Protecting yourself emotionally after an MVA.

Motor vehicle accidents can be traumatic events, often leading to a wide range of emotions. The impact felt can range from minor to severe depending on the nature of the accident, the injuries, and the individual’s personal strength and resilience. An accident will most likely lead to emotional or psychological trauma if it happened unexpectedly, you were unprepared for it, and you felt powerless to prevent it. The emotions felt can range from anger and anxiety to depression if you were not the ticketed party and guilt if you were the ticketed party. The emotional toll in an injury can be...

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How to choose an injury or disability lawyer.

If you have been injured or are suffering from a disability, you may be wondering whether you need to speak to a lawyer about your needs and entitlement. A good rule of thumb is to trust your instincts. If you think you need to speak to a lawyer, you probably do. The next question is how to choose the right lawyer. Choosing the right lawyer for a specific type of injury or disability claim is an important decision. The lawyer who assisted you with your house purchase is likely not the best lawyer to take on your injury or disability claim. An injury or disability claim requires specific...

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When resigning may actually be wrongful dismissal.

A constructive dismissal occurs when an employer substantially changes the terms of an employee’s contract of employment which the employee does not consent to, either explicitly or implicitly. In this situation, the employee may be able to treat the employment contract as being at an end, which entitles the employee to notice from the employer as if the employee had been terminated. Employer Actions that Constitute Constructive Dismissal For a constructive dismissal to occur, the employer must act in a way that changes the fundamental terms of the employment relationship are changed. Such...

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Reasonable notice for the senior short term employee.

  If you are a senior employee who has been fired after only a brief period of employment, there is a good chance you will end up with more severance than you expected – unless of course you are subject to an air-tight termination clause in your contract. Whether, as some have suggested, you may be entitled to 6 months pay is an open question. In his leading text on wrongful dismissal law in Canada, David Harris considers a number of court decisions involving the dismissal of senior level, short term employees and concludes:  Accordingly, it appears, barring any unusual circumstances,...

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Contingency Fees – FAQ’s.

What is a Contingency Fee Agreement? A Contingency Fee Agreement (CFA) is a contract between a law firm (or lawyer) and the client in a case where legal fees are payable as a percentage of the amount recovered as damages. Under a CFA, the legal fees are payable only if the case is successful. This means that, if the case is not successful, the client does not pay any legal fees. The CFA must be in writing and signed by both the client and the lawyer. What type of cases use a CFA? Mostly, a CFA is used in personal injury or wrongful death matters. It is also frequently utilized in some...

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Disability in the workplace.

A worker may suffer illness, accident or other condition that prevents continuance of work duties over a period of time. Such scenarios may happen at the workplace or at an extension of the workplace. In recent years, workplace stress itself has been the trigger for serious illness leading to disability claims. An employee who becomes disabled may be eligible for financial compensation if such are included in the benefits package provided by the employer. These payments are usually fulfilled through benefits under an insurance plan. While many disability claims are handled and resolved in a...

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