http://www.cuminggillespie.com

On January 3rd, 2006 my husband passed away in a horrible car accident. He was a great father for our kids and wonderful husband for me.

We came to Canada in May 2004 and the same year our second child was born. After my husband’s death everything seemed to collapse and there was no hope for our family.

At the time I did not speak any English, and was left with 2 children, a 14 year-old son and a 1 year-old daughter. Being a single mother is hard and it was very hard for the family to overcome this tragedy.

After the tragic accident, Cuming & Gillespie offered a helping hand. Being in the country for only a year, without any knowledge of the language and the laws, I accepted their help.

Cuming & Gillespie gave us the support we needed at the time. When Jamie asked me if my husband and I planned to have more children, I knew that he was the right lawyer for our family as he asked the questions that were very essential for us. Also, being new to the country and separated from our relatives was hard, and Jamie helped my mother to visit us in Canada and support us in these hard times.

During the four year span of the legal case, Cuming & Gillespie managed to help us to get back on solid ground. Thank you for everything that you have done, and the support that you gave our family.

I would highly recommending Cuming & Gillespie law firm as professionals with a high ethical standard where each individual case would be treated with equal respect and support.

Sincerely,
Gulia Erkin

In July, 2001, I was a passenger in a 1995 GMC Sierra truck which was traveling west on 6th Ave. S.W. in Calgary through the intersection with 2 St. S.W. on a green light.  Suddenly, and unexpectedly, a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire ran a red traffic light and collided with our vehicle.  Damage to our vehicle was estimated at $21,400.00.

At the time of the collision I was a 39 year old single woman who was 37 weeks pregnant.  I sustained significant bruising to my abdomen, left thigh, feet and right shoulder.  I was stiff and sore all over.  An urgent “C” section was performed two days later.  I continued to suffer from constant bilaterally shoulder pain and back pain.  M.R.I.s demonstrated a full thickness fear of the rotator cuff in both of my shoulders.  An Orthopaedic Surgeon considered surgical treatment to my neck due to disc degeneration and interforaminal spurring which caused daily headaches.  I developed myofascial pain in my upper back.  I developed depression.  Arthroscopic surgery was done on my left shoulder and will be done on my right shoulder in the future.

I worked for a Canadian bank in a physically demanding position which required travel and a lot of lifting. My chronic pain and depression adversely affected by ability to fulfill my duties.  After the surgery to my shoulder I was unable to lift anything above my waist.

I still have on-going difficulties with pain, stiffness and movement of both shoulders, neck pain, daily headaches and depression.

I retained Pamela Fischer to represent me in my legal action against the insurance company of the at-fault driver.  I knew that my quality of life and livelihood would be adversely affected by my injuries.  I recognized that I needed to be represented by highly competent legal counsel.

Ms. Fischer represented me very well and helped me through the litigation process each step of the way.  She responded to my inquiries in a timely and informative manner.

My claim was settled after I participated in a judicial mediation with the adjuster and the lawyer who represented the insurance company.   I felt that my concerns were heard through-out this process.  I was very pleased with the amount of compensation I received  –  it will replace future lost income and will cover the cost of future medical treatment.

I highly recommend Ms. Fischer & her law firm for anyone who is seriously injured and wants highly capable legal counsel.
A. M.

In July, 2005, I was involved in a collision when I was riding my motorcycle on McKnight Blvd. when a car, which had been travelling in the lane beside me, made a right hand turn directly in front of my path of travel, causing a collision.  Upon impact I was thrown from my motorcycle, hit my left knee on the car, flew over the hood and into the air for about 8 feet before landing on the pavement on my left side.I am a 39 year old man who was working as a warehouse supervisor at the time of the collision.  I sustained multiple fractures to my pelvis and left hip, several fractures to my lumbar spine, sprains to both ankles, a left knee ligament injury and a broken toe.

I required pelvic reconstruction and was hospitalized for 8 weeks.  Upon discharge I wore a knee splint, was on blood thinning medication and used a wheelchair.  Over time I used a walker, crutches and then a cane.  I received extensive physiotherapy for three years.  I developed depression.

Upon my discharge from hospital, I retained Pamela Fischer to represent me in my legal action against the insurance company of the at-fault driver.  I knew that my injuries were serious, permanent and would affect my livelihood and quality of life.  I knew I needed to retain highly competent legal counsel.

Ms. Fischer represented me very well and helped me through the litigation process each step of the way.  She responded to my inquiries in a timely and informative manner.

I was unable to return to work and had to find alternate employment.  I will have to undergo several surgeries in the future to my hip and knee.

My claim was settled after I participated in a private mediation with the adjuster and the lawyer who represented the insurance company.   I felt that my concerns were heard through-out this process.  I was very pleased with the amount of compensation I received  –  it will replace income I will lose and will cover the cost of future medical treatment.

I highly recommend Ms. Fischer & her law firm for anyone who is seriously injured and wants highly capable legal counsel.
Colin Jessup

In July, 2003, I was involved in a collision when I driving with the right-of-way.  Another vehicle failed to stop at a red light and smashed into the side of my vehicle at a high rate of speed, causing my airbag to deploy and my vehicle to spin around 180 degrees.

I am a 46 year old woman who was working three jobs at the time of the collision as a nanny/housekeeper.  I had pre-existing degenerative disc disease in my neck ad a history of neck and back injuries. I sustained four further injuries to my back while at work after this collision.  I was also injured in a second motor vehicle collision in July, 2005.

As a result of the first collision I suffered a back strain, neck and shoulder pain, a contusion to my left knee and headaches.  The second collision aggravated these injuries.  Over time I developed chronic pain in my back.  I required extensive physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic care and medication.

I retained Pamela Fischer to represent me in the actions against the insurance companies which felt that I only suffered minor aggravational injuries  —-  mere whiplashes.

Ms. Fischer represented me very well. I felt that I had sustained permanent, serious injuries and that the insurers did not understand this or want to believe me.  Ms. Fischer helped me through the litigation process and helped me to  understand it each step of the way.  She cared about me and helped me maximize my recovery under the current Alberta law.

My claim was settled after I participated in a private mediation with the adjuster and the lawyer who represented the insurance company.   I felt that I was heard through-out this process.  I was very pleased with the amount of compensation I received  –   it will help me obtain any future medical treatment that I may require for the rest of my life.

I highly recommend Ms. Fischer & her law firm for anyone who is seriously injured and wants understanding and capable legal counsel.
Randa Sweeney

Client “S”

In June, 2002, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident when I was driving with the right-of-way and another vehicle blew a stop sign, crashing into the side of my vehicle.

I am a 59 year old woman with an extensive history of fibromyalgia, widespread body pain, chronic fatigue, poor sleep and occasional dizziness which were aggravated by stress and anxiety. I also had a history of TMJ.

However, as a direct result of the collision, I suffered a significant aggravational injury and serious physical trauma. I suffered a loss of consciousness, concussion, face laceration, vertigo, nausea, headaches, TMJ disorder and severe soft tissue injury to my cervical and thoracic spine.

I required physiotherapy, massage therapy, TMJ splinting, chiropractic care, vestibular physiotherapy, acupuncture, craniosacral massage and medication.

I retained Pamela Fischer to represent me in my fight against the insurer who felt that I only suffered minor aggravational injuries.

Ms. Fischer represented me very well. I was very nervous and apprehensive about the whole legal process. She helped me understand it each step of the way. Ms. Fischer cared about me and protected my legal interests in a way that respected my concerns.

My claim was settled after I participated in a private mediation with the adjuster and the lawyer who represented the insurance company. I felt that I was heard through-out this process. I was very pleased with the compensation I received — it will help me obtain any future medical treatment that I may require for the rest of my life.

I highly recommend Ms. Fischer & her law firm for anyone who is seriously injured and is daunted by the whole legal process.

For 12 years I had the unfortunate experience of being in a lawsuit case for sexual assaults upon me as a child. The attorney I had at the time did a very poor job of representing my case and in the end my case was dismissed without my knowledge. However, the Alberta Law Society did step up to acknowledge the negligence of my lawyer at that time.

I was very fortunate to find representation with Craig Gillespie. He did an exceptional job! He was very sensitive to my feelings about the nature of my case and conducted his research thoroughly. I highly recommend Craig to represent you on these types of cases as he is compassionate, understanding and ethical. He is honest, straight forward and stays with the facts. Craig’s determination and efficiency at getting my case resolved was his priority and he knew how to manage his time. He is not the type of lawyer who wants to drag things out and that was very important to me. Within less than one year I was compensated and was able to have closure with the legal system on this matter.

I wish Craig all the best in his career. His support and compassion will never be forgotten. For many people who suffer these unfortunate experiences I want them to all know that finding the right attorney to represent you is not easy. But you would be making the right choice to have Craig Gillespie represent you as he truly understands you and the sensitivity of the situation. His experience with these types of cases is also highly beneficial.

Craig, thank-you for helping me to get some closure on this matter.

Kindest Regards,
Wendy Bjorkman

In February, 2003, I suffered a massive heart attack while a hospital patient.

On February 17, 2003, my wife and I took our two dogs for a walk. I started to have difficulty breathing, was red in the face, became panicky and was sweating even though it was very cold outside. I told my wife that I thought that I was having a heart attack.My wife drove me to the hospital. Upon presentation in Emergency I was sweating, breathing rapidly and my fingers, hand and arms were numb and tingly and I could not catch my breath.The Emergency physician diagnosed acute anxiety and hyperventilation.I was admitted to hospital. The next evening I sustained a massive heart attack.

My life has significantly changed since my massive heart attack - the functional capacity of my heart has been dramatically reduced. I used to be a power engineer at a sour gas plant who enjoyed big game hunting and fishing. I can no longer work and spend most of my time in a reclining chair in front of the television.

I retained the legal services of Bill McNally & Pamela Fischer and launched a medical malpractice law suit. A Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta found that the Emergency Physician was negligent in my care in that he failed to order the required tests for a 45-year-old smoker who arrived in the Emergency Department with my symptoms.

Bill and Pam handled my case in a professional manner and demonstrated a real sense of understanding and compassion with respect to the hurdles I was facing as a result of my sustaining such a life-altering injury. Their successful handling on my case resulted in me being awarded a significant sum of money and this has had a fundamental effect on my life for which I am grateful.

Bob Zazelenchuk

In February, 2002, my life changed forever when I dislocated my right shoulder and sustained a fracture to my humeral head, tore my rotator cuff and damaged the nerves in my shoulder. I subsequently developed a frozen shoulder. I am right-handed and today I live with severe chronic pain which interferes with my sleep and adversely affects all of my daily activities.

I am an elementary school teacher by profession - a vocation which I loved. On February 4, 2002, I took my science class outside to trace their shadows on the sidewalk. As I was walking on the sidewalk of the school yard I stepped on a patch of snow which was situated below a drain spout which channelled water off of the school’s gym roof onto the sidewalk. I fell heavily onto my right shoulder. Shear ice lay under the skiff of snow in a depression in the sidewalk.

I retained Pamela Fischer to represent my legal interests. Pam helped me through the litigation process, concluding with a Judicial Dispute Resolution before the Honourable Madam Justice Romaine. Pam was very professional and compassionate. She understood my medical complications and my fear of the legal process. She obtained a very good settlement for me which will allow me to attend at a Chronic Pain Clinic in an effort to improve the quality of my life. I am fortunate to have had the benefit of Pam’s legal expertise and personal assistance.

Debra S.

To whom it may concern:

My mother was involved in a car versus pedestrian accident on November 23, 2005. She sustained a burst fracture of T12 vertebral body. She had an interior spine decompression at the T11 L1 level with instrumentation and left iliac crest bone graft. She has complete motor loss below T12 and remains with incomplete sensory loss at and below the same level. In short, she was left a paraplegic.

My family and I were totally shocked and really felt helpless until we found McNally Cuming Raymaker. Mr. James Cuming and Mr. Craig Gillespie came to the Foothills Hospital and visited my mom. They did a great job and considered everything for my mom. They contacted social workers; they contacted the Calgary Health Region; found us a brace company and wheel chair company; dealt with the insurance company and they even found a nursing house for my mother’s recovery.

My mother is a resident of P.R. China and after her surgery she had to go back to China to continue therapy. In the next two years, Mr. James Cuming and Mr. Craig Gillespie did a lot of hard work to make everything work well. It was not only a big difference between two health care systems, but it was also very hard to find someone that is good at both languages and being a certified doctor by the Canadian Health system. At the end of 2007, they got the maximum compensation from the insurance company and my mother accepted the offer. Right now, although my mom is still in a wheelchair everyday, I would say we got the best result in this situation. My whole family really appreciates McNally Cuming Raymaker, their professionalism, their understanding, their hard work and their highly efficient team. I highly recommend their services to anybody who truly needs help.

Zhong Wei

On October 10th 2003 I was involved in a motor vehicle accident which changed my life forever. In a instant my hip, leg and back were fractured along with many other injuries. As I lay there, on the road, I could feel the sensation slowly leaving my legs and I ended up with a spinal cord injury.

After a couple of days I woke up and looked down at myself and I said “what a mess”. The next day I called McNally, Cuming Raymaker and I’m glad I did.

In the following week I met with James Cuming, a lawyer for McNally Cuming Raymaker, who explained to my wife and myself exactly what would happen in the following months if we decided to use them to represent me in my lawsuit.

From the beginning I trusted Jamie’s advise because of his commitment to me and his depth of knowledge and experience in the field of personal injury litigation. He explained to me that this litigation would be a long and difficult process. This prepared me for the ordeal that was to follow.

I was quite depressed after my 5 month stay in the hospital and I was convinced that I wasn’t gong to get better.

However, with Jamie’s encouragement, I realized that one day this whole nightmare would be over. During the next four years Jamie encouraged me to stay strong because at times I became quit discouraged. I was impressed with his professionalism and dedication to me and my case and with his knowledge of personal injury law.

As the final day (mediation) approached I was quite stressed, realizing this settlement would change my life one way or another. Jamie Cuming and Craig Gillespie joined forces and persevered and obtained a suitable and substantial settlement for me.

I highly recommend the firm of Cuming , Gillespie & Raymaker.

Russ Bray