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Find Lawyers in Toronto, Ontario for Personal Injury Litigation
Practice Area Overview
The primary goal of personal injury law is to put the injured party (the plaintiff) in the same position they were in prior to the injury occurring. Sometimes this is impossible, such as when the plaintiff sustains a permanent or irreversible brain injury or spinal cord injury. In such cases, the goal is to put the plaintiff in as “close a position” as possible to the position the plaintiff was in prior to the occurrence of the injury, including the same financial position had the accident not occurred.
There are several categories of compensation that an injured party may be entitled to receive as part of a personal injury claim. If the injury effects the plaintiff’s employability the plaintiff may be entitled to a loss of income or loss of earning capacity claim. If the plaintiff is no longer able to perform their normal housekeeping chores as a result of their injuries, they may be entitled to recover the ongoing cost of hiring someone to perform these chores. If the injured party is likely to require treatment, medications, or equipment in the future, then a claim can be advanced for the cost of future care. The injured party is usually entitled to reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses related to the claim. Another category of damages is compensation for pain and suffering. This award includes compensation for physical pain suffered as well as emotional and psychological injuries sustained by the injured party.
An injured party will only have a claim against a party at fault (the defendant) if the injured party can establish that the defendant was liable or responsible for the injury occurring. In some cases, the injuries to the plaintiff may result from a combination of the defendant’s negligence and the plaintiff’s negligence. A common example is where a plaintiff (who was injured in a motor vehicle accident) had failed to wear a seat belt. The plaintiff’s compensation may be reduced if the defendant can show the plaintiff’s injuries were contributed to by the failure to wear a seat belt. This is commonly referred to as ‘contributory negligence’.
If a plaintiff is unable to resolve their claim with the defendant through the normal negotiating process, then ultimately the plaintiff has the right to have their matter decided by a judge (or judge and jury) at a trial. Only a small percentage of personal injury cases actually proceed to the trial stage as the vast majority of claims are resolved through the normal negotiating process.
Geoff is one of Canada’s best-known trial and appellate counsel. The breadth of his experience is virtually unmatched among Canadian litigators. Early on in his career Geoff practiced criminal law where he gained invaluable courtroom experience trying to verdict among other cases, an even dozen murder trials. His practice evolved over a few years into the field of civil litigation where he went on to try to verdict over 250 jury and non jury cases and argue in excess of 100 appeals befo...
Kevin enjoys practising law and loves the challenges of civil litigation. He has broad experience in all aspects of insurance claims litigation, including personal injury, products liability, property losses, professional negligence, class proceedings, and coverage disputes. He is an expert in handling first-party accident benefits claims and disputes between insurers (loss transfer and priority disputes). Kevin is proud to assist many of the firm’s longstanding clients with tailored, p...
Tim is an experienced litigator recognized by both clients and his peers for his skillful handling of a broad range of insurance claims. Tim works in partnership with his clients, sophisticated litigants who appreciate his talent for quickly analyzing and assessing claims and bringing them to a prompt and fair resolution. He has defended financial advisors, insurance brokers, real estate agents, and engineers from a wide variety of disciplines. He has extensive experience in automobile insura...
Lisa is like a combination of Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson. She practices law with unbridled enthusiasm and is rattled by nothing. As the managing partner of SBA, Lisa leads by example, proving to every team member, there’s no challenge too great to be overcome with a smile. Oh, and a laugh, Lisa has a signature laugh! Lisa is a skilled litigator and problem solver. Clients trust Lisa because she brings a level head and a sense of calm to every situation, no matter how high the stakes. ...
Colleen Arsenault is a partner at Beard Winter LLP. She practises exclusively with the insurance group, dealing with tort matters encompassing disability benefits, motor vehicle accidents, property damage, occupier’s liability matters, product liability, construction, CGL issues, coverage issues, subrogation and general bodily injury claims. Colleen has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, including the Court of Appeal. Over the course of her career, she has conducted hundreds of...
Jordan joined the Gluckstein team in 2012 to carry out his articles-at-law. He graduated from York University in 2007. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from Bond University in Australia and completed his Canadian Accreditation in 2012. Following his call to the bar in 2013, Jordan assumed his current position of an associate lawyer at Gluckstein Lawyers. Jordan’s practice is devoted to all areas of Personal Injury litigation on behalf of plaintiffs, including motor vehicle acciden...
Rick Aucoin is a partner at Beard Winter LLP with a wide range of litigation experience before all courts and tribunals. The focus of his practice is civil litigation with an emphasis on property, casualty, tort and negligence cases, commercial insurance, product liability and coverage issues. Rick’s practice also focuses on professional errors with a recent appointment to the preferred counsel list for the defence of lawyers in their professional capacity. Rick has been providing litig...
Melinda graduated with her LLB from the University of Western Ontario in 2002 and articled in London, Ontario with Harrison Pensa LLP. Following her call to the Bar in 2003, Melinda began working with Barbara Legate of Legate & Associates, a Plaintiff personal injury firm, where she was exposed to a variety of complex civil litigation files, including motor vehicle accident, medical malpractice and disability cases. In November 2005, Melinda relocated to Toronto, Ontario and continued wor...
Michael has experience as counsel for several insurance companies and The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee but has now restricted his practice to the representation of accident victims and their families. Michael has authored publications on insurance law and has presented to other lawyers and representatives at The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee on subjects concerning benefit entitlements, the rights and responsibilities of insurers and accident victims. Practice Area: Pe...
Robert Ben dedicates his practice to representing and obtaining compensation for victims of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and serious orthopaedic and other injuries, as well as those who have suffered wrongful death. He represents clients throughout Ontario in cases that involve: Vehicular negligence (including automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, ATV, snowmobile and boating accidents) Municipal liability (negligent road design, maintenance/repair, snow and ice removal) Day care and ...
Howard is devoted to helping injured victims obtain the financial security and the medical and rehabilitative services they need to return to the lives they led before they were interrupted by serious injuries. He has always been willing to fight for his clients’ rights all the way to trial, when necessary, even in the most complex cases. Howard strongly believes that personal injury lawyers have an added responsibility to give back to the community. Each year, he hosts the “Law S...
Chris Blom is an experienced insurance litigation lawyer with a practice that concentrates on insurance work in connection with both tort and accident benefit cases, including out-of-province and cross-border cases. Chris acts on behalf of claimants and insurers with respect to claims across Canada regarding all aspects of general insurance liability, including historical sexual abuse claims, class actions, motor vehicle accidents, fire loss, construction negligence, CGL claims, occupier&rsqu...
Lauren is a partner at Beard Winter LLP and a member of the firm’s Insurance Litigation group. Lauren began her practice in insurance defence litigation in 2000 upon her call to the bar. She continues to practice in the insurance defence field and has focused her practice on motor vehicle accident cases, nursing home litigation, institutional sexual liability and occupiers’ liability disputes. She has proven successful on numerous summary judgment motions and has appeared before t...
Richard M. Bogoroch is a highly regarded and accomplished personal injury lawyer. Mr. Bogoroch has over 29 years of experience and dedication to his profession, and is actively involved in the legal community. Mr. Bogoroch is a past Director of the Ontario Centre for Advocacy Training and a past Director of the Advocates’ Society. Mr. Bogoroch is also a past Chairman of the Canadian Bar Association - Ontario Provincial Committee on the Judiciary. He is also a member of the Metropolitan ...
Born and raised in Australia, Julianne left the Outback and her Vegemite to continue her legal studies in New Brunswick. Captivated by the Canadian climate, Julianne decided to make the Great White North her permanent home. But don’t let her bright smile fool you: like most native Australian species, Julianne is lethal. Clients appreciate that Julianne gets straight to the point. Her litigation style is direct and matter of fact, which makes Julianne well suited for claims involving fra...
Second to none, Fiona is the B in SBA. For 16 years Fiona worked on Bay Street, where she broke barriers by being the first female partner, and then the first female Chair, in the insurance group. Fiona brought the same values with her when she came to SBA. Throughout her enduring career, Fiona has been consistently energized by her clients and the relationships she has built with them. She thrives on social interaction, whether it be with her clients or with her fellow and opposing lawyers. ...
Heidi R. Brown is a partner at Bogoroch & Associates LLP and is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Civil Litigation. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1993, and practised for seven years as counsel to the Children’s Lawyer, Ministry of the Attorney General for the Province of Ontario where she represented the legal interests of children in various litigation matters.Since joining Bogoroch & Associates LLP in November of 1999, Heidi has exclusively prac...
Patrick Brown was called to the bar in 1993 and is an owner and partner of the firm. Having practiced personal injury in Ontario for over 25 years, his cases have involved children, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, biking/cycling injury, boating, daycare and camp negligence, drowning, road disrepair, and motor vehicle collisions. In addition, Patrick has extensive experience advocating for those suffering from hospital negligence and medical malpractice. He is one o...
Kate Cahill is a personal injury lawyer, whose focus is primarily on medical malpractice cases, including claims arising from obstetrical negligence, surgical negligence, nursing negligence, emergency room negligence, medication errors, missed diagnoses and delayed diagnoses. Kate’s medical litigation practice extends to representing people who have suffered injury as a result of defective medical devices or surgical implants. Kate’s personal injury litigation practice also involv...
Paul’s advanced advocacy skills both inside and outside of the courtroom have led to him being recognized by the Law Society of Ontario as a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation . Paul has proven himself a fearless advocate by a number of successful trial outcomes over the years, including a recent $11.5 million judgment for medical malpractice causing cerebral palsy against a negligent doctor as well as a recent judgment against a negligent emergency room physician who caused the d...
Joseph is a Partner at McLeish Orlando. He is a graduate of the University of King’s College, Dalhousie University, and Western University. Joseph began his legal career as an articling student at McLeish Orlando in 2008 and has dedicated his practice exclusively to working for injured clients and their families. He has handled a wide variety of personal injury cases, for people of all ages, and has the expertise and dedication required to achieve a successful outcome, no matter how com...
Lindsay Charles joined McLeish Orlando as a law student and following her call to the bar she was hired to the firm as an Associate Lawyer. Lindsay’s practice is devoted exclusively to plaintiffs’ personal injury and wrongful death cases, including motor vehicle collisions, occupiers’ liability, products liability, medical negligence, and disability benefits claims. Lindsay regularly appears at the Superior Court of Justice and the License Appeal Tribunal. Lindsay has been c...
Joel Cormier earned his LL.B. from Queen’s University in 2005 and was called to the Ontario bar in 2006. Joel’s areas of expertise include subrogation, insurance defence, construction and personal injury litigation. Joel has considerable experience representing clients at trial and on appeal.
Alex Curry is one of Beard Winter LLP’s managing partners. A civil litigator, Alex practises exclusively in the area of insurance defence litigation. He has a special interest in disability-related matters including claims arising from long-term disability policies (both group and individual), critical illness policies, mortgage life, and life insurance claims. Alex takes a common sense approach to resolving all variety of matters including coverage disputes, statutory accident benefits...
Jim Davidson has been certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Ontario. He has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in Canada, for his work in both personal injury and insurance law. Jim’s practice is unique in that he is one of the few lawyers in his industry who represents both insurance companies and individual clients. He has significant experience in injury, fatality and disability claims. He is regularly consulted by insurance co...
Frank S.M. Devito is a civil litigator and senior partner at Beard Winter LLP, with more than 20 years of insurance defence litigation expertise. Bringing sound advice and a deep understanding of the Canadian insurance industry, Frank has a lengthy track record of successfully defending insurers in relation to various types of claims. These include motor vehicle tort claims, personal injury claims, general liability claims, property/casualty claims, construction claims, contractor liability c...
“ I chose Howie, Sacks & Henry because of the firm’s unparalleled reputation for excellence, integrity, and results. I am part of a team of highly skilled lawyers dedicated to achieving the best result possible for our clients. " Joel is a Partner at HSH whose practice is dedicated to personal injury litigation, and in particular, motor vehicle accidents, product liability injuries and solicitors’ negligence. Joel has argued successfully in the Ontario Superior Court of ...
James (Jamie) Dunn is a partner at Beard Winter LLP and a member of the firm’s Insurance Litigation group. Jamie has enjoyed a long and distinguished legal career in the field of insurance defence litigation and is a nationally recognized and highly regarded litigator.Jamie specializes in jury trial work in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, as well as tort, subrogation, rail-related claims, product liability, coverage dispute litigation and commercial general liability cases. He ha...
With over a decade of experience and a proven track record of success, Erin Ellis is an advocate for survivors of both recent and historical sexual and physical abuse. Erin received her Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University (2003) and her law degree from Queen’s University (2007). She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2008. Erin represents plaintiffs from across Canada, demanding acknowledgment and compensation for the harms perpetrated or facilitated by individuals and inst...
Duncan is a Partner and Head of the Medical Malpractice group at Neinstein. He is a seasoned litigator, well-known for his advocacy and ability to dissect complicated medical-legal issues. Duncan primarily represents patients injured due to medical harm, with a particular focus on birth injury and brain injury cases across Canada. In addition to his dedicated practice in complex medical negligence work, Duncan is frequently asked by other lawyers to take on cases and to conduct trials. He als...
Idan Erez is a member of the Bar in the Province of Ontario and in the State of Georgia. He practices in Sotos' litigation department focusing on a variety of subject matter including franchising and other commercial disputes, professional liability/personal injury defense, and other types of civil litigation. His experience includes shareholder disputes, commercial contract disputes, injunctive proceedings and real estate litigation, as well as class action work in the areas of pharmaceutica...
Ian has practiced exclusively in the area of personal injury and insurance-related matters since his call to the bar. He primarily dedicates his practice to children and adult victims injured in motor vehicle accidents, including motorcycle accidents, pedestrian-car accidents, ATV accidents, and snowmobile accidents. He represents accident victims and their families throughout Ontario. Ian strives to ensure that injury victims for whom he acts have access to attendant care and rehabilitative ...
Christine’s practice is almost exclusively dedicated to the defence of class action proceedings. She has significant experience litigating claims involving product liability, medical malpractice, complex bodily injury, abuse, sports and recreation, professional liability, construction andproperty damage. She has represented clients in a number of trials, arbitrations, applications, motions and tribunal hearings. Prior to joining Dolden Wallace Folick LLP in 2017, she maintained a busy p...
Penny Georgoudis is a partner at Beard Winter LLP and a member of the firm’s Insurance Litigation Group. A seasoned civil litigator with more than 30 years of experience in the area of insurance defence, Penny acts on behalf of numerous insurers throughout Ontario on tort and negligence claims, property and casualty, product liability, coverage issues, commercial insurance, and general liability claims. She regularly appears before all levels of Ontario Courts, representing clients at t...
Deanna S. Gilbert was admitted to the Law Society of Ontario in 2008. Her practice is devoted to representing Plaintiffs in personal injury litigation including cases arising from motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, slip and falls, product liability, and assaults. Deanna has appeared before all levels of Court in Ontario, including the Ontario Court of Appeal, and frequently appears before the Licence Appeal Tribunal. She has been designated a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigatio...
Tim is the full package. Better known around the water cooler as “Amazon Prime”, Tim has a knack for knowing just what his insurance clients need and delivering it overnight. Whether he’s flexing his subrogation muscles, “nerding out” over a new coverage issue or investigating fraud, Tim enjoys thinking outside the box. A music and karaoke lover with a newly discovered passion for playing hockey, Tim has a wide variety of interests that keep him on his feet. Tim ...
Bernard has always been a staunch advocate for the rights of injured persons. Well-known for his philanthropy, he provides executive and financial support to many non-profit organizations across Ontario. He frequently organizes events for persons with brain and spinal cord injuries.Bernard has 57 years of experience in Personal Injury litigation and is a Lifetime Member of the Law Society of Ontario.Within the firm, Bernard is personally involved in most of the serious cases as well as taking...
Charles Gluckstein was called to the Ontario Bar in 1999 and is a Specialist in Civil Litigation, which encompasses personal injury, medical and professional negligence, motor vehicle claims, occupier’s liability issues, and products liability. An award-winning lawyer himself, Charles is known for his active support within the medical and disability communities and his innovative mindset for providing better and faster resolution to all Gluckstein client cases, without sacrificing even ...
Jennifer obtained her BA from the University of Toronto in 1992 and her LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1995. She was called to the Bar in 1997 and joined Zarek, Taylor, Grossman, Hanrahan in 1999. In 2008 she joined the partnership. Jennifer currently practices predominantly in the area of first party accident benefits with an emphasis on catastrophic claims. She also assists insurers with priority disputes, loss transfer claims and cases involving interface with the Workplace Safety a...
Krista grew up in a sleepy rural village north of Toronto, which naturally meant that she watched a lot of movies growing up. The daughter of a Dutch farmer, Krista knows her way around the vast fields of insurance law. She has developed an inexplicable penchant for recalling names of famous people. Along with recalling useless celebrity details, Krista demonstrates an impressive recall of important cases on discrete issues faced by her clients. It also makes her a stellar movie trivia compet...
Eric was called to the Ontario Bar in 1989 and has been certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada since 1999. Eric has been named by Best Lawyers International as Lawyer of the Year, Personal Injury Litigation, Toronto, for 2018, and is recognized annually as a Best Lawyer in Canada in personal injury and insurance law by that organization. Eric continues to be recognized by Lexpert as a leading practitioner in personal injury law. He has attained an AV ...
Susan Gunter, partner since 2002 at Dutton Brock LLP, holds an LLM in Civil Litigation (Osgoode), an LLB (UNB), and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1996. She is recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada (Products Liability Law, Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation). Her litigation practice defends domestic and international corporations and insurers. She has appeared before federal and provincial tribunals, at all levels of court in Ontario and at the Federal Court of Canada. She is c...
Richard Halpern is a senior lawyer acting exclusively for injured people in medical negligence cases, with a special focus on infants injured at or around the time of birth. Richard is known across Canada for his expertise in birth injury cases. He has more than 30 years of experience representing seriously injured people. Richard has a detailed understanding of the highly technical medical issues, particularly relating to birth injury cases. His experience allows him to provide meaningful ad...
Carr conducts a trial advocacy practice in the field of civil litigation. Carr has successfully represented his clients at trial before the Superior Court of Justice and the Financial Services Commission of Ontario. Carr’s practice is dedicated to helping victims and their families achieve the best possible results when they have suffered serious personal injuries.Carr’s practice focuses on helping victims of personal injuries and fatalities, historic sexual assaults, product liab...
" As a founding partner of HSH, my vision and our mandate was simple – to be a firm that would help accident victims during their time of crisis, to be an advocate for the little guy against the big insurance company and to effect positive change in the lives of our clients. Since beginning in 2000, HSH has grown into one of Ontario’s most respected and successful personal injury law firms, helping accident victims and those being treated unfairly by insurance companies. Our visio...
David Himelfarb is head of the Litigation practice at the firm . He has extensive experience in civil litigation and has appeared before all levels of Courts and tribunals in the Province, including the Ontario Court of Appeal as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. He is acknowledged as an effective advocate and negotiator . Many of his cases have been reported and are utilized as precedents in the legal community. His reputation and proven track record are supported by a long list of multi-...
One of Canada’s leading litigators, Gillian is renowned for her empathy, fearless advocacy, and dedication to her clients. Gillian maintains a diverse civil litigation practice involving administrative and public law, professional liability (as preferred counsel for LAWPRO), health law, employment law, and general commercial litigation. Most notably, Gillian is one of Canada’s leading experts in gender-based violence and frequently takes on cases involving sexual assault, abuse, h...
" I chose, along with my founding partners, to create a law firm which would be dedicated to providing quality legal service to personal injury victims ." Jim’s practice is devoted to litigation, principally in the areas of personal injury litigation, insurance claims and medical malpractice, on behalf of victims. Jim helps clients deal with disasters that have come into their lives. When it comes to making sure that they are properly compensated for their injuries and able to manage th...
Michael Huclack is a partner at Beard Winter LLP and a member of the firm’s Insurance Litigation group. Since his call to the British Columbia bar in 1989 and to the Ontario bar in 1991, Michael has practised exclusively in the area of insurance defence litigation. His practice includes first-party and tort motor vehicle claims, disputes between insurers, and CGL, homeowners, and product liability actions. Michael has appeared as counsel before the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Superior ...
" My clients’ lives have often been irreparably changed by their accident or disability. They require a caring ear, knowledgeable counsel, a creative problem-solver, and someone who is ready to go the distance. It is incredibly rewarding to be all of these things for my clients ." Meghan’s practice is devoted to all types of personal injury litigation on behalf of seriously injured plaintiffs and their families. She has genuine concern for the predicaments of her clients and goes ...
Simona Jellinek leads the Sexual Abuse and Assault team as counsel. Simona has more than 25 years of representing survivors of childhood abuse as well as adult assaults. She has litigated against religions institutions, Childrens’ Aid Societies, all levels of government, Big Brothers, Scouts, school boards, and many other institutions where people are placed in harms way. Simona’s has litigated hundreds of cases and has helped her clients achieve some of the highest settlements fo...
Erik is a Partner at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers LLP. His practice is devoted to personal injury and class action litigation including long-term care home negligence, motor vehicle accidents, accident benefits claims, occupier's liability, and long-term disability cases. Erik is known as a fierce advocate with excellent communication skills. Erik has appeared before the Superior Court of Justice, Small Claims Court, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, and the License and Appea...
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