The waterfront villages surrounding Lake Erie have a certain je ne sais quoi that’s hard to put your finger on. Fishing boats line up alongside pleasure boats, and people who live here year round rub shoulders with those who come up for the summer, often assuming they can adequately navigate the lake despite never actually having spent much time on it. People head to the lake with the express intention of escaping the noise and chaos of city life, but, and it can happen at the drop of a hat, accidents can happen and suddenly everything that was going well is turned upside down. This can take the form of a boating accident, or slip and fall incidents at marinas, or even a car crash on the twisty local roads. A lot of people from these lakeside communities have found themselves knocking on our door for help, folks who never for the life of them thought they would need a lawyer. This is especially true of those who tell themselves their case is a simple one, that it’ll sort itself out without any need for intervention.
It’s a pretty big deal being able to sit down and chat with a lawyer for free. Now, one of the biggest barriers to people getting the help they need is the cost, and the fact is it’s often just too much of a hurdle for people to clear. Our free meetings are a safe space for you to talk through what happened, ask the questions that are burning a hole in your brain, and get a good grasp on your rights and your options without having to shell out a small fortune. And let’s be real, no one should be forced to go without proper legal backup just because they live in a tiny town. That’s just not right. Injured in a bar or restaurant? We handle restaurant and bar liability claims related to unsafe conditions, assaults, or over-service of alcohol.
Accidents play out differently in lake communities compared to inland areas. The risk is at its peak in the summer when you’ve got hordes of tourists and the waterways are just chock full of boats and other activity. To make sense of boating accidents, dock injuries, swimming mishaps, and all the other things that can go wrong in the summer, you really need to know your maritime law and liability. The local residents may have a sense of what to expect, but visitors don’t, and that can spell disaster.
During our free consultations, we’ll go over all the paperwork related to your accident in painstaking detail. We’re talking police reports, medical records, insurance letters, photos of the accident scene, and any Coast Guard reports that might be relevant, as well as what any witnesses might have seen. Our aim is to give you a very clear idea of just how strong your case might be, and what you might be able to get for what you’ve been through. Slip and fall accidents can cause serious injury. We help clients file claims for slip/trip and fall accidents on both public and private property.
Getting help after an accident can be a real challenge in small villages by the lake. They’ve just got limited resources to deal with emergencies, and so when you combine that with volunteer fire departments that only work in the summer, part-time medical facilities, and emergency services that might be tough to get to and take an age to arrive, it’s a wonder anyone gets the help they need. When it comes to personal injury cases, that’s the kind of thing we’ve got to take into account.
Insurance companies will often get in touch with people who’ve had an accident before they’ve even started seeking medical care, or even had a chance to find out just how bad their injuries are. And the thing is, the insurance company’s main priority isn’t necessarily looking out for your best interests, it’s finding the best deal for themselves. So it pays to talk to someone who knows what they’re doing before you say anything, or accept any offers.
There are plenty of battles over waterfront property, marina liability, and the various accidents involving recreational equipment that all come down to a deep understanding of property law and premises liability. During your free consultation, we’ll go over all these specific issues and how they might affect your case, depending on where and how your accident happened.
You’ve got two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in Ontario, which makes it a bit of a mad dash to get to court with personal injury claims. We’ll make sure you’re meeting all the deadlines, so you don’t end up missing your chance to collect the compensation you deserve. Injuries can cost you a lot more than just the medical bills, they can also mean lost wages, ongoing treatment costs, and a lower quality of life overall.
During a free consultation, we’ll break down our contingency fee arrangement for you. That means you only pay us if your case is successful, so you can get the professional help you need without breaking the bank.