Author Archives: Paul Hergott
About Paul Hergott
I am a Saskatchewan farm boy, raised with strong rural values. Those values led me to pursue a career in law, and to developing a legal practice that gives me the privilege of representing some of the most vulnerable people in our society - those have suffered injuries through no fault of their own - in their struggle for fair compensation against very powerful insurance companies. At the request of a local newspaper representative, I began educating the public in a weekly newspaper column entitled "Achieving Justice" in early January, 2007. The positive feedback I have received from my readers prompted me to start re-publishing my columns in this blog in March, 2010. I have been blessed with a wonderful, supportive wife - Terri, three beautiful children - Cassidy, Morgan and Caden, a brilliant step-daughter - Nicole, and the first little girl to steal my heart - my step-daughter Robyn.

A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client

A judgment released May 10, 2013, following an eight day Supreme Court of British Columbia personal injury trial, reminds me of the saying: “A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client”. The decision reads like a train wreck. Marko Jurisevic was claiming compensation for injuries he sustained in three separate car/bicycle collisions. He had commenced… (more…)

Supreme court ruling changes disbursements

In my November 1, 2012, column I described a victory in the highest court in New Brunswick that I predicted was “paving the way for a change in the law in other jurisdictions, including British Columbia”. I am very pleased to report that a May 13, 2013, decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court has met my prediction head on.… (more…)

Texting at the top of distractions when behind the wheel

If British Columbians were polled, I expect that we would put texting at the top of the list of dangerous driving activities. I don’t know if scientific studies have been done to compare the distraction of that particular activity with others such as eating, putting on make-up, programming an address into the navigational computer, or that activity my wife wrote… (more…)

One Crash is Too Many Challenge

I unveiled a new road safety initiative at the 2nd annual One Crash is Too Many gala event two weekends ago. Thank you to this year’s “celebrities”, leaders in the local “car crash industry” who helped make this year’s event a success: am 1150’s Phil Johnson, personal injury lawyer Steven Turner, West Kelowna Fire Chief Wayne Schnitzler, RCMP member Sandy… (more…)

Injury claims a matter of pain

It makes sense to want to get to the bottom of why you are still having pain months or a year or more after a crash. You are told by your doctor that it is “just” a soft tissue injury; you will recover in short order. The ICBC adjuster refers to your injury as minor, as not being serious, because… (more…)