Personal injuries can also arise from a wide variety of other circumstances, including:
- Boating accidents
- Diving accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Skiing accidents
- Snowmobile and ATV accidents
- Slip-and-fall
- Assaults
- Injury caused by defective product
- Injury caused by the negligence of others
- Exposure to toxic chemicals and moulds
To receive compensation for these injuries, you must prove that another person or business is responsible.
Grounds for compensation can include: pain and suffering, lost income, cost of required treatments, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Additionally, family members may also be entitled to their own compensation for expenses they incur, and any loss of care, guidance, and companionship from you.
In all cases of personal injury, you should immediately seek medical attention to assess your injuries and obtain treatment. If possible, try to keep notes of the doctors you see and the treatment they provide.
In all cases of personal injury, you should seek the advice of a lawyer as soon as possible. As is explained under Important Deadlines, there will be strict timelines that will limit your ability to bring a claim. If you miss those timelines, you may be stopped from seeking any compensation, regardless of the seriousness of your injuries.
What if I have been injured in a trip or slip-and-fall?
Slip-and-falls can happen anywhere: public sidewalks, malls, stores, restaurants, private property, office buildings, or even on the job. If you have fallen while at your job, please also see Workplace Accidents.
There is a legal obligation on property owners to keep sidewalks, store aisles, office corridors, and other public areas in safe condition and free of danger. When the conditions of these areas fall below reasonable standards and you are injured, you may be entitled to compensation.
If possible, you should try and take photographs of the accident site as soon as you can. The condition of the site will often change, and photographs can help document any dangers that were present when you fell.
You should also notify the owner of the property about your fall as soon as possible. Owners will often make incident reports, and you should try to obtain a copy. Try to note the name of the person you spoke to, as well as his or her position if appropriate.
If anyone else witnessed your fall, you should try and get his or her name, address, and telephone number.
What if I am injured while using a product?
Generally speaking, there is a legal obligation on manufacturers and retailers to ensure that the products they sell are safe to be used by consumers. If you are injured as a result of using a purchased product, then you may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer of the product, and/or the retailer who sold the product.
In order to advance a claim, you will have to establish that the product you used was defective and that this defect caused your injury. To help you establish this, you should preserve as much of the product as possible for further testing. If possible, take photographs of the product as well.
Additionally, you will have to establish who manufactured the product and where it was purchased. If possible, you should try and locate any receipts, warranties, or packaging for the product.
You should also make notes of how you were injured, including details of how you used the product, how often you had used the product before, and how your injury occurred.
What if I am exposed to chemicals or other toxins?
Exposure to chemicals and other toxins, even certain types of mould, can have negative health consequences. Often exposure can extend over long periods of time before you start to show symptoms.
The question of who may be responsible for exposure to a toxin is complicated and varies in each case. Responsible parties may include: manufacturers, builders, owners, inspectors, or employers.
If you believe that you have been exposed to a toxin and have been injured as a result, the first step will be to identify the origin of the toxin. Your doctors should be able to assist you in identifying the toxin, where it may be located, and whether it is the cause of your injury or symptoms.
If the toxin is located at your workplace, please consult Workplace Accidents.
The owner of the property where the toxin is located will have to be contacted immediately, as will various government agencies. Additionally, various legal steps may need to be taken immediately in order to preserve evidence of the toxin.
