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5 Common Liability Claims Faced By Homeowners

Home is supposed to be a safe place, not just for you but anyone that comes on to your property. You try to take care of your lawn & trim trees, shovel snow in the winter and fix uneven floorboards on your deck. Sometimes you’re better than other times.

Even with all that upkeep, there are possible hazards in your home and on your property that could cause (accidental) harm to others. A simple slip & fall could land you a hefty bill if a lawsuit is filed & your home insurance policy doesn’t fully cover you.

These are 5 common liability claims that a homeowners could face.

Dog bites
Did you know that most insurance policies cover damages or injuries that are caused by members of your household? Probably. But did you know that pets are often included in that coverage? Apart from some dog breeds, dogs that are at a lower (perceived) risk of biting are considered members of your household & therefore covered by your policy.

In the home or on the property
Accidents ranging from a guest tripping on a carpet that isn’t properly secured or falling through a broken stair are fair game. Even those door-to-door salespeople who come on to your property without your permission. Neglect on your part to clear a sidewalk or path to your front door could mean you’re left on the hook.

Guests under the influence
Hosting a party at home or an event at another location, the liability you have over your guests remains in place. When alcohol is involved and a person becomes intoxicated, any harm they may cause to another person or to property could be your responsibility. Hiring a bartender can help monitor the amount of alcohol guests are consuming.

Falling trees
The extra weight of snow and ice weigh down small trees and branches makes them prime candidates for snapping off and crashing into whatever’s below. It’s a good idea to trim trees and any overhang in the fall before things freeze.

Domestic workers
It is becoming more common for families to hire help around the home. From nanny’s to maintenance workers each person hired to work on your property increases your liability should that person get injured while at work. Sometimes workers can have workers compensation in the event of lost wages, so it’s important to do your research ahead of time.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

August 28, 2019 Liability Claims

A Parent’s Guide to Water Safety

It’s finally here. The time of the year so many people wait for. Summer. Going on boat rides, getting ice cream and of course backyard BBQs are just a few past times many families enjoy during the summer months. Summer also means more people spending their days lounging by the pool, at the beach and by the lake.

Remembering to stay safe around water, especially with children, should always be a priority. Drowning is one of the most common causes of unintentional deaths in Canadian children according to The Canadian Red Cross.

So, before you take your kids to the pool, beach or around open water, make sure you read our guide on staying safe & preventing water related injuries and accidents.

Designate a supervisor

Many drownings and water related accidents happen due to a lack of supervision. Having someone keeping an eye on children near any source of water (that means bathtubs too!) allows for quick action should something take a turn for the worst. Keeping all young children and weak or non-swimmers in lifejackets while near water gives the supervisor additional reassurance of their safety.

Diving

Diving headfirst into a pool may seem like harmless fun but it can lead to serious injury if you’re not careful. Never dive into a pool, or allow divining to occur, without first knowing exactly how deep the water is. Check your surroundings for signs indicating the depth or ask the pools owner/lifeguard. Be sure to have the conversation with your children about diving in the shallow end, making sure they understand all the pool rules.

Open Water

Floating down a river on a hot summer day can be a fan favourite when it comes to summer activities. However, one thing most people don’t consider is how strong the current can be. Simply standing or wading in the water can cause weak or non-swimmers to be swept away quite quickly. Make sure you know what to do if you or a child were to get caught in the current.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

July 22, 2019 Safety

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Preventing Injuries

June is an exciting month. Spring is in the air and summer is just around the corner. It’s also Brain Injury Awareness month and with that comes a number of opportunities to shed light on brain injuries and ways to help prevent them.

Did you know that more than 20, 000 people each year are admitted to the hospital with serious brain related injuries? In 2016 – 2017 alone approximately 46, 000 children went to the emergency room and were diagnosed with a concussion.

Making sure situations such as sports or recreational activities are safe for everyone helps reduce the risk of injury. The key being prevention and awareness. You’re the first line of defense!

Here are 4 things you should know about preventing brain injuries.

Seat Belts

When you’re in the car, no matter how far the drive may be, wearing your seat belt is a top priority. A significant number of injuries and deaths happen as a result of car accidents and about 50% are prevented thanks to seat belts.

Reduce Distractions

Cell phones are the number one cause of distractions among drivers. When you’re behind the wheel staying focused on the road should be the only thing that’s important. Put the phone down, whatever it is can wait. Your life is more important than the text you just got.

Child Safety

Kids are always getting hurt and bumping their heads on whatever is around. Take steps to prevent trips and falls by installing safety gates around stairs, using non slip mats in bathtubs or putting up window guards to prevent a potentially fatal injury.

Helmets & Safety Gear

Both adults and children are susceptible to head injuries whether at work or during recreation. Make sure you wear a helmet during sports activities like baseball or football or the appropriate safety helmet on construction sites. Keeping your brain protected is one of the smartest things you can do!

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

June 22, 2019 Safety

Choosing The Right Personal Injury Lawyer

Deciding on a Personal Injury Lawyer can be an intimidating process. And it certainly isn’t your first thought when you’ve been involved in a traumatic accident. We all know accidents can happen, but we never seem to think they’ll happen to us. Being prepared in the event of an accident can help alleviate the stress and anxiety that can occur as a result.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need the expertise of a Personal Injury Lawyer, here is our guide on choosing the right one.

Recommendations

First and foremost, we suggest talking with various family members, friends, coworkers or another trusted source. These people generally have your best interests at heart and are more likely to recommend someone they’ve had a good experience with. There is also no financial incentive to be gained from these recommendations.

Specialized

Ensure the Personal Injury Lawyer you decide to retain is solely focused on practicing Personal Injury Law. Choosing a law firm that has extensive knowledge and experience makes the process easier for you and allows you to focus on recovering from your injuries.

Resources

Going up against big insurance companies doesn’t just require experience, it also requires having resources available to do so. The lawyer you choose to represent you should have the resources to spend whatever is needed so that your case can be properly built and presented to the insurance company that will be responding to your claim.

Support

Gaining access to benefits and or funds that you’ll need during the recovery process is something your lawyer should be able to provide assistance with. Having these resources available you without issue can help lift a weight off your shoulders in the wake of an accident.

Expectations

When you find yourself going through the claim process it’s important that you understand what to expect along the way. Your Personal Injury Lawyer should be able to explain the claims process in a way that you understand and set your expectations for the process going forward. If they can’t, it’s a sign they may lack the experience required.

Confidence

Having confidence in your lawyer and their abilities shouldn’t be negotiable. When deciding on who will represent you, you should feel comfortable, it should be natural and in no way forced. Having someone who ensures you understand the claims process is of great value. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with your lawyer, it’s time to rethink who represents you.

Dye & Russell Personal Injury Lawyers have a wealth experience and do whatever it takes to settle your case for nothing less than what you deserve.

If you or someone you love has been injured by another party’s negligence, we can help with the recovery journey. If you have additional questions about personal injury contact Dye & Russell toll free at 1-877-883-6171 or fast dial #1000 free from your cell and we’ll get you the support you need.

May 22, 2019 Uncategorized

Spring in to Cycling Season

One of the more popular past times when the weather starts to get nicer is cycling. Now that Spring has finally sprung, you can expect to see an increase in the number of people spending time outdoors. Cycling is a great way to stay healthy, remain active and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Among all the benefits cycling has to offer, there are also a number of risks. Here are our tips on how to stay safe as you kick off this cycle season.

Check your bike

Its been a while since your bike has seen the outdoors. Make sure you give it a once over before you take it out for the first ride of the season. Check for things such as tire pressure and whether the tire spokes are secure and undamaged. Do your brakes work? What about the chain, has it rusted? Determine what, if any, issues you have and what your next step is. Can you fix it yourself, or do you need to call a repair shop? If you’re unsure, bring it in to a bike shop just in case.

Safety equipment

Hitting the road again after a long winter can be a bit nerve wracking. Taking things slow and following the proper steps to being safe on the road can help prevent injury later. We can argue that a helmet is the most important piece of equipment for a cyclist. It can help prevent against concussions and even brain injury. Other preventative safety measures can include adding reflectors and lights to your bike and wearing bright clothes. Keeping yourself visible is the key.

Hit the Road

At last, the time has finally come. Your bike has been through its version of spring cleaning and you’re ready to go. Make sure you check both ways before you cross the street, brush up on your hand signals, and be careful around areas that can become slippery and dangerous when wet (e.g., wood, painted brick).

Even if you and your children are practicing safe cycling, sometimes you can still be injured by others. If you or someone you love has been injured by another party’s negligence while cycling we can help with their recovery journey.

Fast dial #1000 free from your cell and we’ll get you the support you need.

April 25, 2019 Road Safety

Working and long-term disability

What you need to know

After an injury you face a number of uncertainties—especially if one of them is determining whether or not you can continue to work in the role you were in before your injury.

Wondering whether or not you will be able to support yourself, your family and wondering what your financial future will look like can leave you feeling helpless and worried, but there are a number of paths ahead of you to help you get the support that you need.

Returning to work

While on your recovery journey sometimes victims of personal injury can recover to a point where they can return to the work you did before your injury.

Returning to different work

However, unfortunately this isn’t always possible. If you are not able to return to the point where you are able to return to the work you did before your injury, there may be different professions or roles you could pursue with your disability in a new chapter of your life. As difficult this can be, it can open up a new path for you in your life to do different work that also feels rewarding.

Insurance

But, if you are not able to return to work there are a number of resources available to you. If you are covered by short-term or long-term disability insurance this is an outlet to get financial benefits if you are unable to return to work.

Canadian Pension Plan

Another possible way to receive the benefits you need could be through the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP). The CPP has a number of different benefits to help those who are disabled and their families.

No matter where your recovery journey leads you when it comes to your work life it’s important to have an expert to help you secure the legal, financial and personal support necessary following an accident. Dye and Russell is here for you.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

September 21, 2018 Uncategorized

How self-care can help injury recovery

Self-care—it’s one of those buzz words that’s been floating around, entering the everyday and medical world. But what does it really mean?

The fact that self-care is very personal and situational can make it hard to define, but a general definition is that self-care is “any necessary human regulatory function which is under individual control, deliberate and self-initiated.”

Practicing self-care can be a valuable practice that can be catered to anyone’s recovery journey. While your individual injury and situation can dictate what you are capable of doing for yourself (and what will work for you), incorporating self-care into your life can be a key skill to aid in your recovery and adjusting to your new life post-injury. It can help you put yourself in charge of your recovery.

Physical Self-care

After an injury it is likely that your physical needs will change. Whether that’s how long you need to sleep for every night or your eating habits, talking to your doctor about the physical aspects of your life that you will need to adjust after your injury is key to equipping yourself with the knowledge required to make the life adjustments you need.

Making sure you are getting the appropriate amount of sleep can ensure that your body can get the rest it needs to help itself repair. Eating nutritious food that fuels your body is important to giving yourself what you need during and after recovery. Also doing activities within your abilities to energize your body can help you feel better, like stretching, swimming, running, doing yoga, etc.

Mental Self-care

An injury can bring a lot of stress into your life. While stress can be helpful by giving you the ability to deal with challenges and threats you face, lots of it over time can take a toll on you. What helps people destress is a very personal thing. If you already know things that help you destress make time for them in your life. But, if you don’t know what can help you destress, or if you are no longer able to do what used to help you relax before your injury try some new ways and see what works. Taking a long bath, starting a meditation practice, and/or finding a new hobby are all things that could help.

Emotional Self-care

Self-care can also help you cope with the emotional toll an injury can take on your life. Spending time to dedicate to your emotional health, like seeing a counselor, journaling, taking time to talk and spend time with people you love and/or writing down gratitude lists can help

you be with the range of emotional challenges an injury can force you to experience. Among them learning to adjust to your life post-injury can be difficult. Trying to write a new mission statement for your life going forward is a great way to frame your new perspective of success and fulfillment.

Self-care after an injury makes you an empowered member of your circle of care—the team that is there to help you on your recovery journey. Another important member of your circle of care is a personal injury lawyer that can secure the legal, financial and personal support necessary following an accident. That’s where Dye and Russell can be there for you following your accident.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

September 20, 2018 Uncategorized

Summer BBQ safety tips

There are few things that go better with a summer evening than a cold beverage and barbecue. But barbecues can cause serious injury if they aren’t used properly. To help keep your summer full of delicious barbecue, as well as safe for you and your loved ones, here are some tips from The Government of Canada:

Do a safety check

Before you start barbecuing it’s important to do a safety check of your grill—especially if it hasn’t been sitting unused for a long period of time. Look for blocked burners, damaged seals and leaks in the hoses or fittings. To check for leaks in the hose or fittings coat the hose and fittings with a soapy water solution. If bubbles form and grow that’s a sign of a leak.

Also, make sure your grill is clean. Cleaning excess grease or fat build-up on your barbeque can remove a source of fuel for dangerous flare-ups and help keep you safe.

Make sure it’s in a safe location

How you position your grill can prevent a fire from happening. Barbeques should be used outdoors (not indoors or under overhangs, enclosures, etc.) in a well-ventilated area and be at least three meters away from any building on an even surface. Also, keep an eye out for other items nearby that could catch fire, like umbrellas or hanging baskets.

Turn on with caution

Before you even think about grilling it’s important that you have read the instructions that came with from the barbecue’s manufacturer to get to know your grill and how to operate it properly.

While going about lighting your barbeque never have the lid closed or lean over the barbeque. If you’re using a gas-powered grill and it doesn’t light right away turn off the gas valve and wait for the gas to go away before re-lighting.

Have the proper tools handy

Preventing an injury can only happen if you’re ready. Make sure you prevent burns by cooking with long-handled utensils and heat-resistant mitts. Have a spray water-bottle handy to help manage flare-ups and a fire extinguisher close in case of a fire.

Also, be very careful while using metal-bristled barbeque brushes. The bristles can come loose, stick to your grill and eventually end up in your food—which can result in serious digestive injuries. Inspect your brush and your grill carefully for loose bristles, throw away brushes when you notice bristles becoming loose, replace brushes often and consider buying non-metal barbeque brushes.

Pay attention

While you’re barbequing never leave the grill unattended and be aware of how much food you are loading onto it. If a fire starts they spread quickly, so your grill needs constant attention. Also, over-loading your grill (especially with fatty meat) can cause an excess of oil or grease and create large flare-ups.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

August 14, 2018 Uncategorized

How to stay safe in the summer sun

Being outdoors and embracing the warm weather can be lots of fun. Whether you like going on adventurous hikes, swimming at the beach or playing in the backyard—whatever you love doing in the outdoors can create great memories for you and your loved ones. However, while the hot sun can make for a great time to be outdoors it also comes with dangers. It’s important to protect yourself, and those you love, to prevent an injury from happening and to stay safe.

Here’s what you should be paying close attention to:

Ultra violet rays

It’s important to protect yourself against the sun’s harsh rays while outdoors. Too much exposure to the sun’s ultra violet rays can cause burns, eye damage and lead to skin cancer.

While outdoors shade yourself by spending time in shaded areas rather than areas with direct sunlight and wearing a wide-brimmed hat (especially mid-day when the sun’s rays are strongest). Also, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 30 and make sure to reapply it at least every 2 hours.

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses that block a minimum of 99% of UV light and by never looking directly at the sun.

Heat

Exposure to heat can cause health issues like heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke (which is life-threatening). To help protect yourself and your loved ones from heat there are some simple preventative measures you can take.

While out and about never leave children or animals inside a vehicle as temperatures can rise quickly to dangerously hot levels. While you’re outdoors, wearing clothing that is light in colour and weight, as well as loose-fitting, can help you avoid absorbing the sun’s rays with dark colours. Also, staying hydrated is very important. Make sure to have lots of fluids with you to drink while avoiding caffeine and alcohol.

Try to avoid strenuous activities and scheduling events during the midday sun and heat. Check in on friends and family that don’t have air conditioning, and who spend much of their time alone. If you don’t have air conditioning finding air-conditioned locations that you can go to during midday heat (like cooling centers, libraries or malls) is a great way to avoid heat related illnesses.

While you can protect yourself from the sun while you’re out and about this summer, unfortunately sometimes you can get injured in other ways. If you or someone you love has been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

August 14, 2018 Uncategorized

Getting back to green: economic recovery after injury

Personal injury can seriously impair your personal finances. Injuries can upend all areas of life, including your career and finances. While much focus is given to physical recovery, financial recovery is crucial as well.

Your financial situation can tie into your mental and emotional recovery and, in turn, your physical recovery. Here are some tips for getting back to green after a personal injury:

Consider a new line of work

An injury may make you unable to return to your past line of work (if it’s too unsafe or demanding). This can be very frustrating, especially if you were very passionate about your previous line of work or if you have been very successful in your career. However, there are other career possibilities ahead that may be better suited to you post-injury.

You may even find a new career that you love even more. If you’re able to work in any capacity it can do more than bring you increased financial stability and momentum. Working can also give you a new sense of identity, personal achievement, social contacts, skills development and a sense of structure—all of which can help with your mental health and in turn your physical health.

Ask for help

If you have family or friends that would be able to help you financially consider asking them for help. You might be surprised by their willingness to help, especially if they have seen the effects of a personal injury on your life.

Budget wisely

Recovering from injury can tighten up your finances. Budgeting is vital and can reduce risk of debt or insolvency. If this task seems monumental, ask for help from a family member or friend. Find unnecessary expenses, that you made prior to injury, and eliminate these.

Budgeting creates a solid financial basis for later success. It’s important, when budgeting, to assess your needs and wants differently and to be ruthless and honest with yourself and your finances.

Get legal help

If you’ve been injured, damages may be owed to you. It’s crucial to ask for legal help. A personal injury lawyer can help you to navigate the best course of action. Further to this, they will be able to get you more money than an independent inquiry. These extra funds can be critical for seeing you through recovery.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment. Find out what you’re owed and start your journey back to green.

July 13, 2018 Uncategorized

5 Common Liability Claims Faced By Homeowners

A Parent’s Guide to Water Safety

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Preventing Injuries

Choosing The Right Personal Injury Lawyer

Spring in to Cycling Season

Working and long-term disability

How self-care can help injury recovery

Summer BBQ safety tips

How to stay safe in the summer sun

Getting back to green: economic recovery after injury

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