The MacIsaac Team of lawyers
The MacIsaac Team of lawyers has over a thousand years of combined legal experience. Supporting our team of personal injury lawyers are para-legals, former senior insurance company employees and our in house former RCMP investigator. This team of experts sets us apart from other law firms.
We also have offices across BC and Alberta. We can represent you anywhere in B.C. and Alberta.
The 7 Reasons We are Confident We can Maximize Your Injury Claim are:
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Our Injury Lawyers are Experts in Personal Injury Law
It is important to have a lawyer who truly is an expert in personal injury law. Some lawyers who take personal injury claims are really civil litigators who take the odd personal injury claim but do not focus on personal injury law. The injury lawyers at the MacIsaac Group focus almost exclusively on personal injury law. Together they have over 275 years of personal injury law experience. They are aware of the current laws and issues that apply to your claim. For more on our personal injury click here.
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We have hired Senior ICBC Claim Experts to work on your ICBC claim
Two ICBC claim experts from ICBC have been hired to assist our injury lawyers with file preparation and with negotiating with ICBC. As far as we are aware, we are the only personal injury lawyers in British Columbia that have hired senior ICBC people to work with them against ICBC on your accident claim. For more on these ICBC experts click here. click here.
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We have a former Police Officer on staff to work on your accident claim
There are two advantages to this. First if we need a private investigator to work on your injury claim, there is no hesitation to getting the work done. Whereas other injury lawyers might not hire a private investigator to avoid the expense, at the MacIsaac Group there is no additional cost. Our private investigator is already on staff. Second, there is no potential conflict of interest. Insurance companies hire private investigators to spy on personal injury claimants. These private investigators can have divided loyalties. The MacIsaac Group private investigator works only for our personal injury lawyers. To learn more about our private investigator click here.
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We have developed key relationships with Doctors and Specialists
On many accident claims the claimant’s doctors can be reluctant to go to court or are not specialists. Our injury lawyers have developed key relationships with qualified doctors and specialists to ensure we have essential medical evidence to support and maximize your accident claim.
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The MacIsaac Group has 39 lawyers with over 1000 years of combined legal experience
When a novel legal problem arises on your accident claim, all of the lawyers are available to pool their wisdom and experience. When you retain a lawyer in the MacIsaac Group you avail yourself of the resources, wisdom, experiences, and talents of the entire Group.
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Our Personal Injury Lawyers never work for insurance companies – they only work for you
Some accident lawyers work both for and against the insurance companies. At the MacIsaac Group our personal injury lawyers work only for our personal injury clients. We are experts at plaintiff work and never have to worry about pleasing an insurance company.
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We only get paid if we are successful for you
Many with an accident claim cannot afford to pay an injury lawyer a large retainer and an hourly fee. On most accident claims we will agree to work on a contingency fee basis where we only get paid if you get paid. When we take an accident claim or ICBC claim on a contingency fee basis our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you. One feature that distinguishes the MacIsaac Group from a lot of other firms is that we pay all of the disbursements (expenses) incidental to pursuing personal injury claims. On many files, this runs into the tens of thousands of dollars. For more information see our Worried About Legal Fees page.
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Shawn Buckley: persuasive practical problem solving solutions with years of legal experience
Columbia Court of Appeal, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Federal Court Trial Division, the Albert Court of Queen’s Bench, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench, and provincial courts in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Whereas many lawyers practice for an entire career without having any decisions they were counsel on reported in paper law journals, Mr. Buckley has had several key cases reported as precedents.
TYPES OF INJURIES
Whiplash – Injuries to Spine
Some of the most common injuries that car and motor vehicle accidents cause is whiplash it’s a soft tissue injury to the neck and surrounding musculature and tissues.
Spinal Cord Injury
A spinal cord injury can occur as the result of a motor vehicle accident or other compensable accident, and may not always be apparent immediately following injury.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Often difficult to diagnose and treat these injuries can lead to painful, long lasting, and in some cases, permanent symptoms and limitation of function.
Slip and Fall Injuries
There are a variety of methods of protecting oneself in the event of an incapacity, and to help and protect family members and friends who may be vulnerable or incapacitated
Psychological Injury
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) depression, and/or anxiety, are common psychological conditions that can manifest following a traumatic experience.
Pedestrian Accident
When vehicles and pedestrians interact on streets and highways pedestrians are vulnerable to serious injury when drivers fail to see them.
Other Injury
Dog attacks and bites can cause serious physical injuries such as crushed or fractured bones, nerve damage, permanent scarring and risk of infection.
Occupiers liability claims
When you slip, or trip and fall it can result in serious injuries, if the fall is caused by unsafe or dangerous property conditions or poor maintenance, the person who is in control of the property may be responsible.
LEGAL SERVICES
Whiplash – Injuries to Spine
Some of the most common injuries that car and motor vehicle accidents cause is whiplash it’s a soft tissue injury to the neck and surrounding musculature and tissues.
Spinal Cord Injury
A spinal cord injury can occur as the result of a motor vehicle accident or other compensable accident, and may not always be apparent immediately following injury.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Often difficult to diagnose and treat these injuries can lead to painful, long lasting, and in some cases, permanent symptoms and limitation of function.
Slip and Fall Injuries
There are a variety of methods of protecting oneself in the event of an incapacity, and to help and protect family members and friends who may be vulnerable or incapacitated
Psychological Injury
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) depression, and/or anxiety, are common psychological conditions that can manifest following a traumatic experience.
Pedestrian Accident
When vehicles and pedestrians interact on streets and highways pedestrians are vulnerable to serious injury when drivers fail to see them.
Other Injury
Dog attacks and bites can cause serious physical injuries such as crushed or fractured bones, nerve damage, permanent scarring and risk of infection.
Occupiers liability claims
When you slip, or trip and fall it can result in serious injuries, if the fall is caused by unsafe or dangerous property conditions or poor maintenance, the person who is in control of the property may be responsible.
Long Term Disability
Under BC law, you can plan in advance and appoint another person or persons to act on your behalf should you lose the mental capacity to make decisions for yourself
Insurance Claims
We assist you with all aspects of incorporation and post incorporation as well as provide you with advice as to whether that is the appropriate model for your business needs
Infant and Child Injuries
Infant and Child Injuries under the law in British Columbia, a child or person under the age of 19 is considered an “infant.”
How We Get Paid – Contingency Fee Agreement
ICBC will often speak about their own policies as if those policies are law. They’re not. Speaking to a personal injury lawyer about your rights and obligations is
Whiplash – Injuries to Spine
Whiplash – Injuries to Spine
Some of the most common injuries that car and motor vehicle accidents cause is whiplash it’s a soft tissue injury to the neck and surrounding musculature and tissues. It is also referred to as neck strain or sprain, often referred to as a flexion-extension injury, and is most often caused by rear-end or “T-bone” type car accidents. It occurs when the neck is forcibly extended and/or flexed similar to a whip. The sharp and sudden movement of the head and neck causes strain to the neck muscles and surrounding soft tissues and in some cases, injury to the spinal vertebrae, joints, discs, ligaments, and nerves. In some cases, a whiplash injury results in damage to the spinal cord or brain.
Symptoms can develop immediately at the time of the injury, or over the course of several hours or days. Often, people will leave an accident thinking they escaped injury, only to wake up the following day suffering any or all of the following symptoms:
- neck pain and stiffness
- difficulty moving neck
- headache
- radiating pain — often to the upper limb or shoulder
- tingling or numbness in arms and/or legs
- muscle weakness
- jaw pain
- dizziness
- fatigue
Recovery from a whiplash injury can be slow, and in some cases, can develop into a chronic pain condition that involves ongoing pain, disability, fatigue and psychological symptoms.
Timely diagnosis and treatment is the best defense against permanent symptoms.
Would you like more information or to make an appointment click here
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, Myelomalacia, Myelopathy
A spinal cord injury can occur as the result of a motor vehicle accident or other compensable accident, and may not always be apparent immediately following injury.
A spinal cord injury can be both life altering and devastating.
Spinal Cord Injury and motor vehicle accidents
Symptoms of spinal cord injury vary depending on the location and severity of the spinal cord injury.
A completely severed spinal cord causes paralysis and loss of sensation below the severed section of cord, a partially severed or damaged cord might result in symptoms such as involuntary movements or muscle spasms, weakness or decreased motor control involving one or more limbs, loss or altered sensation in certain parts of the body, impaired bowel or bladder function, and other nervous system dysfunction. Symptoms may be progressive, and can eventually lead to some degree of paralysis over the course of months or years. Spinal cord damage is not reversible, but a progressive condition can be slowed with appropriate treatment or surgery.
Whether you’ve suffered a severe or partial spinal cord injury, the effects on your life can be devastating and permanent. Any compensation you receive for your injuries should include not only money to compensate for your pain and loss of enjoyment of life, but also money for future losses, including loss of income and money to cover your future costs of medical treatment, rehabilitation, therapy and care. Buckley & Company’s lawyers have access to excellent medical and rehabilitation specialists who can identify the nature and severity of spinal cord injuries, including less obvious spinal cord injuries, and provide a prognosis and other recommendations upon which compensation for future losses is based. Our goal is to ensure you receive sufficient compensation to provide the best quality of life possible going forward.
For more information on Spinal Cord Injury or to make an appointment click here
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft Tissue Injuries
Whiplash, Injuries to the Spine, RSD/CRPS, Knee Tendons, Rotator Cuff, Ligament, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Frozen Shoulder
Injuries in soft tissue are caused by direct or indirect trauma to the body’s muscles, tendons, ligaments and joint capsules (sac surrounding a joint).
Often difficult to diagnose and treat these injuries can lead to painful, long lasting, and in some cases, permanent symptoms and limitation of function.
Jarring incidents, such as motor vehicle accidents and others including falls and sports injuries, often result in soft tissue injuries. Common sites of soft tissue injuries are the spine, knee ligaments, hips and shoulders.
Not all soft tissue injuries have the same course of recovery
Some soft tissue injuries can cause chronic or relapsing pain and limitation of movement indefinitely, and can significantly disrupt a person’s life and livelihood.
ICBC often downplays soft tissue injuries, particularly whiplash and these types of insurance claims involving soft tissue injuries can be complex and often require legal advice to recieve proper compensation.
There is a common misunderstanding that whiplash is nothing more than sore neck muscles, when it often involve swelling, tearing and/or stretching of the ligaments, nerves, discs and facet joints that support the vertebrae. In some cases, whiplash can result in compression or injury of the spinal cord.
British Columbia courts are not bound by ICBC’s guidelines for soft tissue injuries that are capped at $15,000 what they refer to as damages and pain and suffering, also known as “non-pecuniary damages”. When in fact, courts have awarded over $100,000 for more serious soft tissue injuries which result in chronic or long term pain and limitations.
Buckley & Company’s lawyers have extensive experience representing injured clients with all kinds of soft tissue injuries, and the skill to prove your pain is real. We can access experts in physical and rehabilitation medicine and other specialties to properly diagnose the nature of soft tissue injuries you are suffering and liaise with your doctor to ensure you receive proper therapy and treatment to facilitate your recovery.
Some examples of soft-tissue injuries Buckley & Company has represented clients for include:
- Knee injuries
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal disc related injuries
- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy and complex regional pain syndrome (RSD/CRPS)
- Nerve damage
- Aggravation of pre-existing soft tissue complaints
- Degenerative conditions
- Bursitis/tendonitis
- Bruises/contusions/hematoma
- Dislocations
- Shoulder injuries, including rotator cuff tears and “frozen shoulder”
- Thoracic outlet injury
- Strains and sprains
- Chronic pain syndrome
- Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome
Would you Like more information on soft tissue injuries or to make an appointment contact-us click here
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and Fall
When you slip, or trip and fall serious injuries can result, if the fall is caused by unsafe or dangerous property conditions or poorly maintained areas, the person who is in control of the property and/or the owner may be responsible to pay damages to the injured person. Hopefully, the responsible person has insurance to cover any such Occupiers liability claims.
Your right to claim for compensation in this type of circumstances is governed by the Occupiers’ Liability Act in BC.
Keeping the land or buildings, in reasonably safe condition is generally the responsibility of the owner or occupier of property for the use of other persons who could be expected to come onto or into the property. An owner or occupier could be the person who owns or controls a residential property, bare land, government land and buildings, municipal property, commercial or business premises, recreational centres or sports facilities, for example. Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain the owner of a property – your Buckley and Company lawyer has the necessary contacts and experience to determine this very important fact for you. In some cases, there is more than one responsible owner or occupier.
If the responsible owner is a municipality, there are strict time limits within which you must notify the municipality and commence your claim. If you fail to comply with these strict requirements, you will lose your right to claim compensation. It is a good idea to contact one of our lawyers as soon as possible if you have been injured in a slip and fall incident, so that we can determine whether any special notice requirements apply in your case, and if so, ensure compliance with them for you.
Some examples of unsafe conditions that could lead to injury are poorly lit areas, defective railings or absence of railings, unsafe stairways, wet or slippery floors, obscured holes, icy parking lots, sidewalks or stairways, poorly maintained driveways or sidewalks, poorly constructed or unrepaired decks or other structures, or any other condition that presents a hazard that could cause injury to a person lawfully using the premises.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall incident, you should:
- Take photographs of the location where the incident occurred, and also photographs of the footwear you were wearing. Photographs should be taken as soon as reasonably possible, before the owner or occupier promptly takes steps to remedy the hazard, thereby compromising valuable evidence.
- Get names and contact information from anyone that witnessed the incident.
- Report the incident to the property owner(s) if you know who they are.
- Visit your doctor as soon as possible and follow his or her advice for treatment or therapy.
- Contact Buckley & Company to discuss your claim and to ensure you meet any time limits that apply in your case.
Would you like more information on slip and fall claims or to make an appointment click here
Psychological Injury
Psychological Injury
Anxiety, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress [Psychological Injury]
Psychological Injury – Post Traumatic Stress following a frightening accident or emotional dysfunction often times psychological injuries can arise as a result of an injury, either directly, as in the case of a brain injury, or psychological injuries can arise indirectly, in the weeks, months and even years following an accident as a result of the loss of enjoyment of life or inability to return to normal functioning as a result of ongoing limitations from physical injuries. Regardless of the reason, if you suffer from a psychological condition that was caused by someone else’s negligence, or if you had an existing psychological condition that was made worse by an accident, you may be entitled to compensation in the same way you would for physical injuries.
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) depression, and/or anxiety, are common psychological conditions that can manifest following a traumatic experience.
Typical symptoms of depression often include feelings of hopelessness, lack of self worth and/or thoughts of suicide.
Depression is quite often is associated and brought on by an injury. Depressive symptoms often occur when people suffering from injuries are unable to work, participate and socialize in their regular recreational activities. As well, chronic physical pain often results in poor sleep patterns, which can lead to depression. When psychological injuries arise in conjunction with long lasting physical pain, a person may develop what is referred to as “chronic pain syndrome.”
Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often manifest as flashbacks, nightmares of the traumatic event and the avoidance of people, places or experiences, which can remind you of your trauma. Your psychological injury may cause trouble sleeping or concentrating, and be easily startled.
Symptoms of psychological injury
Symptoms of psychological injury anxiety include chronic debilitating worry, restlessness, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and muscle tension, and in some cases, panic attacks. Anxiety symptoms may be situational, which in the case of an accident victim might mean they occur when the person passes by the place where their accident happened, or being in a car or other situation that reminds the victim of the accident.
Often, psychological injuries require long term treatment, psychological counseling, therapy and medication. Depression that occurs in conjunction with chronic physical pain can lead to a cycle of symptoms that can be very difficult to treat.
Psychological Injury subjective nature and their conditions as well as relative social stigma have led to skepticism about the authenticity of psychological injuries resulting from trauma. Compensation for psychological injuries resulting from negligence is a fairly new concept in Canadian law. Improved medical assessment and research on the economic and physical health consequences of psychological illnesses has resulted in increased compensation.
Buckley & Company have handled many personal injury claims involving all types of psychological injury situations
A case involving psychological injuries can be difficult to prove and complex, especially if the individual bringing the claim has been treated for depression or anxiety prior to their accident, no matter how briefly or remotely in time. Buckley & Company have handled many personal injury claims involving all types of psychological injuries. We have access to experts in the field of psychology and psychiatry who can provide medical evidence to support your claim and help us maximize your compensation.
Need Psychological Injury information or to make an appointment click here
Pedestrian Accident
Pedestrian Accident
Involved in a Pedestrian Accident?
When vehicles and pedestrians interact on streets and highways pedestrians are vulnerable to serious injury when drivers fail to see them.
Although there are laws that govern the interaction of motor vehicles and pedestrians, both drivers and pedestrians have rights and responsibilities.
For example, the pedestrian has the right of way and the driver must yield in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, while pedestrian must yield to motor vehicles when crossing a road where no crosswalk exists.
The driver of a vehicle must drive with proper due care and attention, and is required to reduce his or her speed or yield to a pedestrian if it is clear that to do otherwise would present a risk of danger to the pedestrian. So even if the pedestrian has not complied with the rules of the road, a careless driver can be held responsible for injuries and losses caused to a pedestrian if an accident occurs.
If you’ve been injured as a pedestrian, you may have a claim against the owner of the vehicle and the driver who hit you, even if you may not have been properly following the rules of the road as they apply to pedestrians. Buckley and Company have successfully represented pedestrians who have suffered injuries ranging from soft tissue and fractured limbs to severe brain injuries.
If you’ve been involved in a Pedestrian Accident or to make an appointment click here
Other Injury
Other Injury Types
Animal Bite Injuries
Dog attacks and bites can cause serious physical injuries such as crushed or fractured bones, nerve damage, permanent scarring and risk of infection. Victims of dog bites can also suffer emotional trauma such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Victims of dog bites may be entitled to compensation from the dog owner. Typically a dog owner will have homeowner’s insurance providing coverage for injuries caused by their dog. However, a dog owner is not liable for injuries inflicted by his or her dog simply because he or she owns the offending dog. The injured person must prove that the dog owner knew, or ought to have known the dog was dangerous, either because the dog had attacked someone before, or because it had exhibited aggressive tendencies such as growling without provocation on prior occasions. Alternatively, a dog owner may be liable for keeping or handling a dog in a negligent manner, such as allowing it to run at large or failing to take reasonable care to contain it on the owner’s property, if that negligence results in the dog injuring someone.
Some breeds of dogs are considered more aggressive than others, but the breed of a dog alone does not establish that a dog has a propensity to be aggressive. On the other hand, if a dog is of a breed more commonly assumed to be docile and friendly, that does not excuse an owner of one of these breeds who ought to have known that his or her dog was aggressive or dangerous.
Victims of dog bites may be entitled to compensation including any out of pocket expenses for medical treatment and rehabilitation, past and future income loss, pain and suffering and reasonable costs for necessary future medical treatment or rehabilitation.
Other Injury types such as being attacked and injured by a dog, you should try to gather the following information and evidence as soon as possible:
- the dog owner’s name and address
- whether or not the dog owner has liability insurance that includes dog attacks
- contact information for the dog owner’s insurance company
- photographs showing your injuries
- contact information for anyone who witnessed the attack or provided assistance to you
The lawyers at Buckley & Company have experience dealing dog bite claims. We assist clients through all stages of a claim including investigation regarding the dog owner’s liability, facilitating medical assessment, treatment and rehabilitation, corresponding and negotiating with insurers and pursuing litigation.
Would you like more information or to make an appointment click here
Occupiers liability claims
Occupiers’ Liability Claims
When you slip, or trip and fall serious injuries can result, if the fall is caused by unsafe or dangerous property conditions or poorly maintained areas, the person who is in control of the property and/or the owner may be responsible to pay damages to the injured person. Hopefully, the responsible person has insurance to cover any such Occupiers liability claims.
Your right to claim for compensation in this type of circumstances is governed by the Occupiers’ Liability Act in BC.
Keeping the land or buildings, in reasonably safe condition is generally the responsibility of the owner or occupier of property for the use of other persons who could be expected to come onto or into the property. An owner or occupier could be the person who owns or controls a residential property, bare land, government land and buildings, municipal property, commercial or business premises, recreational centres or sports facilities, for example. Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain the owner of a property – your Buckley and Company lawyer has the necessary contacts and experience to determine this very important fact for you. In some cases, there is more than one responsible owner or occupier.
If the responsible owner is a municipality, there are strict time limits within which you must notify the municipality and commence your claim. If you fail to comply with these strict requirements, you will lose your right to claim compensation. It is a good idea to contact one of our lawyers as soon as possible if you have been injured in a slip and fall incident, so that we can determine whether any special notice requirements apply in your case, and if so, ensure compliance with them for you.
Some examples of unsafe conditions that could lead to injury are poorly lit areas, defective railings or absence of railings, unsafe stairways, wet or slippery floors, obscured holes, icy parking lots, sidewalks or stairways, poorly maintained driveways or sidewalks, poorly constructed or unrepaired decks or other structures, or any other condition that presents a hazard that could cause injury to a person lawfully using the premises.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall incident, you should:
- Take photographs of the location where the incident occurred, and also photographs of the footwear you were wearing. Photographs should be taken as soon as reasonably possible, before the owner or occupier promptly takes steps to remedy the hazard, thereby compromising valuable evidence.
- Get names and contact information from anyone that witnessed the incident.
- Report the incident to the property owner(s) if you know who they are.
- Visit your doctor as soon as possible and follow his or her advice for treatment or therapy.
- Contact Buckley & Company to discuss your claim and to ensure you meet any time limits that apply in your case.