Practice Highlights

Michael has experience as counsel for several insurance companies and The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee but has now restricted his practice to the representation of accident victims and their families.

Michael has authored publications on insurance law and has presented to other lawyers and representatives at The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee on subjects concerning benefit entitlements, the rights and responsibilities of insurers and accident victims.

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts, University of McGill (1995)
  • Bachelor of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School (1998)

Professional Accreditations and Affiliations

  • The Canadian Bar Association
  • The Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association
  • Ontario Brain Injury Association
  • Board member with the Brain Injury Association of Peel and Halton
  • Member of FAIR (Fair Association of Victims for Accident Insurance Reform)
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  • Greer et al v. Kurtz et al

    On March 2, 2003, Donald Greer’s life tragically changed forever when he was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident on an icy highway near Hamilton.  Mr. Greer was catastrophically brain-injured in the collision.

    “The trial judge simply held that Mr. Kurtz should have slowed his vehicle more than he did and that his failure to do so meant that the speed of impact was greater than it otherwise would have been.” [para.10]

    “Finally, the trial judge’s impugned negligence finding is not related to avoidance of the accident.  As we have said, it is directed to Mr. Kurtz’s failure to slow his vehicle adequately, the result of which was to make the force of the collision greater than it otherwise would have been.  This is negligence.” [para.11]

  • PIA Law Lawyers Launch Innovative New Personal Injury Module

    December 11, 2015

    Recently, lawyers representing all three of the PIA Law firms worked alongside LexisNexis Canada to help create the Lexis Practice Advisor’s Personal Injury (Ontario) module. The module was designed as a comprehensive guide on how to prepare a personal injury case. Lawyers from across Canada will now have an opportunity to access documents prepared for … Continued

  • Supporting ABI Car Accident Survivors, Family Members and In-Patient Rehab Teams

    Presented at Bridgepoint Active Healthcare | May 7, 2014

    Personal injury lawyers, David F. MacDonald, Michael L. Bennett and Darcy R. Merkur presented, Supporting ABI Car Accident Survivors, Family Members and In-Patient Rehab Teams, at Bridgepoint Active Healthcare on May 7, 2014. Overview of presentation: The following is an attempt to document typical examples of questions asked by survivors and their family members and corresponding responses … Continued

  • Attendant Care Benefits Update “Incurred Expenses”

    Presented at St. John's Rehab Hospital | February 5, 2014

    As of September 1, 2010, the definition of “incurred” was amended to prevent friends and family members from claiming payment for services they provide to their loved ones following an accident unless they could establish that they had suffered an “economic loss’. View PDF of PowerPoint Presentation.

  • The Role of the Occupational Therapist

    presented at the OSOT Annual Conference

  • Hot Topics in Rehabilitation

    Presented at the Back to School Conference | September 30, 2010

    As lawyers and health-care practitioners are aware, dealing with seriously injured persons is not easy. Often, we are dealing with a complicated and an intertwining constellation of injuries that can be physical, mental or psychological. With respect to those survivors with serious physical injuries, it is not uncommon for them to experience psychological aftermath in the nature of an … Continued

  • Finding Solutions to Key Challenges

    Presented at the Navigating the New SABS: Practical Solutions Conference | April 26, 2010

    View PDF of PowerPoint Presentation.

     

  • Future Care Costs

    Presented at The Canadian Institute's 8th Annual Forum on Personal Injury Settlements | January 26, 2010

    In Catastrophic Injury cases, preparation and presentation of Future Care Costs should be the greatest focus of Plaintiff and Defence counsel’s attention in approaching mediation and trial. Future Care Costs form the largest component of a catastrophically injured Plaintiff’s claim. The Life Care Plan or the Future Care Cost Report is the most important anchor to quantify the … Continued

  • Admission of Accident Reconstruction at Trial: Winning Strategies and Tactics

    Presented at Osgoode Hall Law School Professional Development CLE - Managing and Litigating Motor Vehicle Accident Claims | April 22, 2009

    In this presentation, David MacDonald and Michael Bennet cover the following topics: What is Accident Reconstruction Evidence? Review of the Law of Admissibility Giving Instructions to your Expert Engineer The Tool Box Leica Toal Station Equipment HVE/PC Crash AutoCAD Computer Software 3Ds Max Computer Software Scientific Visualizations and Animations Human Factors View PDF of PowerPoint Presentation.

  • Public and Private Partnerships for Client-Centred Care

    Presented at Credit Valley Rehab Centre | February 13, 2007

    Presentation objectives: Review accident benefit entitlements Review roles of a case manager, lawyer, private occupational therapist and hospital social worker from admission to discharge in the context of accident benefits Medical, Rehabilitation and Attendant Care Services – Who is responsible to provide services? Creating a model for Public/Private therapy in hospital and community Process for … Continued

  • Crossing the Threshold

    National Judicial Institute

  • Adapting to the Changes in the Acute Care Setting

    Presented at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre | March 1, 2003

    View PDF of PowerPoint Presentation.