Lawyers who specialize in personal injury are uniquely qualified to represent clients who have suffered from accidentsthat affect their quality of life or ability to earn an income.If you’ve been affected by negligent conditions on private property, you need to know the facts regarding your rights and eligibility for compensation.
Many people reading this may think that this type of claim can only be made in cases where there has been deliberate or gross negligence on the part of an offending party. If you slip on a patch of ice on a neighbour’s sidewalk, isn’t that just part of the harsh Canadian winter? The truth is that the issue may be more complicated than that. If drives, walkways, mailboxes, or trash receptacles are normally accessed by the public, then the property owner is obliged to keep it free of all ice and snow. In Toronto, where the clearing of downtown sidewalks is regularly left to property owners and tenants, you may be facing a slip and fall case against the city. Reasonable expectations of safety apply to the interior of buildings as well, such as lobbies and corridors. The property owner is legally obligated to keep all walking surfaces reasonably free of all slipping and tripping hazards.
Personal injury lawyers are there to protect the public from the carelessness of others. In cases where the owner holds insurance, policies may actually limit or deny the monetary amounts victims may seek. In such cases, a personal injury lawyer can pursue claims for a victim in court and win higher settlement amounts. They will keep track of your paperwork, medical documents, witness reports, and any of the other documents you need to prove negligence.
Few law firms specializing in trip and fall claims carry that specialization over into workplace accidents. In Ontario, such accidents fall under the purview of the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB). Designed to protect employees, most people assume all workers automatically get these benefits if they are injured on the job. However, employers are entitled to dispute WSIB claims. Firms like Toronto-based Goodman Law can be invaluable in defending disputed WSIB claims and securing benefits for their clients. They are the first line of defense forthose who are no longer able to work or need medical treatment.
If you’ve had a slip and fall on public or private property, you will be required to gather evidence before your claim can go any further. This includes photos of negligent conditions, accident reports, witness reports, and more. To find out more about the necessary documentation, visit Goodmanlawgroup.ca/slip-fall.php. The Ontario Limitations Act gives injured parties two years’ time to file claims against negligent property owners, but if you’ve fallen on public property, those rules are out the window. Ontario municipalities regularly limit the time allowed to file in order to mitigate the number of claims that arise from their own poor sidewalk clearing policies. Local firms like Goodman Law can help you meet these deadlines and win your right to fair compensation. Toronto, for example, only gives citizens ten days to send written notice to the municipal clerk. Stay on top of your injury claim and call in the professionals today.