Lerners LLP Personal Injury Lawyers

Steven Polak works out of the Lerners LLP personal injury Whitby and Toronto offices. In his 20 years at Lerners LLP, he has dedicated his legal practice to assisting personal injury victims with lawsuits and people who have been unfairly denied disability benefits. 

Until 2008, his practice was split between representing injured/disabled plaintiffs and representing insurance companies/doctors who were sued.  Since then, Steven dedicates 100% of his practice to representing injured/disabled individuals in claims against insurance companies.  Steven refuses to act for insurance companies.  

Steven has appeared as lead Counsel in License Appeal Tribunal hearings for disputed benefits, Jury Trial in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice, as well as Ontario's highest Court, Ontario's Court of Appeal.  Steven regularly handles matters in Durham's Courthouse and is very familiar with the processes there and unique local features.

As part of the team of over 100 Ontario lawyers at Lerners LLP (Lerners started in 1929), he acts as an injury and disability lawyer for victims with motor vehicle accident lawsuits, accident benefits cases, long term disability benefit cases, slip and fall lawsuits, and other injury cases. He has handled cases involving quadriplegia, paraplegia, orthopaedic fractures, connective tissue pain disorders, brain injury and concussion etc, as well as having particular experience with mental health fall out from the injuries.  Steven was previously on the board of directors of a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Steven’s approach to litigation is that if a hand is extended in good faith you shake it, but if someone pushes you, you push back.

Lerners LLP is a law firm that strives for a reputation of honesty, respect, fairness and justice and seeks clients that wish the same.

What have Ontario's Judges said about Steven Polak in their decisions?

• “Clearly Mr. Polak is ahead of the game and has been throughout this litigation in relation to the efforts made to service his client.” [Oshawa Court Judge]
• “The solicitor [Steven Polak] has dealt with this file in an exemplary fashion and his position – does credit to himself and the profession.” [Toronto Court Judge]
• “The plaintiff [Counsel – Steven Polak] has been diligent and transparent.” [Newmarket Court Judge]
• “The plaintiff [Counsel – Steven Polak] continued to be co-operative, accommodating and entirely reasonable. The actions of the plaintiff throughout have been exceptionally diligent.” [Oshawa Court Judge]
• “Mr. Polak argued with great force and ingenuity.” [Milton Court Judge]
• “It was clear to me that Mr. Polak was entirely prepared for trial. He was accommodating in the extreme and had suggestions that would have cured any delay. I note that if anything he was overly fair, evidencing a clear desire to get this matter on.” [Oshawa Court Judge]
• “I am indebted to both counsel for the excellent materials and thorough arguments.”[Milton Court Judge]

Client Testimonials

• “Thanks a lot for your excellent work on my case.”
• “I am very happy to say that this [the outcome to the case] has helped her enormously; not just the financial weight gone off her shoulders, but the fact that you were able to change her thoughts in knowing that what happened to her was NOT right, and not her fault. She realizes now that her life does not need to be on hold for anyone, and she has a re-gained sense of self-respect and will power. Since the pre-trial, she has now achieved both of her goals in what she wanted to do. I guess on behalf of my entire family, we would just like to say thanks for showing her that she does not need to sit back and take direction form her accident, everyone always knew she was more than that, and now she sees it too. She has also seriously decreased her meds, and is doing just fine with it.”
• “Thank you very much for working on my case. I definitely will recommend you to whom ever needs this kind of assistance. You are an amazing committed lawyer and a very easy person to talk to. Once again thank you and your team for all your hard work.”
• “You really did a great job on the case.”
• “I want to express my thanks for everything that you have done for me.”

Selected Presentations/Publications

• Changes to the Insurance Act affecting car accident victims, published in Hospital News
• The Accident Benefit Amendments (Presentation to lawyers and car accident health care providers, Oshawa)
• The Admissibility of Computer Generated Visual Evidence In Civil Actions: “Demonstrative Uber-Evidence” Law Society of Ontario Publications, Co-authored with Rodney Dale
• Bad Faith Actions: Goliath Meets the Sword of Damocles, Insight Publications, Coauthored with Rodney Dale
• Quantifying Damages in Obstetrical Malpractice Claims, Insight Publications, Coauthored with Rodney Dale
• Overcoming jurisdictional barriers and managing cross-jurisdictional claims, presenter at the “Auto Insurance Claims Litigation” Canadian Institute conference: Scrutinizing catastrophic injury court challenges from the Supreme Court of Canada to the Alberta Court of Appeal, presenter at the “Auto Insurance Claims Litigation” Canadian Institute conference

Memberships

• The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association
• The Advocates’ Society
• The Canadian Bar Association

Education

• Admitted to Ontario Bar (2002)
• Bachelor of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School (2001)
• Two years of undergraduate study at the University of Western Ontario

Personal Information

Steven was born and raised in York Region. Outside of office hours, he enjoys spending time with his family, jogging and practicing martial arts. In the past, Steven has been an elected representative of the national executive of a political party.

He has been a member of the Board of Directors, Canadian Mental Health Association – York Region and South Simcoe.