Personal Injury and Litigation Blogs
After The Event Insurance is STILL Available in Ontario!
Due to a recent decision by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, some indemnity contracts are no longer available. Nudorra Capital is promoting the use of ATE Insurance products through a strategic relationship we have with an Insurance Broker. The overwhelming advantages of costs, security, and protection, for both lawyer and plaintiff, speak for themselves. THE BOTTOM LINE: Insurance companies are licensed and regulated, their capital is protected, and they
Is There a Future for MVA Cases in Ontario?
As we reported in June 2015, pending changes to the standard benefits that auto insurers must offer means significant reductions in motorists’ accident benefits. This continues a government push since 2010 to reduce premiums by 15%. (Premiums did fall by 7% to 10% but seem unlikely to decrease beyond this.) Personal injury lawyers who represent plaintiffs see a range of issues unfolding: Lower dollar amounts for victims at settlement/arbitration/judgement Significantly
When Insurers Merge, What Happens to Plaintiffs & Their Lawyers?
Recently, RBC announced it was selling its General Insurance company to Aviva for $582 million. This happened a few months after Desjardins acquired State Farm’s Canadian business, making them #3 in the industry, after Intact and Aviva. And not many years ago, Intact acquired AXA’s business. In addition, Economical is looking to demutualize, to raise funds which will “likely be tied around acquisition activity,” in the words of CEO Karen
After The Event Insurance is Superior to Indemnity Contracts
Across Ontario, Insurance and Indemnity companies are approaching lawyers for business. These products have some basic similarities. This has bred a lot of confusion about these products – lawyers (and even judges) have mistakenly used the term “insurance” to describe an indemnity product. THE BOTTOM LINE: Insurance policies have distinct advantages over Indemnity contracts. Insurance companies are licensed and regulated, their capital is protected, and they have decades of global
What is Mediation?
Most people are surprised to learn that the majority of personal injury cases never go to trial. The courts are backed up. Trials are risky and expensive. In fact, 90% of injury cases in Ontario settle before they go to trial; only about 2% of civil suits are tried in court. The alternatives to a trial include settlement discussions and meetings, or mediation. Settlement discussions usually involve a lot of
Adverse Cost & Disbursement Protection for Personal Injury Cases
There is a fair degree of confusion around new legal insurance and indemnity products in Ontario. We researched the histories of these products, companies offering them in Ontario, and articles written by and about them. We also interviewed several prominent personal injury lawyers in Ontario. Adverse cost coverage is also known as “legal costs protection”. The products on the market provide coverage to litigants who face paying costs to a
What is a Paralegal?
People are sometimes confused about what a Paralegal does, and how they differ from lawyers. In fact, many paralegals work alongside lawyers, on all types of cases. Paralegals work in courthouses, government offices, lawyers’ offices, and legal clinics. Paralegals can handle Small Claims Court civil suits, such as personal injury and disability cases, up to $25,000, including slip & fall. They can handle claims resulting from motor vehicle accidents and
Registered Disability Savings Plans
The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) gives disabled adults, or the parents of disabled children, an easy and effective way to save and invest money for long-term security and peace of mind. Disabled people often have challenges finding a job, and often earn lower wages when they are working. Money invested in a RDSP grows tax-free, and you could qualify for government grants, too. In some cases, the government will
Disability Tax Credit – Advice from Two Financial Advisors
Theresa Tosh is a Vice-President and Certified Financial Planner at TD Wealth. John Osborne is a Chartered Investment Manager and Certified International Wealth Manager with Wise Advisory Group in Oakville. The Disability Tax Credit Theresa’s #1 piece of advice: Apply for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) as soon as possible. The DTC reduces your income tax. It can be worth as much as $4,000 a year, depending on your province.
Emotional Effects of Personal Injury
Karen Landry is a lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Dalhousie University in Halifax. She specializes in hand injuries. We asked Karen about different types of therapy, and the emotional effects of personal injury. Most people have heard of Physiotherapy, often to treat sports injuries. Occupational therapists assess your ability to return to work, then make a plan and schedule. They’re trained in ergonomics and other techniques to measure and assess
