A serious injury deserves a senior advocate — not a file passed down the hall.
For nearly two decades — including years as a partner at one of Canada's leading personal injury and medical-negligence firms — Daniel Michaelson has successfully advocated for hundreds of clients in motor vehicle, catastrophic-injury, Statutory Accident Benefits, medical-negligence, products liability, and fire-loss cases. Michaelson Law is where he now takes them on directly, for a smaller number of clients who get his full attention from the first call to the last.
The lawyer who assesses your case is the one who argues it.
Seriously injured people deserve an advocate willing to do the meticulous, unglamorous work of reconstructing exactly what happened.
— Daniel Michaelson
You get Daniel — start to finish
At big firms, the senior lawyer wins the meeting and a junior runs the file. Here, the person you meet is the person who builds your case, negotiates it, and stands up for it in court.
Big-firm pedigree, boutique attention
The same calibre of catastrophic-injury, motor vehicle accident, occupiers' liability and medical-negligence work that Ontario's leading firms are known for — delivered by a practice deliberately kept small enough to return your call and give you the full attention you deserve.
No fees unless your case succeeds
Most cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis. You pay nothing up front, and no legal fees at all unless your claim is successful. The terms are in writing before any work begins.
Built on reconstructing the record
Daniel's background in history and archaeology turned into a litigator's instinct: meticulously rebuild, piece by piece, the record no one preserved with a lawsuit in mind — then hold the responsible party to account for it.
For all of Ontario — not just downtown
Daniel acts for injured people across the province and regularly travels to represent clients in northern, rural and Indigenous communities — from eastern Ontario to the Toronto area, through Hamilton and London to Windsor, and from Timmins and Sudbury to Kenora and Fort Frances — who deserve the same senior advocacy as anyone.
When an institution or another person failed you, these are the claims we take on.
Every injury — and every family — is different. Daniel acts across the full range of serious personal-injury, products liability, fire loss, Statutory Accident Benefits, and medical-negligence matters in Ontario. Choose the area closest to your situation.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Car, motorcycle, pedestrian, cyclist and transit collisions — and the two separate claims most people don't know they have.
Learn more →Medical Malpractice & Negligence
Misdiagnosis, surgical error, delayed diagnosis, birth injury and medication harm — when the care that was supposed to help caused harm instead.
Learn more →Catastrophic Injury
Brain and spinal-cord injuries, amputations and other life-altering harm that changes a person's and family's future, not just a season with a recovery.
Learn more →Accident Benefits & LAT Disputes
When your own insurer denies, delays, or cuts off the benefits you're entitled to after an accident.
Learn more →Slip & Fall / Occupiers' Liability
Ice and snow, wet floors, poor lighting, unsafe stairs and sidewalks — when a property owner's neglect puts you on the ground and results in serious injuries.
Learn more →Fire Loss & Property Damage
Catastrophic house, building and vehicle fires — and the property and personal-injury losses that follow when negligence, faulty wiring, poor maintenance, building code issues, lack of smoke alarms or detectors, or a defective product was the cause.
Learn more →Also: Wrongful Death · Long-Term & Short-Term Disability · Product Liability · Long-Term Care & Class Actions · Dog Attacks & Dog Bites — See all practice areas →
Reported decisions from across the Ontario courts and tribunals.
A selection of matters from Daniel's litigation practice — each one a public, citable decision rather than a number on a page.
Amin v. CAA Insurance Company
Acting for a seriously injured accident victim, Daniel established a catastrophic impairment under Ontario's auto-insurance regime — the highest-stakes determination in accident-benefits law. The Tribunal accepted a combined 55% whole-person impairment over the insurer's contested ratings, unlocking the enhanced benefits a catastrophic designation provides.
Pugliese v. Chartwell
Co-counsel in one of eight proposed class actions arising from COVID-19 outbreaks in Ontario long-term-care homes. In March 2024 the court certified six of the eight actions — including the Chartwell action — to proceed as class proceedings in negligence, clearing a pivotal hurdle in one of the largest efforts to seek accountability for what happened in long-term care during the pandemic. The litigation is ongoing.
Decision No. 333/16
On appeal from a denial by the Board, Daniel won recognition of a permanent shoulder impairment for an injured worker and his entitlement to a non-economic loss award — overturning the Board's finding after a hearing on the merits.
Past results are not a guarantee of the outcome of any future case. Citations link to the publicly reported decisions. Outcomes depend on the specific facts and evidence of each matter.
From the first call to a resolution.
You should never feel lost in your own case. Here is the path, in plain terms.
Free consultation
Tell Daniel what happened. He'll give you a straight read on whether you have a potential claim and what to expect — at no cost and in confidence.
We build the record
Medical records, accident and police reports, expert evidence, photos, videos, schematics, expert consults where appropriate, and witnesses. In more complex matters, Daniel will attend the accident scene personally, as quickly as possible. The careful reconstruction that decides serious cases.
We make the claim
We deal with the insurer and the defendants and coordinate with treatment providers so you can focus on recovery — through negotiation, and through trial when that's what it takes.
Resolution
A settlement or judgment that reflects what was actually lost — the compensation, care, income, and security you're entitled to.
Straight answers, before you ever call.
How much does it cost to hire Daniel?
Most personal-injury, products liability, and medical-malpractice cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis. You pay no legal fees up front, and no legal fees at all unless your claim succeeds. The fee and disbursement arrangement is explained in writing in a retainer agreement before any work begins.
Who will actually handle my case?
Daniel will. Michaelson Law is a boutique practice by design — he takes on a smaller number of files so that the senior lawyer who first assesses your case is the same one who builds it, negotiates it, argues it, and settles it.
How long do I have to start a claim in Ontario?
In most cases the basic limitation period is two years from when you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, you had a claim. But several situations have far shorter notice deadlines — seven days to notify your own auto insurer, and ten days for a claim involving a municipality. These deadlines are strict, so it's best to call promptly.
What should I bring to a free consultation?
Whatever you have — an accident or police report, the name of your insurer, any medical records or correspondence, and photos or videos. If you don't have any of it yet, that's fine too. Just tell Daniel what happened and he'll take it from there.
Do I have to come to your office?
No. Daniel will meet clients across the Greater Toronto Area and all over Ontario; where an injury makes travel difficult, he will come to you as needed. The first conversation can happen by phone or video.
No obligation · No fees unless you winIf you or someone you love has been seriously hurt, start with a conversation.
It costs nothing to find out where you stand. Tell Daniel what happened, and he'll tell you honestly whether and how he can help.