Tag archives: Law

School Bus Safety

#AskDanielDiamond More than 800,000 children use school buses to get to and from school in Ontario, so it’s good to know that school buses have compiled an enviable safety record. Described by the Canada Safety Council as one of the safest forms of transportation, and 16 times safer than travelling in the family car, the government is looking for ways to make it even safer. The argument against seatbelts on school buses Keeping passengers safe in the event a school bus is in an accident has relied on the design of the interior. School buses use compartmentalization to protect passengers in a ... Read more

Red Light Cameras: Are They Effective?

#AskRobertGabor Plans to double the number of Toronto intersections where red-light cameras are in operation from the current 77 locations were announced by city officials as part efforts to improve road safety. The cameras resulted in more than 36,000 motorists being charged last year with violations. A question that always arises when red-light cameras are mentioned is the effect they actually have on road safety and accident prevention. How red-light cameras work According to Transport Canada, 40 percent of all fatalities at intersections are the result of drivers either failing to yield the right of way or disobeying traffic control devices. One method provincial ... Read more

Pain and Suffering Compensation in Ontario

#AskSimonDiamond When an accident victim meets with a Toronto lawyer to talk about filing a claim for compensation, a topic that must be touched upon is the difference between pain and suffering awards in the U.S. and Canada. News stories about multimillion dollar awards for pain and suffering in the U.S. simply do not happen in Canada. Actually, to be more accurate, they cannot happen because of a series of court decisions by the Supreme Court of Canada that have come to be known collectively as “the trilogy.” Tort law and compensating victims A tort is a wrongful act or ... Read more

Suing For Injuries Suffered By Members of Your Family

#AskMichaelBlois People generally associate a personal injury lawsuit with a claim filed on behalf of a person injured or killed in an accident caused by the negligence or carelessness of another person. If the victim is a member of your family, you might be able to file your own claim for damages under Ontario law. Ontario Family Law Act Certain members of the family of a person killed or injured in an accident may be entitled to sue for damages under the Family Law Act in Ontario. The law gives the following dependents of an accident victim the right to sue: ... Read more

Time Limits For Starting Lawsuits in Ontario

#AskStevenWilder If you have been injured in a car accident, a slip and fall, or other mishap caused by the negligent, careless or reckless conduct of another party, you should not delay in speaking to a personal injury lawyer. In Ontario, the Limitations Act specifies the time limits for filing lawsuits. If your lawsuit for compensation is started after the time limit has expired, it will be dismissed by the court and your right to recover damages lost forever. Basic principles of limitation periods Limitation periods, also known as the statute of limitations, can be tricky to understand and to ... Read more