Motor Vehicle Accidents

Our largest area of practice is motor vehicle accident cases. If someone else was at fault for the accident, you are entitled to compensation for damages caused by their negligence. Examples of the sorts of compensation include damages for past and future income loss; pain and suffering; loss of housekeeping capacity; expenses for medical treatment and rehabilitation; past and future care needs; and claims by your own family members. In addition to a claim against the negligent driver, you are entitled to “no fault” Statutory Accident Benefits that are available even if you were the one at fault.

Once an insurance company becomes involved, they may want to meet with you and take a statement. They may also want to settle your claim for as little as possible as early as possible. To ensure your rights are protected it is important for you to hire a lawyer as soon after the accident as possible. In addition to protecting you from the insurance company and seeking maximum compensation for your injuries, your lawyer will also make sure that you have access to all of the medical and rehabilitation treatment you need to help you on the road to recovery.

Sean Giovannetti has over 15 years of experience handling serious motor vehicle accident cases of all sorts. If you have been injured in an MVA, contact us to discuss your case, without any fee involved and with no obligation.

Slip and Fall Claims

If property owners do not keep their properties safe, members of the public are at risk for slip or trip and fall accidents. Many slip or trip and falls occur when property owners or occupiers fail to properly clear their property of ice, snow and water. In Ottawa and across Eastern Ontario, these falls commonly occur at restaurants, parking lots, sidewalks, pathways, malls, stores and office buildings.

When you slip or trip and fall, serious injuries can occur such as torn ligaments, broken bones, shoulder injuries, neck and back injuries and head injuries.

If injured in a slip and fall, you may be faced with significant medical bills for rehabilitation not covered by OHIP; lost wages and other financial losses; not to mention significant pain and suffering.

In Ottawa and across Ontario owners and property occupiers have obligations under the Occupiers’ Liability Act. We are experienced handling Occupiers’ Liability claims. If your trip or fall was the result of someone else’s negligence or a failure to comply with duties under the Occupiers’ Liability Act, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses and pain and suffering.

If you have experienced a slip and fall injury in a public or private place, contact us for a free consultation to discuss whether you might have a case.

Disabilities

Short and Long Term Disability

Many employees have short term disability insurance (STD) and long term disability insurance (LTD) coverage. This insurance protects your income if you become ill or injured and are unable to work.

Often, even though insurance premiums are paid, insurance companies still deny valid claims for short and long term disability benefits. The insurance company might come up with a variety of reasons for denying or cutting off your benefits. Some of the reasons we frequently see for a termination or denial of a claim include:

• You do not meet the qualifying time requirements to claim benefits.
• Your impairment does not meet the technical definition of disability, according to the insurance company adjuster or the medical expert hired by the insurance company to review your claim.
• The test for impairment has changed after two years and you are no longer eligible for benefits.
• You gave false medical information or made misrepresentations when applying for benefits.

Don’t give up if the insurance company says you are not entitled to short or long term disability benefits. We are familiar with the insurance industry and insurance company tactics. We will help you fight for your rights and hold the disability insurance company accountable if it denies your legitimate claim for benefits. We will help get your benefits re-instated or negotiate a lump sum settlement of past and future benefits.