Oakville Slip and Fall Lawyer – Experienced Local Premises Injury Lawyer in Oakville, Ontario

Whether you slipped on an icy walkway outside a plaza on Trafalgar Road or tripped over a broken curb near Lakeshore, your injuries may be more serious than you expect.

I’m Derek Wilson, and for more than 30 years, I’ve helped people in Oakville and across Ontario rebuild their lives after slip and fall accidents. My goal is simple: to find you full compensation and to handle the legal side of things so you can focus on getting better. If you’ve been injured, reach out to my law firm for a free consultation.

Why Choose Derek Wilson as Your Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer in Oakville, Ontario?

At Derek Wilson Injury and Disability Law, here’s what sets my firm apart:

One Lawyer

From day one until your case resolves, I’m the person handling your file. You won’t be passed from one staff member to another. That means clear communication and a stronger, more personal connection throughout your case.

I also won’t pass your case on to a junior lawyer with limited trial experience. This way, you get the full benefit of my more than 30 years of experience.

100% Focus on Injury and Disability Law

My practice is dedicated exclusively to personal injury and long-term and short-term disability claims. I don’t divide my attention among unrelated areas of law. That focus allows me to stay current on court decisions and changes to personal injury law, so I bring the information required for your case.

Decades of Experience, and an Insider’s Advantage

Before opening my own firm, I spent years defending insurance companies. That experience gives me valuable insight into how insurers assess claims and look for ways to deny or minimize compensation. Today, I use that knowledge to build stronger cases for injured people just like you.

Recognized, Local Results

My firm has earned national recognition and multiple “Best Lawyer” distinctions, but my proudest endorsements come from my clients. With a five-star Google rating, I’ve built a reputation in the Halton region for honest compassion and results. I grew up here and built my firm here, so every client matters to me personally.

No-Win-No-Fee Structure

I can handle your case on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing up front, and no legal fees at all unless we recover compensation for you.

Understanding If You Have a Case

If your injury happened because someone failed to take reasonable care of their property, you may have a case under Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act.

Property owners, landlords, tenants, and municipalities (collectively called “occupiers”) have a legal duty of care to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors. This applies to everything from private homes to shopping centres to public sidewalks. If a surface was icy, uneven, cluttered, or poorly lit, and that hazard caused your injury, the occupier may have breached that duty.

During our consultation, I’ll review the facts, the available evidence, and the law to give you an honest opinion about whether you have a strong case.

Statute of Limitations in Oakville

In most cases, you have two years from the date of the accident, or from the date you discovered your injury, to begin legal action. If your slip and fall occurred on public property, like a municipal sidewalk, you must give the municipality written notice of your claim within 10 days of the accident. That notice should include the time, date, location, and description of what happened.

If the incident happened on private or commercial property, such as a shopping centre or apartment complex, there are separate notice requirements for snow and ice-related accidents. In general, you have 60 days to give notice.

Since missing these deadlines means you miss out on the chance to file a claim, I always encourage people to contact me as soon as possible after an accident. I can help prepare the required notices and ensure every deadline is met.

Injuries and Consequences of Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall injuries are often more serious than people think. While in some cases you may walk away with just some embarrassment, you may also suffer from the following injuries:

• Fractures and broken bones
• Concussions or traumatic brain injury
• Soft-tissue injuries, such as sprains, torn ligaments, and muscle damage
• Spinal or nerve injuries
• Dislocations
• Chronic pain or worsening of pre-existing conditions

Even “minor” falls can lead to serious injury, particularly for older adults or even healthy adults who fall awkwardly.

The results of the injuries can last a long time and can affect you in ways you don’t expect. Chronic pain can interfere with sleep and relationships. Brain injuries can affect memory and mood. When you can’t work, you lose income, which can make it hard to care for yourself and pay your bills.

Types of Slip and Fall Cases We Handle

In Oakville and surrounding communities, these are the types of situations I see most often:

• Snow and ice accidents. Icy sidewalks, unploughed parking lots, and poorly salted walkways are common winter hazards. Property owners and landlords have a legal duty to maintain safe surfaces, yet every winter, people are seriously hurt in preventable falls across Halton, from Kerr Village to Bronte.
• Wet or slippery floors. Spills, leaks, or freshly mopped floors can create serious danger. If no warning sign was posted, or staff ignored the problem, the occupier may be liable.
• Uneven surfaces. Loose tiles, cracked pavement, and uneven stairs or curbs cause many injuries across Oakville. I often see cases involving older buildings or poorly maintained commercial plazas.
• Poor lighting and hidden hazards. Dim stairwells, parking garages, and hallways can conceal dangers that a property owner should have corrected. If lighting was inadequate or burned-out bulbs weren’t replaced, your fall may have been caused by negligence.
• Landlord negligence. Tenants have the right to live in safe conditions. If your landlord ignored complaints about broken stairs, loose handrails, or icy entryways, they could be responsible under the Occupiers’ Liability Act.
• Municipal property claims. Sidewalks, public buildings, and parks maintained by the Town of Oakville fall under municipal responsibility. If the town failed to address a known hazard within a reasonable time, you may have a claim.
• Serious injury cases. Some falls lead to lifelong injuries, such as brain injury, spinal damage, or permanent disability. These cases often require expert testimony and careful calculation of long-term losses to ensure your costs are covered.

Recovering from a slip and fall is hard enough without fighting insurers or worrying about deadlines. When you contact my office, you’ll get clear, compassionate help from someone who understands what you’re going through.

Proving Negligence

If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, proving negligence is the key to receiving compensation. In Ontario, these cases fall under the Occupiers’ Liability Act, which sets out the duty of care that every occupier owes to anyone entering their premises. Simply put, property owners must take reasonable steps to make sure their spaces are safe. When they fail to do that, and someone gets hurt as a result, they may be held liable.

If you’ve fallen and been hurt, the first step is determining whether the occupier could or should have prevented the hazard. Maybe the parking lot wasn’t salted after a snowstorm, or a stairway in a rental building lacked proper handrails. Each situation is unique, but the law always asks the same question: Was reasonable care taken to prevent the accident?

To prove that reasonable care was not taken, evidence matters. That includes photos of the hazard, witness statements, and the incident report (if one was filed). Strong medical records are equally important. They connect your injuries directly to the fall.

At Derek Wilson Injury and Disability Law, my team and I know how to piece together the full picture. My decades of experience working both for and against insurance companies give me an inside understanding of how insurers evaluate claims.

Compensation You Can Expect to Recover

Depending on your injuries and circumstances, you may be entitled to damages for:

• Pain and suffering.
• Lost wages.
• Diminished earning capacity.
• Medical care not covered by OHIP.
• Rehabilitation and attendant care.
• Home modifications.
• Additional costs related to your injury.

Insurance companies often try to minimize compensation or push for quick settlements before the full impact of an injury is clear. Derek’s experience on both sides of the table means he anticipates those tactics and doesn’t settle for less than what’s fair.

Our Process: From Free Consultation to Settlement

After a serious fall, the last thing you should have to worry about is paperwork and red tape. That’s why our process is built to make things as simple and supportive as possible. Here’s what to expect:

• Free Consultation. Your first meeting with me is completely free. I’ll listen to what happened, answer questions you have, and explain your legal options clearly. There is no pressure and no obligation.
• Your claim. Once you decide to move forward, my team and I will take care of all the details for you, so you can focus on your health. We’ll investigate the accident, consult with experts, handle all communication with insurers, submit the necessary documents, and make sure notice requirements are met. I negotiate with insurers for you.
• I will keep you updated with clear communication. If you have received an offer, I will review it for you. If your injury becomes more complicated, I will listen. If you are denied your rightful long-term or short-term disability benefits, I will step in.
• Litigation (if needed). Most cases are resolved through settlement. If the insurer won’t agree to what’s fair, I am fully prepared to take the case to court.

Everything is handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t pay legal fees until your case is successfully resolved.

What To Do Immediately After a Slip and Fall Accident

What you do in the minutes and days after a fall can have a major impact on your claim, so try to take the following steps if you can:

• Seek medical attention right away. Even if you think your injuries are minor, get checked by a doctor. Some serious issues aren’t always obvious at first.
• Report the incident. If the fall occurred in a store, building, or public place, report it to the occupier or property manager. Ask for an incident report and keep a copy.
• Document everything. Take photos or video of the area where you fell, including any hazards like uneven flooring, ice, or spilled liquids.
• Get witness information. If anyone saw your fall, ask for their contact details. They may be able to provide important witness statements later.
• Keep records. Save all medical records, treatment receipts, and correspondence related to the incident.
• Avoid early communication with insurers. Don’t give statements or accept settlements before speaking with a lawyer.

Acting quickly helps protect your rights and ensures critical evidence isn’t lost. If you have been injured, contact Derek Wilson Injury and Disability Law. We can schedule a no-obligation, free consultation to help you understand what you should do next.

Seeking Maximum Compensation

My goal is to make sure you have the resources to rebuild every part of your life, and that means looking beyond immediate medical bills. All too often, I have seen injured people accept less than they deserve from a settlement or short-term or long-term insurance claim, only to end up in severe financial trouble months or years later. I don’t want that to happen to you, and if we work together, I will fight hard to make sure you get the best chance possible at securing fair compensation.

At Derek Wilson We Get Results, Period.

My team and I are proud to serve Oakville and the surrounding communities of Burlington, Milton, and Hamilton as a truly local firm rooted in this region. When you’re ready to move forward, reach out for a free consultation.