Read our collection of insights and news about motor vehicle accidents. Learn your next steps if you got into an MVA. Find out about latest MVA laws and cases.
The dangers posed by distracted driving have gained a lot of attention in recent years. As a result, all 10 Canadian provinces now have some form of distracted driving legislation. In this article we’ll cover Alberta-specific laws pertaining to distracted...
Pedestrian injuries are an unfortunate fact of life, particularly in urban environments. As personal injury lawyers, we often represent pedestrians who have suffered injuries caused by motor vehicles. As would be expected, these injuries are often severe. Many factors...
Another driver hits your car. The damage to your car is minor and you don’t seem to have any injuries. Should you still call a personal injury lawyer? Here are a few reasons why it might be a good idea: 1) The call is free. We’re not aware of any personal injury...
Motorcycle riding can be dangerous at the best of times. A study by ICBC found that only two per cent of BC drivers were motorcyclists, and yet they were 15 times more likely than drivers of other vehicles to be involved in a motor vehicle accident. While winter...
Motor vehicle accidents have many causes. One that doesn’t get as much attention as it should is driver fatigue. But that’s starting to change. Calgary Police recently warned that they have seen an increase in the number of collisions caused by driver fatigue. As of...
Below are some key questions that a lawyer will likely ask the first time you contact them about your motor vehicle accident. These questions help the lawyer determine whether they can assist you. 1) What happened? Basic details about the accident help the lawyer...
Let’s say you were in a car accident where another driver hit your vehicle. You got all of their information at the accident scene — insurance, registration, driver’s licence number. So far so good. A few months go by. You’ve been getting treatment for your...
Vehicle colour does affect safety and car accidents. Various studies make this clear. But the precise findings might surprise you. One study found that drivers perceive red as the safest vehicle colour, probably because of its association with safety equipment. The...
You slipped and fell while on someone else’s property, or perhaps another driver hit your vehicle. You have suffered injuries. But can you prove your injuries were the fault of the other person? Do you have a winnable personal injury case? To successfully pursue a...
Accidents such as motor vehicle collisions and slips and falls can lead to chronic pain. Chronic pain is a long-lasting condition that interferes with a person’s quality of life, their relationships and their ability to work. The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine defines...
If someone gets into a car accident with your vehicle and they DID have permission to drive it, then you’re clearly liable. Your insurance company will have to defend the claim and your rates will likely go up if the driver of your vehicle is found at fault. But what...
Here are a few suggestions to avoid a motor vehicle accident claim: Drive Defensively This requires a shift in mindset. Don’t think only in terms of what other drivers are likely to do, or what would be reasonable for them to do. Instead, think in terms of what is...
Insurance companies are required to act in good faith. They are not supposed to fight tooth and nail to deny reasonable claims. If an insurance company does not act in good faith — if it behaves badly — a court can award punitive damages to the plaintiff....
The vast majority of personal injury claims don’t go to trial. Most get settled long before that in the months following the accident. In fact, well over 90 per cent of injury claims are settled without going to trial. This is good. Trials are stressful and uncertain....
We care a lot about our clients. And we fight tooth and nail to get them the best settlement possible. But some clients are their own worst enemy. They hurt their chances of a fair and speedy settlement by doing silly things. Help your personal injury lawyer help you...
Motor vehicle accidents are a common — and often tragic — fact of life in Canada. There were 2,227 motor vehicle fatalities across the country in 2010, according to Transport Canada. The number of people injured in motor vehicle accidents was much larger...
The cost of hiring a lawyer can seem out of reach for many people. Many believe that personal injury lawyer fees are complicated. In this article we’ll run you through the lawyer fee structure and what you pay when engaging a personal injury lawyer for your...
Most drivers know that if they’re involved in an accident they should get as much information as possible from the other driver. But what if the other driver resists giving you that information? Section 69 of Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act requires any driver involved...
Let’s say you’ve suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence. What if you had a pre-existing condition that made the consequences worse for you than they would be for someone without that condition? Is the negligent person nevertheless responsible for all of...
This is a common question. In fact, it’s probably the most common question asked of personal injury lawyers, along with, “How much will I get?” Wanting to get your settlement quickly is understandable. After all, if you’ve been in an accident, you’ve incurred...
What happens if you’re injured by a hit and run Calgary driver? Are you on your own, with little or no hope of compensation? Fortunately, there are provincial programs to help victims of hit and run drivers. In Alberta it’s called the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims...
There seems to be a great deal of confusion about so-called “Section B” benefits. Section B benefits are also known as “AB Benefits” or “accident benefits.” People are not sure exactly what they are entitled to, who pays, whether...
There has been much discussion in the media lately about texting or talking on the phone while driving. Alberta recently introduced its own version of a “distracted driving law.” While reading the blog offerings of my colleagues around the country, I came...
Since 2004, the “minor injury cap” legislation has been in place in Alberta, which limits maximum damages for pain and suffering for “minor” injuries to $4,000. However, a new case has clarified the law around dental injuries. This case could set a new precedent for...
A young girl recently died when she was ejected from her vehicle when it was struck by another vehicle on the Trans-Canada Highway. This happened near Valley Ridge in the Calgary area. The girl was not wearing a seat belt. I feel it’s important to draw some...