Personal Injury

What is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury law includes any claim brought by an injured person against the person or company who caused the injury. Ahlstrom Wright takes on personal injury cases on a contingency basis, meaning that we don’t get paid until you receive compensation.

How Can Ahlstrom Wright Help Me With Personal Injury Law?

If you have been physically or mentally injured because of someone else’s actions, you could be entitled to compensation through the at-fault person’s insurance. At Ahlstrom Wright, we understand the process involved in pursuing compensation from insurance companies. Our experienced lawyers will protect your rights and ensure you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries.

Our Personal Injury Lawyers Serve the Communities of Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut

If you require legal assistance, contact Ahlstrom Wright for a free consultation.

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Types of Personal Injury Our Lawyers Can Assist You With

There are many different types of injuries that can result from someone else’s fault. Typical injuries seen in personal injury cases include:

• Fractured Bones
• Soft Tissue Injuries (muscles, ligaments, tendons)
• TMJ Dysfunction
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI’s)
• Psychological Injuries
• Chronic Pain/ Fibromyalgia

Personal Injury Claim Types

The most common types of personal injury law claims are:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Slip and Falls / Trip and Falls
• Product Liability
• Dog Bites
• Airplane Crashes
• Wrongful Death

Motor Vehicle Accidents – Personal Injury Claims in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut

A motor vehicle accident can be disruptive while you attempt to recover from your injuries. Your own insurance company should assist you with fixing your vehicle and paying for medical treatments, but they will not help you recover compensation from the at-fault driver. You can pursue the other driver’s insurance company on your own, or you can hire one of Ahlstrom Wright’s personal injury lawyers to ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation.

In Alberta, there is a statutory limit on how much an injured person can claim for their pain and suffering. This limit of $5,020 (the 2017 cap), often referred to as the Minor Injury Cap, applies to car accidents that result in soft tissue injuries unless your injuries fit within a defined exception. Beware – a minor injury claim is capped based on the year of the accident; therefore if you were hypothetically injured in 2014, you would be capped at $4,777 (the 2014 cap) not at $5,020 (the 2017 cap). It is important to remember that not all soft tissue injuries fall under the Minor Injury Cap. Also, fractured bones and nerve injuries from a car accident do not fall under the Minor Injury Cap. Ahlstrom Wright’s lawyers have a great deal of experience challenging whether or not the Minor Injury Cap should apply to specific injuries.

There is no cap on damages for motor vehicle accidents in the NWT or Nunavut, but bringing a claim in these jurisdictions can still be complicated. Our personal injury lawyers would be happy to assist you if you have been injured in a NWT or Nunavut car accident.

Slip and Falls / Trip and Falls – Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Alberta, Nunavut and the NWT

Injuries can occur because of falls that occur on someone else’s property. Alberta’s Occupier’s Liability Act requires property owners to ensure their premises are safe for visitors, and if they fail to do so, the property owner could be responsible for compensating people who are injured on their property. While the NWT does not have an Occupier’s Liability Act, the Court has established standards to ensure that property owners maintain safe premises for visitors.

Proving that a property owner is liable for your injuries can be a difficult process, especially against large commercial businesses. Ahlstrom Wright’s lawyers have successfully advanced claims for slip and falls and trip and falls against both small and large businesses.

Product Liability – Canadian Personal Injury Claims

All products sold in Canada are required to meet rigid safety standards, but sometimes people are still injured by defective products. If you believe that you have been injured by a defective product, be sure to preserve the defective product and take as many photographs as possible of the product and your injuries.

Ahlstrom Wright’s personal injury lawyers can review your situation and assess whether or not you have a valid claim for product liability.

Dog Bites – What Are Your Legal Obligations in Canada?

Every year in Canada, thousands of people are injured from dog bites. Generally speaking, the owner of a dog that attacks someone is only liable if the owner knew that the dog had a history of aggressive behavior, and the owner failed to take steps to prevent the dog from biting someone.

In some cases, the Court will not award compensation to the victim of a dog bite if the victim provoked the dog, even if the dog had a history of violence previously.

Deciding whether or not to proceed with a claim for a dog bite can be difficult, especially if you do not know whether a dog has a violent history. Our personal injury lawyers can assist with assessing dog bite claims so that you do not invest resources into a claim that may have a low chance of success; contact one of our lawyers now for a free consultation.

Airplane Crashes – Personal Injury Claims in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut

The Personal Injury lawyers at Ahlstrom Wright have resolved personal injury claims arising from airplane crashes in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Our lawyers have experience dealing with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, an independent body that investigates all airplane crashes, to establish negligence against airlines, airline manufacturers, and pilots.

If you were a passenger on an airplane and suffered injuries as a result of a crash or onboard incident, then Ahlstrom Wright’s lawyers can help you. Contact us now to discuss your case.

Wrongful Death – What Happens if a Family Member is Killed Due to Another Person’s Negligence?

If a family member was killed due to the negligence of another person, then you may be entitled to bring a claim for wrongful death. A wrongful death can occur as a result of any of the common types of personal injury law claims described above.

Alberta’s Fatal Accidents Act establishes specified damages for bereavement if you have lost a loved one. You may also be entitled to compensation for loss of dependency for the valuable services that the deceased person would have provided to you during their lifetime.

In the NWT, there is no law stating what bereavement damages family members are entitled to receive. However, family members can claim for loss of dependency and loss of future earnings if the deceased was killed by someone else’s negligence.

Ahlstrom Wright’s personal injury lawyers understand how difficult it can be to lose a loved one. It can be especially troublesome when death has occurred because of someone’s negligence.

We have experience handling wrongful death claims in Alberta, the NWT, and Nunavut. If you have questions and need legal guidance regarding a wrongful death or personal injury case, contact our personal injury legal team for a free case review.