We prepare every case for trial, relentlessly holding defendants and insurance companies accountable. We out-work and out-think our opponents, devoting ourselves to finding new and innovative ways to win in court. And we are responsible for numerous precedent-setting legal decisions.
We believe there is an unfair imbalance between large insurance companies and individual plaintiffs. With the right lawyer, a courtroom can be the great equalizer. Because of our determination, most of our cases settle before making it to the courtroom. We let our clients make the ultimate decision about whether or not to go to trial.
We are proud of our body of work. We invite you to review some of our most notable cases below.
Michael Elliott and Scott Morishita were trial counsel O’Mara, a 43 year old medical office coordinator, who was walking in a marked crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle. The vehicle that struck Ms. O’Mara fled the scene and the identity of the driver remains unknown. The impact resulted in Ms. O’Mara suffering fractures […]
RHE Trial Lawyer Tony Leoni was trial counsel for Damandip Basra, a 38 year old self-employed tile setter who sustained soft tissue injuries resulting in chronic pain and partial disability after a 2014 rear-end accident. Mr. Basra ran his own business as a sole proprietor. On the advice of his accountant, he claimed deductions for […]
We are very proud as co-counsel on behalf of RHE client Gregory Crowder and co-petitioner the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia to have successfully challenged the constitutionality of an effort by the Attorney General of B.C. to (a) limit the number of experts used in court proceedings for even catastrophically injured British Columbians; (b) […]
RHE wins award of $594,327.77 in damages for 48-year-old man suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”). Trial Lawyers Jon Harbut and Tony Leoni were trial counsel for Mike Redmile, a 48-year old man who developed PTSD following a tragic highway accident. The $180,000 that was awarded for pain and suffering is one of the highest […]
Jesse Kendall was trial counsel for a 45-year old man who sustained injuries while riding as a passenger in a taxicab in 2014. Despite ICBC’s view that the plaintiff’s injuries warranted a significantly lower award, the Supreme Court of British Columbia found that an award of $50,000 would fairly compensate him for his pain and […]
On Monday September 9th, 2019 the BC Supreme Court delivered reasons from a June 2019 personal injury trial that John Rice and Tony Leoni prosecuted, awarding our young client over $850,000 in damages for the permanently partially disabling injuries he suffered in a car crash, including for right shoulder surgery and likely neck surgery in […]
RHE partner Jon Harbut had the privilege of acting for Felicia Juelfs at trial, a 36 year old woman who suffered soft tissue injuries and chronic pain in her jaw, neck and back from a May 2014 car crash. ICBC had care and conduct of the defense and forced this case to trial because of […]
John Rice and Hector MacDonald were trial counsel for Angelika Jaehrlich, a 59 year old youth counsellor who was seriously injured as a backseat passenger in a taxi that was violently struck from the rear in a four-vehicle collision on Highway 99 near the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. Angelika’s injuries included a concussion (defined as a […]
Jesse Kendall was trial counsel for Zachary Culver, a 37-year old window washer who was involved in two accidents a few years apart. Mr. Culver suffered significant injuries to his low back, which over several years contributed to depression and chronic pain in his back and his legs. Mr. Culver was an extremely active young […]
John Rice and Hector Macdonald had the pleasure of acting for Ryan Scott, a young father and general contractor who suffered severe orthopaedic injuries when the Defendant Cheng left a stop sign and failed to yield the right of way to Mr. Scott, causing a violent collision between her vehicle and Mr. Scott’s motorcycle. Our […]
Tony Leoni and Lawrence Bau were trial counsel for Alexander Zacher, a 25 year old line cook who was walking in a marked crosswalk when he was hit by a left turning vehicle. The accident resulted in a right femur fracture, chronic pain, concussion, cognitive impairments, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. ICBC denied liability […]
RHE wins award of $784,735 in damages for 46-year-old woman suffering from post-traumatic chronic pain and somatic symptom disorder. Tony Leoni and Ben Colangelo were trial counsel for Brandy Brundige, a 46-year old woman who suffered disabling chronic pain after her vehicle was struck by a stolen SUV that was being pursued by police officers. […]
ICBC appealed the trial judge’s award of $1,093,111 to our client, Tim McKenzie, who suffered a stroke 2 ½ weeks after an accident. ICBC argued that the trial judge had misunderstood the expert evidence about the cause of the stroke, and did not consider ICBC’s argument that our client was not to be believed due […]
John Rice and Hector MacDonald were trial counsel for Veronica Howell, a young UBC student who was struck by a hit and run truck while crossing the street mid-block, but the Defendant drove into oncoming traffic and was driving the wrong way when he hit her.
JMR Trial Lawyers Tony Leoni and David Eleff were trial counsel for Brandy Brundige, who was stopped at a stop sign with her 5 year old son in the back of her vehicle, when she was struck at a high speed by a large truck driven by a thief.
Jon Harbut and John Rice were trial counsel for Jessica Pearson a young woman who suffered life changing injuries in a violent head on car crash on the Sea to Sky Highway when she was only 21 years old.
A new decision from the British Columbia Supreme Court has found that a stroke sustained by JMR’s client 18 days after a minor motor vehicle accident was the result of a vertebral artery dissection caused by the accident. The case is the first of its kind in British Columbia which considers the issue of causation of a stroke occurring weeks after an accident.
Trial Lawyers Michael Elliott and Hector MacDonald acted for Allie Picton, a 33-year-old hair stylist, who suffered injuries to her neck, back, and shoulders, as well as ongoing headaches, as a result of a motor vehicle collision. Ms. Picton’s primary ongoing complaint at the time of trial was persistent headaches which interfered with her recreational, social, and vocational activities.
Trial Lawyers Jon Harbut and John Rice acted for Wing Kit (“Rick”) Chow, a 40-year-old accountant who suffered serious injuries leading to neck surgery from two rear-end motor vehicle collisions on November 20, 2009, on July 5, 2011.
John Rice and Jon Harbut acted for Denise Norris who suffered disabling injuries after being involved in a vehicle accident in 2010. Central to the trial was hours of covert surveillance from 2013 and 2014 that was taken on behalf of ICBC and used to dispute medical evidence of Norris’s declining health. This case highlights a first in B.C., where a full contingency fee was ordered as special costs for misconduct by a litigant.
Michael Elliott and Cody Wagner acted for a 36-year-old lawyer who suffered injury to her back and neck, as well as headaches, as a result of a significant motor vehicle collision. At the time of the collision the plaintiff worked in a busy litigation law firm.
Michael Elliott and John Rice acted for Cora Boyes who, in 2007, was 10 months old when she suffered severe electrical burns while a resident at a rental property in North Vancouver.
Michael Elliott and Cody Wagner acted for John Bellaisac, a 35-year-old labourer who was injured as a passenger in a rear end accident. Mr. Bellaisac was a recent immigrant from Columbia. Since his arrival in Canada, Mr. Bellaisac worked as a physical labourer in demolition and asbestos removal.
The Court of Appeal remitted the award for future cost of care back to the trial judge for clarification of this issue. Michael Elliott and Cody Wagner appeared on behalf of Ms. Johal at the hearing for this matter.
John Rice and Cody Wagner acted for the Plaintiff, a 17 year old cyclist involved in a collision with the Defendant, a motorist insured by ICBC. The collision occurred after sunset during “advanced dusk”. The facts of what happened in the accident were controversial. Our client and the Defendant driver had vastly different accounts of what happened.
In a December 2014 trial, Jon Harbut and John Rice were proud to act for a 26 year old diamond mining engineer named Mary Valino. Mary was the belted, front seat passenger in a horrific single vehicle roll over collision on October 10, 2010 near Grand Cache, Alberta. Mary was removed from the vehicle by emergency services and ultimately flown by helicopter ambulance to the hospital in Grand Prairie. Mary was a 22 year old mining graduate student at UBC when she was injured.
ICBC appealed the trial judge’s award of $611,000 for loss of capacity and $90,000 for loss of future care. John Rice and Mike Elliott argued the matter at the Court of Appeal with Cody Wagner providing instrumental help in preparing the matter for appeal.
John Rice and Mike Elliott acted for Ashraf Rajan, an operating room nurse and married mother to two children who was injured in three motor vehicle accidents. The Plaintiff said the accidents, and especially the third accident, caused her significant injury, chronic pain, and a grossly diminished ability to continue working until retirement as a nurse.
Ms. Brunelle had a long-standing prior injury to her left shoulder which was symptomatic, yet stable, at the time of the accident. As a result of the accident, Ms. Brunelle suffered soft tissue injury to her neck, back, and shoulders which resulted in persistent headaches, difficulty sleeping, and occasional depressive symptoms and low mood.
Jon Harbut and John Rice represented Christopher Hong at trial, a 34 year old commercial transport mechanic and commercial vehicle inspector. Chis was injured in two car accidents, but all of his damages arose out of the first crash, a terrible “roll over” accident that caused him to suffer serious injuries, especially to his right shoulder, which required surgery to the shoulder some two years after the accident.
Jon Harbut represented Mr. Doucette, a guest visiting a cabin that was undergoing some renovations. In the cabin there was a stairwell leading to the basement with no guardrail. Our client was walking backwards in the cabin to take a photograph and fell into the stairwell to the basement below suffering serious injuries including fractures.
Michael Elliott and Cody Wagner acted for Lisa Johal, a 30 year old hotel front office manager. Ms. Johal was injured when her car was rear ended by the defendant. Prior to the accident, Ms. Johal had experienced minor pain, numbness, and tingling in her right arm. As a result of the accident, Ms. Johal suffered a permanent aggravation of these symptoms as well as new soft tissue injuries to her back as well as headaches.
Jon Harbut and Michael Elliott acted for Mr. Hall. The only issue in this trial was who was at fault for a motor vehicle accident. The accident occurred at an intersection where Mr. Hall was turning left and Mr. Timms was proceeding straight through.
John Rice and Hector MacDonald acted for Dean Johnson, a 54 year old truck driver injured in two car accidents. In the first accident Mr. Johnson was rear ended by a flat deck truck. We alleged on Dean’s behalf that he suffered permanent partial disability which would affect him for the rest of his life and impair his ability to work until retirement.
Kevin Jarvis and Jon Harbut acted for Ms. Cantin who was injured in a car crash on June 10, 2004. Our law firm took her case over from other lawyers. We argued on Ms. Cantin’s behalf that she developed disabling and severe chronic pain because of the car accident.
Keith McGee and Michael Elliott acted for Ms. Sharifi. Our client was a 57 year old care aid and assessment worker with the Ministry of Social Development. Ms. Sharifi was a passenger in a motor vehicle that struck a left turning vehicle. At the time of the trial Ms. Sharifi was continuing to suffer from ongoing pain in her neck, back, and shoulders, as well as headaches, nausea, difficulty sleeping, and fatigue.
Jon Harbut and John Rice represented Gloria Clark, a working mother of two and avid marathon runner. The Plaintiff was rear-ended in a car crash on June 8, 2006. ICBC defended the claim. Ms. Clark alleged she suffered neck and back injuries that impacted all aspects of her life.
Kevin Jarvis and John Rice acted for Mr. Zen. Our client was a 45 year old high level executive injured in a heavy car crash on April 1, 2005 when the Defendant Readhead ran a stop sign. ICBC was the insurer for the Defendant driver at fault. Our client developed significant chronic pain that affected his ability to run his family’s group of companies.
Jon Harbut and John Rice acted for the Plaintiff, Crystal Birtwhistle, a young woman who was injured in two violent car crashes, the first of which occurred when she was a young girl in elementary school. ICBC defended the case and opted for a jury trial.
Kevin Jarvis and Michael Elliott acted for Ms. Juraski. Our client was a 46 year old single working mother with three children. The Defendant Beek rear-ended Ms. Juraski. She developed chronic pain in her neck, shoulder and low back that affected all aspects of her life including work performance as a realtor.
Kevin Jarvis and Jon Harbut acted for Danny Cabral, a 32 year old young man injured in a rear-end car crash on March 31, 2006. We argued Mr. Cabral suffered chronic pain because of the accident.
John Rice acted for Bob Elgood, a 65 year old husband and father who, like many British Columbians, needed to work well into his seventies to support himself and his family. He worked at a bingo hall and did other odd jobs in the community like landscaping. Mr. Elgood was injured in a car accident on January 10, 2006. ICBC admitted liability for the accident.
Kevin Jarvis and John Rice represented Scott Carlson for injuries he suffered in a rear end car crash on November 23, 2002. ICBC defended the claim and opted for a jury trial. The Plaintiff was 27 at the time of the accident. He was an aspiring investment advisor and stock broker with Canaccord Capital.
Keith McGee and John Rice acted for the Plaintiff. Ms. Samuel was a PhD student in chemistry at UBC when she was knocked over as a pedestrian in the parking lot at the University of British Columbia by the defendant driver.
Jon Harbut and Keith McGee acted for the Plaintiff in a claim for damages arising out of a car accident caused by the Defendants Savory and Kwong. Our client was a 26 year old massage therapist. She suffered mild soft tissue injuries.
Kevin Jarvis and John Rice acted for Leonard Gold, a 56 year old mill worker who was injured in a heavy rear-end car crash. He developed chronic pain in his neck and back and painful post-traumatic headaches. We argued his ability to work until retirement was greatly impacted.
Keith McGee and John Rice were trial counsel for Gustav Creutz. The trial of this matter related only to which of two men was driving a vehicle on a back country road on October 6, 2000 which swerved off the road and engaged in a violent roll-over crash, killing Mr. Winther and leaving Mr. Creutz […]
Keith McGee and John Rice acted for Kasey Sinnott a girl who was 16 years old and in grade 11 when the van she was driving was hit from behind by a pick-up truck being driven by the Defendant. Kasey suffered a whiplash injury to her neck and shoulders. She missed a week of school after the accident and it impacted on her ability to play sports and work at part time jobs.
Kevin Jarvis and John Rice acted on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Djukic. We were asked to take this case from another lawyer two months before trial. The clients were a husband and wife couple from Serbia who operated a successful deli business when both of them were injured in a car crash on June 15, 2000.
Kevin Jarvis and John Rice acted for Ms. Krznaric a fitness and pilates instructor and mother of two children. The Plaintiff was hurt in what ICBC calls a “low velocity impact” crash on April 18, 2002. She developed chronic pain that affected all aspects of her life.
Robert Burns and John Rice acted for the Plaintiff in a claim for damages arising out of two car crashes that occurred on March 31, 2001 and September 14, 2004. ICBC admitted fault for both of the Defendant drivers. The Plaintiff says the accidents caused pain and injury to her neck and back and contributed to depression.
