In March 2015, an Ottawa man’s legs were crushed by the elevator in a senior’s co-op building.  He suffered multiple fractures when his legs were severely crushed while caught between the elevator and the building floor, and as a result, his legs later needed to be amputated in an Ottawa hospital.

Each year, a considerable number of Canadians are crushed or struck by an object, resulting in significant injury.  Certainly, this recent unfortunate event in Ottawa could never have been anticipated by its patrons; the elevator was fairly new and clearly, residents should have an expectation of riding safely between floors.

The loss of limbs, legs or arms, is a catastrophic injury, which requires major medical care and rehabilitation.  It is not uncommon to have #link(spinal-cord-injuries,,spinal cord injuries) and/or traumatic brain injuries associated with crushing incidents as well.  #link(motor-vehicle-car-accidents,,Car accidents) are another common cause of crushing incidents.

In 2012 The Toronto Star reported that the true annual cost for the 86,000 Canadians impacted by paralysis is $3 Billion dollars; in addition to the trauma of paralysis, the individuals commonly suffer from pressure sores, pain and urinary tract infections and these side effects necessitate expensive care.

An injury of this nature is considered a catastrophic impairment.  As well as extended hospital care, the affected individuals often require ongoing physiotherapy, home care, occupational therapy and social work, family support and therapy for the psychological trauma.  In Ontario, we are fortunate that we receive significant in-patient rehabilitation in public rehabilitation facilities and access to ambulatory assistive devices.  However, the quality of the care both in hospital and in a long-term care residence or at home can clearly be improved upon by financial support.

Family visits and home care involve considerable expense, particularly when they are a long term need, essentially for the rest of one’s life.  Some treatments, such as physiotherapy and massage therapy, are readily available in Ottawa but residents of smaller centres like Carleton Place, Arnprior or Smith Falls may have a difficult time attaining professional care locally.  A considerable cost is incurred by families travelling to and from Ottawa, or having therapists travel to them. It is difficult to imagine the cost of suffering and chronic pain from a crushing incident or other catastrophic injury; no amount of money can truly reimburse for the loss of limbs, a spinal cord injury or #link(brain-injuries,,brain injury).  One thing is for sure though – the injured person and his/her family are entitled to financial compensation for the pain and suffering, loss of function and of course, loss of income, when there has been negligence on behalf of a facility or individual contributing to the accident.

At #link(contact,,Burn Tucker Lachaîne), we advocate on the side of injured victims and their families to protect against insurance companies whose main objective is to minimize their payouts and maximize their profits.  We understand that no amount of money can make up for the pain and suffering caused by someone else’s negligence. Nevertheless, full compensation can help ensure that you get the care and treatment you need to overcome your injuries. Let us fight for you.

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