to this, it is also important to inform the insurance company about the injury, since there is statute of limitations on the time period within which you can file a claim. Any delay in reporting the insurer about the injury may put your compensation in trouble.

3. Watch your words

Most of the insurance agencies send their lawyers to negotiate the claim to a minimal amount. They record your statements and then manipulate it for the benefit of themselves. Therefore, be careful when communicating with insurer and try not to disclose each and every minute details of what had happened on the day of mishap. It is advisable to exercise discretion so as to avoid any conflict with the at-fault party and the insurance company.

4. Keep track of all the expenses

In order to determine the rightmost claim for the injury it is essential to keep track of all kinds of expenditures related to injury. For example, collecting hospital bills, rehabilitation bills, bills related to property damage are some of the costs which you can seek remuneration for. If possible, try to pen down all the major facts and events related to the injury before time fades them.

The list does not end here. There are many more aspects which you must take heed of when handling personal injury claims. Consulting personal injury lawyers will surely help you in protecting your rights down the road.

Tips on Personal Injury Claims in Toronto GTA

Whether you have suffered from a slip and fall accident or you have met with a motor vehicle accident, being a victim of any type of personal injury may be shocking and you may get confused about how to proceed with the personal injury claims procedure in order to obtain a fair claim for the damage done. Here are some tips on personal injury claims in Toronto GTA to guide you in the right direction which leads to the claim.

The most important step is to make sure that you get some first aid and visit a nearby clinic or hospital or a family doctor, as soon as possible, so as to avoid any complications. In case, you are a victim of car or any other kind of motor vehicle accident then report about the same to the police quickly. Besides this, it is equally important to inform the insurance company about the injury, since your claim may be constrained to inflexible time limits. If you fail to comply with this criterion you may be barred from taking any action for obtaining any kind of compensation. 

Remember that, it is inevitable to gather details of all the witnesses and parties involved in the accident like their names, telephone numbers, and residential or office addresses. All this information is very crucial and can benefit you a lot in establishing the claim without much difficulty. 

The next step towards commencing a personal injury claim is to find out what the injury owes you. Depending on the nature of the injury, you can claim for both economical and non-economical damages. Damages like cost of rehabilitation, lost wages, and cost of vehicle repair are grouped under economical whereas damages like inability to lead a normal life, pain, and distress are considered as non-economical damages. 

In addition to all these factors there are many other things you need to take a note of for obtaining a rightful claim. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek some legal advice from an expert personal injury lawyer. There are multitudes of personal injury lawyers in Toronto that offer legal assistance to families and victims of personal injury. You can consult any of these attorneys for obtaining your compensation.

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.HansonDuby.com, or by calling (416) 588-9100.

Dos and Don'ts of Personal Injury Cases

Getting a personal injury claim is a very tedious task if you go for it alone. Without a thorough understanding of the terms and conditions of the policy and the claim procedures you may secure an unfair compensation or even lose the case. 

Listed below are the dos and don’ts of personal injury cases which when followed would prove to be beneficial down the road:

Dos

The first step is to seek medical care and assistance to avoid any further complications. After this, summon the police, if appropriate, as most of the insurance companies demand for a police report during the court proceedings. In addition to this, make sure that you report the insurance company about the personal injury as soon as possible as there is time limit for filing personal injury claims. Medical report stating the injuries is also an important document which you need to produce before the court so that you can justify the amount you have claimed for. Hence, ensure that you have this report ready beforehand.

Gathering witnesses, photographic and video graphic proofs and evidences clearly pointing out the fault of the third party in appropriate scenarios is also very essential. This will help you a lot in proving that it was someone else who was responsible for the personal injury and hence you are eligible for the claim according to the personal injury law. Hiring investigators and experts and seeking free consultation will be the right way to begin with your personal injury claim as they are equipped with all the knowledge necessary for handling and winning such cases.  

Don’ts

Many a times the insurance company sends an investigator to gather information about the incident so that they get an idea about the mishap and turn the decision in their favor. It is very important to understand that you are not required to provide any kind of data, written or verbal, to the insurance agent. Another factor which is a big ‘no’ is do not sign on any kind of legal or blank document without consulting an attorney as it can put you in great trouble in future. 

There are many more things which you need to take care of when thinking of filing a personal injury claim and obtaining rightmost claim for the damage. 

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.HansonDuby.com or by calling 416-588-9100.

How to Find the Perfect Personal Injury Lawyer Toronto

Dealing with personal injury claims all alone would turn out to be very awful experience if you fail to understand all the intricacies of the policy and how to deal with the legal proceedings. However, hiring a good personal injury lawyerwill lessen your trouble to a great extent.

There are numbers of personal injury lawyers who offer guidance and assistance in dealing with personal injury claims but not all of them would work out the best for you. You need to choose a lawyer who will not just guide you in the right direction but also strive hard to get the decision in your favor. Here are some tips which will educate you about how to find the perfect personal lawyer who will get the best deal for you:

Education

The first thing which you must find out is whether the lawyer is qualified and attains a degree or certificate mandatory for practicing in this field. If you miss out this point and hire a fake lawyer, you will have to bear great losses.

Experience

Law firms spending huge amount on promotional campaigns need not necessarily offer the best service to their clients. There is a high probability that such law firms have very little knowledge in handling such cases. Hence, make sure that you research well about the law firm before sealing the deal with them. Moreover, determine for how many years the firm has been dealing with personal injury cases because it is only an experienced lawyer who is aware of all the tricks useful for navigating the complex rules and regulations of the court, which will ultimately prove to be very helpful in getting the judgment in your support.  

Has the law firm handled cases like yours?

Not all cases might be alike. For instance, what holds true for one might not serve the purpose of other. Therefore, it is very essential to determine whether the law firm has any experience in handling cases like yours. If not, then you can ask for an explanation about how they will tackle your case and obtain maximum financial assistance from the insurance company and/or from the faulty. In addition to this, you must also ask for a detailed description about the case fee and what all services they cover under that amount. Make sure that you identify whether there are any hidden costs to avoid last minute chaos. 

Finding a perfect personal injury lawyer requires a lot of homework. You cannot just find a good lawyer at your doorstep with just a single phone call. Consulting with your friends and family members will also drive you in the right direction.

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.hansonduby.com or by calling 416-588-9100.

Benefits of Working with a Personal Injury Lawyer Toronto

There are number of personal injury lawyers that demand case fee only if they succeed in winning the case for you. Unfortunately, if the attorney fails in getting the decision in your favor you need not pay a single penny. However, not all of us are aware of such offers and often pay for a service which is never provided.

Here are some helpful tips and advice that can prove to be very beneficial in working with a personal injury lawyer Toronto and saving a great amount of money on the legal fees:

Be Practical

It is very important to identify the benefits of personal injury claims because no matter how severe the injury is, its effect will last for a longer period of time. It will not only affect your professional but also your personal life to a great extent. You might have to lose on the enjoyment in life and deal with something which you would never have dreamed of. Therefore, be practical and do not hesitate in discussing your personal injury with a qualified lawyer and file for a claim before it’s too late.

Be Quick

You need to be quick in informing the insurance company about the injury or the accident as there are certain time limits on the claim. If you report the insurance agency about your injury after the time period has elapsed then you cannot ask for any sort of compensation from the insurance company. Apart from this, you also miss out the opportunity to sue the third party who was responsible for the mishap in such situations.   

Be Well-informed

Walking through the personal injury claims procedure alone could turn out to be very troublesome as it requires a complete understanding of all the legal processes and technical know-how’s of the claim policy. On the other hand, hiring an experience and top personal injury lawyer can get the work done in a much simpler and easier way. This is true because they are familiar with the working of legal system and are also equipped with all the professional skills required for settling such cases.

Though hiring a personal injury lawyer will definitely cost you some money, it will also help you in getting you the maximum compensation for everything you had to suffer. Hence, make sure that you dedicate enough amount of time in finding the best personal injury lawyer who will win the case for you. 

Personal Injury Claims Are The Legal Way To Get Compensation

Accidents and injuries can happen to anyone and at anytime as they form the most unpredictable part of every person’s life. They can happen as a result of either personal negligence or negligence of the other party. Hence, it is very important to seek legal help to know what you are owed in case of personal injuries. The best step to get started with the claim procedure is to know whether you have a claim or not. Following is a list of the scenarios in which you can file a personal injury claim:

•    Road traffic accidents
•    Accidents in home
•    Accidents at work
•    Tripping accidents
•    Assault claims
•    Holiday accidents
•    Accidents caused due to faulty products
•    Medical accidents
•    Dental accidents
•    Industrial diseases such as asbestosis, silicosis, asthma, bronchitis, pulmonary disorders, occupational stress, occupational deafness, and others

These are some of the most common situations that are considered valid for filing a personal injury claim.

What Information to Record?

Once you have confirmed that you can claim for your injury you need to keep track of some points from the time the injury has occurred. These points are:

1.    Record the names and contact information like telephone number and address of all the witnesses and parties involved in the accident.
2.    Inform the police about the date and time of the accident. If possible, try to inform the police no sooner than the accident has occurred.
3.    Inform the family doctor about the injury.
4.    If possible, try to make arrangements for photographs of the accident spot.
5.    Notify your employer and insurance company about the injury or the accident.
6.    If the victim is an infant, make sure that the school is informed about the mishap.
7.    Keep a track of all the information that the insurance company might ask for such as hospital bills, medication bills, transportation bills and alike.
8.    Contact a lawyer and know all your rights because there are strict deadlines and time limits that must be met if you do not want to miss out on your claim or disqualify from obtaining the compensation.

Importance of Legal Consultation

Personal injury claims are the legal way to get compensation. Consulting a personal injury lawyer before filing for a claim will help you determine what you are exactly owed. A good lawyer will introduce you to all the intricacies of the claim procedure so that you can easily navigate through the compensation process and the law. However, make sure that you talk to the lawyer only when you are medically stable because whatever you speak will be recorded and taken into consideration at the time of final judgment.

Filing a personal injury claim is a very tedious task. Moreover, failure in understanding the terms and conditions or any clause, may pose great problems before you in near future and also deprive you of the claim amount. Hence, it is very important to seek legal assistance and find out what your personal injury claim owes you.

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.hansonduby.com or by calling 416-588-9100. 

Benefits of Personal Injury Consultation

No one can control or stop the occurrence of accidents and mishaps but what lies in our hands is to take care of the situation after the accident has occurred. An important thing to do after a road or industrial accident is to claim for personal injury. A personal injury claim is for those who are hurt in accidents and the cause of their injury is not their fault and the irresponsibility of others. Under such circumstances it is important for the victim to consult a personal injury attorney who will guide him with the various legalities and procedures associated with personal injury claim. There are several benefits of consulting with a personal injury attorney and here in this article we will discuss about this topic in length. Given below are some important benefits of personal injury consultation after you met with an accident that has caused you physical injury. 

 

Consult for free:You can take free consultation from attorneys and seek legal advice regarding personal injury claim. You can consult with a number of lawyers before hiring one for your case. You can obtain valuable piece of information through free consultation and finally select the attorney who provided you the best advice and suggestions. 

Avoid complicated procedures: There are several legal procedures and documentation work that needs to be completed during personal injury claim. These procedures can be a daunting task for those who have little or no knowledge about judicial processes. Procedures such as checking of insurance papers of both parties, submitting the expenses involved in medical treatment and surgery, and submission and checking of other allied papers and documents are involved which can be pretty complicated for the claimer to perform. A legal attorney will help you complete all these procedures and in fact if you hire a personal injury lawyer, you will perhaps have to appear in court only during the hearings and all others legalities will be handled by the attorney.   

Reduce stress during physical recovery: You may have to be under treatment for 3 to 4 months after an accident and the stress of personal injury claim during the same time can be devastating. Moreover you can’t delay in your claim since the more you will delay the less likely will be your chances to get the compensation. Therefore it is important to hire a personal injury lawyer after an accident so that he can take care of all the legal works while you recover properly form your physical injuries.

  

Helps in your decision making process: A personal injury lawyer will guide you in each and every step of your claim. You will have to follow whatever he instructs you and act accordingly. He will also help you with your insurance and instruct you on whether the matter can be solved outside the court. 

Helps in personal injury and property loss claims: A personal injury lawyer is well equipped to fight for you medical expenses and property loss claims. For instance if you are in a road accident and the cause of your injuries and the damage of your car is the fault of another person than your lawyer will make all possible efforts to make the offender reimburse you for the damages.