Legal Expertise and Experience - All Rolled into One.

Regardless of your circumstances, our goal is the protection of your rights and ensuring you receive fair and adequate compensation in the Southern Ontario, Golden Horseshoe and Niagara regions. We understand this a difficult time, and most of our clients are unfamiliar with the legal process and the best steps or approach to take. At Cook Reynolds, we put our passion for the law to work for you by taking the time necessary to explain what your rights are in order to demystify the process. Our goal is to ensure you have a full understanding of your particular situation, so that you can make informed decisions.

Long Term Disability Motor Vehicle Accidents Slips & Falls Fatal Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Mediation Employment

 

Long Term Disability

You or your employer likely paid premiums for years in case the situation arose where you are unable to work due to serious illness or injury. Your long term disability insurer is supposed to be there to provide the coverage that you contracted for and paid premiums towards when needed most. Unfortunately, these contracts are not always honoured to expectation of the insureds and denial of benefits is unfortunately common.

Insurance companies will often take the position that you do not meet the long term disability requirements set out in the policy, even if your own doctors have stated you are unable to work or should not be working.

Cook Reynolds LLP can help you through the long term disability claims process and answer specific queries about your entitlement under the policy. Questions may include:

Should you appeal the initial decision denying your long term disability benefits?

Does the long term disability test change at the two year mark?

What is the difference between the “own occupation” and “any occupation” test?

Should I apply for Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits (CPPD)?

Speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer from Cook Reynolds. We’re here to help with offices in the Hamilton/Burlington and St. Catharines Ontario area, also serving the surrounding areas. Read more about our Ontario long-term disability law practice.

 

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Every case is different, some more complex than others. If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Ontario, protecting your rights is critical. The first step is having a full understanding of what those rights are. At Cook Reynolds, we deal with motor vehicle accident cases every day. We can help you understand what legal steps you should take and why.

In Ontario, motor vehicle accident cases are covered by a statutory and regulatory system that sets out your rights. This regulatory system is complex and is frequently changed or amended. We can help you navigate the system. Whether you were a driver or a passenger in a car, a pedestrian or cyclist struck by a motor vehicle, or were involved in a motorcycle, snowmobile or ATV accident, we can help. Even if you think you were at fault for the accident, we can let you know what rights to compensation are available to you.

The first thing to know is that in Ontario there are typically two avenues for obtaining compensation following a motor vehicle accident. First, you can apply for accident benefits from your own insurer or the insurer of the car you were in, or another insurer of a motor vehicle that was involved in the accident. Second, in many cases you may also have a claim against the person or persons that caused the accident. We are here to help advise you on who will likely be at fault for the accident and what compensation is available. You will have questions such as “Do I have the right to sue for compensation for pain and suffering and economic losses? ”Will the settlement cover future care costs and housekeeping expenses?” Should I apply for Accident Benefits? We are here to help. Speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer from Cook Reynolds. We’re here to help.

 

Slips and Falls

What do you think of when you hear the word “accident”? Some think of a motor vehicle incident, others a pedestrian slip and fall. At Cook Reynolds, we can attest to the fact that there are countless types of accidents.

Has someone been negligent in keeping their premises safe and you have been injured as a result? It is the duty of a property occupier to keep their premises in good repair. If they have not done so, and you’ve been hurt, then you may have a claim against them. The intricacies and timing of these suits require a personal injury lawyer from the onset, especially if it occurred on municipal property or involved ice and snow. Speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer from Cook Reynolds. We are here to help, serving a wide range of locations in Southern Ontario including Mississauga, Burlington, Hamilton, Welland and St. Catharines Ontario. Please contact us today for a free consultation.

 

Fatal Accidents

There is nothing more heart-wrenching than the death of a loved one. Especially when it was preventable or the result of someone else’s negligence. It is a loss that can never be overcome. Every family member provides support to their loved ones in their own unique way and when a loved one is lost the family suffers a loss of care, guidance and companionship that is often legally compensable.

Remaining family members are left wondering how they will manage financially or otherwise care for the rest of the family in the absence of their loved one. If the deceased supported the family, either financially or in a caregiving role, there is often a legal claim for the loss of support that the individual would have provided to the family. There are also potential claims for loss of handy-person services that the loved one would have provided.

There are certain provisions under the Ontario Family Law Act, that set out the entitlements for family members such as spouses, parents, children and grandparents. The lawyers at Cook Reynolds LLP have years of experience dealing with the complexities of such sensitive cases. Speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer from Cook Reynolds. We are here to help.

 

Pedestrian Accidents

Being struck by a vehicle is unfortunately all too common on Ontario’s roadways. Whether you’re going for a walk, a run, or riding your bike, if you’ve been hit by a car you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer from Cook Reynolds. We are here to help, so please contact us today for a free consultation.

 

Mediation

Bruce Cook has an extensive background and knowledge of insurance litigation with over 20 years of experience as an insurance defence lawyer. His background includes acting as defence counsel on motor vehicle accident cases, accident benefits cases, long term disability cases and products liability cases. He has mediated numerous cases, not only as a mediator but as counsel for both insurers and their insureds, as well for plaintiffs. Bruce has a unique and balanced background that allows him to have insights into the interests of both the plaintiff room and the defence room. He prides himself on being fair, balanced and thoughtful in his approach and being a value-added mediator that helps guide the discussion to help both sides fully appreciate the risks of litigation and achieve resolution.

In addition to his technical knowledge of insurance litigation, Bruce is also compassionate and understanding and is always willing to spend the time required to ensure that litigants are comfortable with the process and understand the issues they face. He has represented clients from Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington and many other municipalities in Southern Ontario.

In 2015, Bruce completed the Mediating Disputes Program, Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.

RATES:

• $2000 plus expenses and HST for a half day

• $3500 plus expenses and HST for a full day.

 

Employment

If you have been terminated by your employer or your job responsibilities have been reduced significantly you may be entitled to payment in lieu of notice. At Cook Reynolds LLP we advise both employers and employees on all different areas regarding the employment relationship, we help clients navigate both simple and complex workplace events. When it comes to Ontario law, trust in our employment lawyers to meet your needs and ensure you are treated fairly and know your rights. From initial consultation through negotiations and, if need be, into the courtroom, Cook Reynolds LLP provides representation to a wide range of clients on a wide variety of cases stemming from severance, wrongful dismissal, harassment, layoffs, non-compete, frustration of contract – even sensitive cases specific to COVID-19. Speak with an experienced Ontario employment lawyer from Cook Reynolds. We’re here to help.

*All site content on cookreynolds.ca is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results and any amounts quoted are not necessarily indicative of future results. All claims, benefits, damages, and other litigation outcomes will vary in individual cases.

 

Additional areas of practice include but are not limited to:

  • accident benefits

  • income replacement benefit

  • motorcycle accident

  • bicycle accident

  • wrongful death

  • insurance coverage

  • tort law

  • product liability

  • occupier’s liability

  • employment matters

  • wrongful dismissal

  • catastrophic injuries

  • traumatic brain injury

  • assault & battery/intentional torts

  • nursing home claims

  • boating accidents

  • dog bites/attacks