Vancouver BC Personal Injury Lawyers - Stephens and Holman

Claims arising from wrongful deaths in British Columbia are governed by the Family Compensation Act. In order to make a claim for compensation, there must be three factors present.
First, one must be able to prove that someone was negligent. For instance, in a traffic accident, you have to be able to prove that somebody else was responsible for the death. Second, of course, the death has to ensue from the injuries suffered in the accident. The death may occur at some point further on, but if it is from some other cause, such as a long-term illness, there would not be the causation that’s necessary to bring a suit for negligence. If the accident resulted from of the negligence of somebody else, then it is compensable. The accident does not have to involve an automobile either. If someone, for instance, was going to a restaurant and he slipped and fell on ice in the parking lot, hit his head and died, there could be a claim also.
In British Columbia, we have what is called contributory negligence. The courts might find that the deceased was not using an available seatbelt. In such a case, the court might deduct some percentage from the compensation if it believed that the failure to wear a seatbelt contributed to the injuries causing death.
The third requirement in British Columbia is that the deceased has economic dependents. For instance, if an eight-year-old child is run over in the road and killed, there is, unfortunately, no economic compensation as the child would not have dependents.
To summarize, in order to bring a claim under the Family Compensation Act, there must be proof that someone was negligent; the death must be clearly caused by the negligence of this person or persons and there must also be dependents affected financially by the loss; they are the ones who would initiate the claim.
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If you, or someone you care about, is dealing with Personal injury law issues in the Vancouver, British Columbia Region, contact Stephens & Holman

Although flying is perhaps the safest way to travel, however, planes do crash on rare occasions. Whether the fault was with the pilot, the weather, or poor ground control, the results from a plane crash are oftentimes devastating to both the victims and their families.

Personal Injury

If you were lucky enough to survive after being involved in a plane crash, it is more than likely that you sustained severe injuries. These injuries can sometimes leave you incapable of going to work, paying your medical expenses, or taking care of your family. Contacting personal injury Lawyers such as the ones at Stephens & Holman, who have experience in these cases can help you begin the process of collecting compensation to which you are entitled.

Wrongful Death

Due to the nature of the majority of plane crashes there is a high likelihood that those involved will not survive. If you have a loved one that has been killed in a plane crash an Lawyer with experience in dealing with wrongful death from a plane crash can help you navigate this oftentimes-confusing scenario. This will allow you more time to focus on loved ones and make whatever preparations are necessary for the victim.

If you live in British Columbia and have been injured in a plane crash, or if you have lost a loved one in a plane crash, please contact the Lawyers at Stephens and Holman to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

There are many different factors that can contribute to a boating accident that are different from those involved while driving a car. For this reason it is sometimes hard to determine who is at fault in a boating accident. Typically, the person whose negligence caused the boat accident is the one who is responsible for paying damages, but, again, this is hard to establish in some cases.

Examples of Negligence while Boating

• Not obeying proper safety precautions, e.g. going over the speed limit
• Operating the boat in a reckless manner
• Operating while under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Sometimes it can be found that more than one person was at fault in a boat accident. In this case, both parties could be responsible for paying damages in proportion to their level of fault. If the victim of an injury was at fault or shared partial fault, then the amount of damages will be decreased by the amount of fault the victim is responsible for.

If you have any further questions about who is at fault in a boating accident, please contact the law offices of Stephens and Holman to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced boating accident Lawyers. We serve residents in Vancouver and all of British Columbia.

According to the latest 2009 statistics, upwards of nine million people participate in recreational boating every year. This number has risen steadily over the last ten years and with the increase in boating traffic, there comes an increase in boating accidents. Many times, these boating accidents result in injury or even death. If you are one of the hundreds of people who have been involved in a boating accident this year it is in your best interests to find a qualified personal injury Lawyer like the ones at Stephens & Holman who has experience dealing with boat-related injuries.

Because most small boats are used as recreational vehicles there is more of a tendency to have alcohol on board a boat than there is in an automobile. Last year over a third of boating accidents involved alcohol. People operating recreational water vehicles have a tendency to forget how dangerous it is (not to mention how illegal it is) to operate ANY vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

If you have been injured in a boating accident and you live in British Columbia, please contact the law offices of Stephens and Holman to schedule a consultation with one of our qualified boating accident Lawyers today!

Personal Injury
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident your first priority should be to make sure that you have the best medical attention possible without having to worry about who is going to pay for it. Contacting a personal injury Lawyer who has experience dealing with motorcycle accident cases can help relieve some of your fears and anxieties over what the future might bring for you and your family. Motorcycle accidents can often involve severe brain injuries even if the rider was wearing a helmet. For this reason it may be up to the family of the injured party to make sure that he/she has proper legal representation.

Death
If you have a loved one that has been killed in a motorcycle accident your first priority should be to the friends and family of the victim. It is sometimes hard to know what to do after losing a loved one, but you do have choices as to where to go from here. Getting in touch with an Lawyer who has handled cases similar to your own can let you know the full range of options available to you and your family and can help to ease the burden that you carry by making sure that those at fault are held responsible for their negligence.

If you live in British Columbia and have been injured in a motorcycle accident or have a loved one who has died in one, please contact Stephens and Holman Lawyers at Law to set up a free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Motorcyclists are probably the most vulnerable group of motorists on the road because of the relative lack of protection a motorcycle gives its rider. For this reason it is much more likely that a motorcycle rider will be injured or killed in an automobile accident than a person driving a car. Also, motorcycles, unlike other vehicles, are much less visible on the road, making other drivers more likely to hit them.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics
The majority of collisions occur because a motorist failed to see the motorcycle
Less than 5% of accidents occur due to highway defects
75% of incidents involve a collision with another vehicle
Most collisions occur after a vehicle makes a left turn in front of a motorcycle
More severe injuries are much more likely the larger the motorcycle
The majority of injured motorcyclists are between the ages of 16 and 24

As you can see, most accidents involving a car/truck and a motorcycle are caused by the driver of the automobile failing to see or yield the right of way to the motorcyclist. After being in an accident it is important to set the facts straight with a qualified Lawyer to make sure that your medical expenses are covered by the other driver or drivers if it turns out to be their fault.

If you live in British Columbia and have been injured in a motorcycle accident, please contact Stephens and Holman Personal Injury Lawyers as soon as possible to make sure that you have experienced legal representation.

The damage that a brain injury can cause goes above and beyond the damage to the victim. This kind of injury can result in the victim not even realizing the kind of damage that has been done, so the burden of these injuries gets laid on friends and family. After making sure that the victim is stable and that friends and family are informed of the circumstances, it is in your best interests to start looking for a personal injury Lawyer who specializes in lawsuits involving brain injury.

Even minor brain injuries can cause life-altering and long-lasting effects. Many times, however, victims of these injuries are released from the hospital without referrals or recommendations to brain injury rehabilitation facilities or given guidance of any kind. Having an experienced personal injury Lawyer will give you access to the kind of guidance you need to get yourself or a loved one into a treatment plan that they may desperately need.

If you live in British Columbia and have recently been a victim of an accident that has resulted in a traumatic brain injury, please contact the law offices of Stephens and Holman to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and get the guidance and help you deserve.