Personal Injury for Paralegals and Legal Support Staff 2015

• manage information from ambulance and police
• manage witnesses' evidence
• manage expert evidence
• effectively organize and manage your files

CLEBC would like to thank Fraser Valley Reporting for their generous support in sponsoring this event.

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 6 hours (a minimum of 1 hour will involve professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

Welcome and Introduction

Dominique Marcotte — Designated Paralegal, Lindsay LLP, Vancouver

MaryAnn Reinhardt — Designated Paralegal, MacKenzie Fujisawa LLP, Vancouver

BC Ambulance Worker Perspective

• procedure of EMR crew
• review of crew report
• BC Ambulance records
• interviewing ambulance attendants

Gordon Robbins — Paramedic Chief, Vancouver International Airport, Richmond

RCMP Accident Perspective

• accidents and accident investigations
• the order of RCMP arrival at the accident scene and order of responsibilities
• deciphering codes on the MV6020
• tips for requesting and reviewing RCMP records

Sergeant R.D. (Dale) Somerville — Program Manager, RCMP E Division Traffic Services, Surrey
Sergeant A.M. (Aaron) Sproule — Collision Reconstruction Program Manager, RCMP E Division Traffic Services, Surrey

Witness Interviews

• importance of witnesses (scene, collateral)
• timing: when should you speak to a witness?
• interviewing tips
• how to instruct your investigator

Dominique Marcotte — Investigator, Fast Track Investigations, Vancouver

Networking Break

Accident Reconstruction Engineer

• what information to obtain
• where to obtain information
• instructions to engineer
• scope of expert opinion

Craig Luker — Senior Forensic Engineer, Luker Forensic Engineering Inc., Richmond

Case Management and Organization

• file organization
• importance of checklists and timelines
• managing the litigation
• best practice tips

Julie Fredette — Designated Paralegal, RDM Lawyers LLP, Abbotsford
MaryAnn Reinhardt — Designated Paralegal, MacKenzie Fujisawa LLP, Vancouver

The View from ICBC

• statutes and other considerations at the start of a file
• the initial claims process

J. Kendal Paul — Pleadings & Counsel Assignment Manager, ICBC, Vancouver
Daniela Re — Advisor, Injury Technical and Support, ICBC, Vancouver

Networking Lunch

Document Production

• list of documents
• duty to disclose: default production and enhanced production
• resisting production
• consequences of not listing documents
• lawyer supervision

Chris Watson — MacKenzie Fujisawa LLP, Vancouver

Expert Evidence

• when and why you need expert opinion
• how to choose an expert
• communications with your expert

Art Vertlieb, QC — MacKenzie Fujisawa LLP, Vancouver

Worker vs. Worker Statute Barred Claims

• when does s. 10 take away the plaintiff’s cause of action?
• what is the role of the court when a s. 10 defence is plead?
• what is the s. 257 WCAT process?

Robert C. Brun, QC — Harris & Brun, Vancouver

Networking Break

Mediation

• selecting a mediator
• preparation for mediation
• do’s and don’ts from the mediator’s perspective

J. Bryce Jeffery — MacDonald, Boyle & Jeffery, Langley

View from the Bench

• chambers applications
• Trial Management Conferences
• the importance of settlement
• trials

The Honorable Mr. Justice Peter D. Leask — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

The Bill of Costs: Assessment

• assessment of party and party costs
• assessment of special costs
• effective preparation and presentation of the bill of costs being assessed

Stuart Cameron — Registrar, Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

Concluding Remarks

Dominique Marcotte — Designated Paralegal, Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
Mary Ann Reinhardt — Designated Paralegal, MacKenzie Fujisawa LLP, Vancouver