Personal injury work is a broad practice area encompassing all manner of physical and psychological injuries suffered in a wide range of circumstances such as motor vehicle accidents; occupier's liability claims; public liability claims involving all levels of government, school boards and so forth with respect to alleged negligence pertaining to the operation of highways, public transportation and recreational facilities; product liability claims including pharmaceutical and medical device litigation; and catastrophic loss claims such as accidents resulting in paraplegia.
With respect to injuries arising from motor vehicle accidents, it is important to note that Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan have comprehensive, statutory no-fault regimes which establish fixed payments for various types of injuries suffered. Consequently, there is very little motor vehicle personal injury litigation. In identifying leading practitioners in these provinces, we have restricted the practice area definition to those lawyers engaged in non-motor vehicle catastrophic loss litigation. For example, swimming pool accidents resulting in paraplegia.
For Ontario, the practice area definition is also circumscribed in that for injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents there is a comprehensive, statutory no-fault regime, which is mandatory up to various "thresholds".
Please note that the Directory has a separate section for MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE.