Motor Vehicle Accident | Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP

Navy title card reading "Major Changes to Ontario Accident Benefits, What the July 1, 2026 reforms mean for you," from Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP (dcmlaw.ca).

Ontario’s Auto Accident Benefits Change Today: What the July 1, 2026 Reforms Mean for You

Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP July 1, 2026

As of July 1, 2026, most of Ontario’s auto accident benefits are no longer automatic. Only medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care remain mandatory, while income replacement and most other benefits become optional coverage you have to buy. Here is what changed under Ontario Regulation 383/24, who may lose access, and what every driver should do at renewal.

The High Cost of Unreasonable Conduct: Why a “Hardball” Litigation Strategy is a Costly Gamble

Peter Reinitzer September 9, 2025

Offer nothing, force the plaintiff to finance a trial, and hope they fold: it is a familiar defence gamble, and a growing line of Ontario cases shows how badly it can go. In Barry v Anantharajah, 2025 ONCA 603, a defendant who never made a monetary offer faced a costs award reported to dwarf the plaintiff’s modest $16,160 recovery. The Court of Appeal’s message is plain: a reasonable offer, even a small one, is a vital tool for managing litigation risk.

Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds $1.5 Million Jury Award in TTC Bus Collision Case

Margaret Klassen August 18, 2025

A pickup truck stopped in traffic, a rear-end collision with a TTC bus, and a jury award topping $1.5 million for chronic pain and lost earning capacity. On appeal, the defendants attacked the trial judge’s jury charge on causation, apportionment, and past income loss. In Meldazy v Nassar, 2025 ONCA 590, the Court of Appeal found no error and dismissed the appeal, a reminder that an appeal is not a second trial.

A Green Light for Pierringer Deals: How the Court in Cadieux Emboldens Settling Parties

Peter Reinitzer June 9, 2025

The Court of Appeal for Ontario has again signalled how strongly the law favours settlement, even where a non-settling party may face real prejudice. In Cadieux v Cadieux, arising from a catastrophic multi-vehicle collision involving two children, the court treated the finality offered by tools like Pierringer Agreements as the priority, leaving co-defendants to manage their own exposure to joint and several liability rather than looking to the court for protection.

Court of Appeal Upholds Nearly $1 Million in Costs Following Jury Trial in Pye v Di Trapani

Margaret Klassen May 13, 2025

An 18-day jury trial, a damages award just over $1 million, and a costs award of nearly the same amount: the defendants said the trial judge had failed to test the plaintiff’s costs for reasonableness and proportionality. In Pye v Di Trapani, 2025 ONCA 355, the Court of Appeal disagreed, reaffirming the broad discretion trial judges hold over costs and the powerful role a Rule 49 offer plays in the result.

Non-Earner Benefits Denied Because of Medical Malpractice

Paul Cahill December 4, 2024

It is not uncommon for a car accident victim to suffer further harm through medical negligence while being treated for accident-related injuries. In Midak v RSA, the Licence Appeal Tribunal denied non-earner benefits after finding the claimant’s traumatic brain injury arose from a later fall at a pain clinic, not the accident itself. The decision is a useful study in causation and the interplay between malpractice and statutory accident benefits.

Electric Vehicle Fire Risk in Car Accidents

Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP October 24, 2024

After a fatal Tesla crash on Toronto’s Lake Shore Boulevard, this post examines the fire risk that can follow a serious electric vehicle collision. It looks at how lithium-ion batteries and thermal runaway behave in a crash, the safety questions these vehicles raise, and what accident victims should keep in mind.

Photo of a damaged car with the title of the post.

Applying for Accident Benefits After a Car Accident in Ontario

Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP July 20, 2024

Ontario’s accident benefits changed on July 1, 2026: medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care stay mandatory, while most other benefits are now optional. This guide explains what accident benefits cover, the current limits, how to apply after a car accident, the deadlines to watch, and how the no-fault system differs from suing the at-fault driver.

A car accident scene with pylons and police cruiser

Impaired Driving Lawsuits Seeking Justice Beyond Criminal Charges

Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP July 14, 2024

A criminal conviction punishes an impaired driver, but it rarely makes the victim’s family whole. This post explains how a civil lawsuit, and in the right case an award of punitive damages, can pursue accountability and deterrence beyond the criminal courts after an impaired-driving tragedy.

A person cycling in a city with a car near nearby

Toronto Bike Laws and Cyclist Rights After an Accident

Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP July 13, 2024

Cycling in Toronto means sharing busy streets with cars, streetcars, and an ongoing fight over the city’s bike lanes. This guide covers the Highway Traffic Act rules that protect and bind cyclists, the current status of the Bloor, Yonge, and University lanes, what to do if a car hits you, and how an injured cyclist can claim accident benefits and sue the at-fault driver.