Duncan Macgillivray

Duncan is a founding partner of White Macgillivray Lester LLP in Thunder Bay and Lecturer at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Lakehead University, teaching Insurance Law. Duncan has served injury clients all across Northwestern Ontario, from the Manitoba border in the west, to Greenstone in the east and all the way up north to Hudson’s Bay. Duncan is involved in his community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Brain Injury Association of Thunder Bay and Area from 2009 to Present (with 2010 to 2015 as President) and the Board of Directors of Thunder Bay Counselling Centre 2009 to 2015 (with 2011 to 2015 as Board Chair). Duncan is also involved in the legal community, sitting on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association since 2015, Thunder Bay Law Association since 2012, and Co-Chairing the Thunder Bay Law Association’s Civil Litigation CLE programs.

The Year of the LAT

Fireworks celebrate one year since the debut of the LAT

We’ve now had a year’s worth of LAT decisions (the first LAT decision was released online in July 2016). This post will examine the LAT decisions published online on CanLII to date (or at least up until June 22, 2017).

It’s Time to Abolish the Pain and Suffering “Cap”

Pain and Suffering affects many victims, but we're failing them

Back in 1978, the Supreme Court of Canada set an upper limit or “cap” on pain and suffering damages in Andrews v. Grand & Toy Alberta Ltd. J.A. Andrews was only 21 when he was rendered quadriplegic from a motor vehicle collision. The Court wrote that “It is difficult to conceive of a person of his age losing more than Andrews has lost.” He was ultimately awarded $100,000 …

Troubling Trends in LAT Costs Awards

LAT Costs Awards

In recent companion decisions MMS and Wawanesa and BF and Wawanesa, the LAT finally awarded costs. The fact that it took over 40 decisions for costs to be awarded is troubling.

9 Months of LAT: Statistical Analysis of Decisions to Date

happy birthday candles below Ontario crest

Starting April 1, 2016, the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT) took over hearing Statutory Accident Benefits disputes. The first LAT decision was released online in July 2016. With the LAT just turning 9 months old, this post will examine the LAT decisions published online to date (as of January 12, 2017).

7 Perfect Gifts for Lawyers

Gifts for Lawyers

Books make great holiday gifts for lawyers. We can read really quickly (from all the document review) and with our Type-A personalities we feel like we should always be working (even during leisure reading).
Here are my gift suggestions for the lawyer in your life.

Total Disability: Not So Total After All!

Total Disability: Not So Total After All

Insurance companies often argue that if a person can do part-time work, then they are not “Totally Disabled”. Or, if a person can do some job tasks, then they are not “Totally Disabled”. This makes sense on its face, but these arguments are wrong in law! Courts and Arbitrators have found that “Total Disability” and “Complete Inability” are legal terms of art and, as such, they should not be interpreted literally.