M. Steven Rastin

(705) 722-6393 rastin@gluckstein.com

Court issues ‘real-world ruling’ in appeal of civil jury decision

/ Personal Injury /

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • The Ontario Court of Appeal’s forceful restoration of an order to strike civil jury notices comes at a crucial time for the justice system, says Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin. Rastin, managing partner at Rastin Gluckstein, says the decision in Louis v. Poitras is essentially a rebuke of a Divisional Court ruling that set aside a motion […]

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Rastin looking forward to the future after Gluckstein merger

/ Personal Injury /

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin says he is taking his firm and his career to the next level by merging with Toronto-based Gluckstein Lawyers. “When you are trying to provide the best service and attempting to ensure you are ready to operate in the COVID world, partnering into a firm

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Directive to take a break from civil juries needed as delays mount

/ Personal Injury /

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • With court cases continuing to be delayed due to coronavirus restrictions it is incumbent upon the legal system to address the issue of civil juries, says Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin. “There are tens of thousands of cases in Ontario marching toward trial that have jury notices. In the current

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Halting civil jury trials can help get courts back on track

/ Personal Injury /

By LegalMatters Staff • With civil cases piling up due to the COVID-19 crisis it’s time to suspend jury notices to get courts moving again, says Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin. Rastin, managing partner with Rastin Law, says he has seen his cases delayed by up to 15 months and a contributing factor is the insistence

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Seek advice when dealing with elder abuse, wrongful death issues

/ Personal Injury /

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on our health and economic well being. It has taken a heavy toll on Canada’s elderly, especially those in nursing homes or in assisted living situations. While there are those nursing homes doing their utmost best to provide care in these unprecedented times. the COVID-19 crisis has

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Appeal court ruling raises questions, concerns about ATE insurance

/ Personal Injury /

By LegalMatters Staff • A recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision “raises more questions than answers and highlights the landmines” associated with after-the-event (ATE) legal protection insurance, says Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin. In the case, the plaintiff lost at trial and a dispute afterward as to who was entitled to a $100,000 ATE policy. “After-the-event

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Business interruption insurance fallout could be far-reaching

/ COVID-19 /

By LegalMatters Staff • The ensuing legal battle over business interruption insurance could end in financial ruin for thousands of small and medium businesses, and is also a serious threat to their insurers, says Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin. Rastin, who was recently named Canadian co-chair of the American Association of Justice’s Business Interruption Litigation Task

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Insurance claimants have become ‘the silent victims’ in the pandemic

/ COVID-19 /

By LegalMatters Staff • Auto accident benefits claimants have become forgotten victims in the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown and more needs to be done to ensure they receive the help they deserve, says Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin Social distancing necessary to combat the coronavirus has left many people unable to get the treatment they

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Ontario needs to mandate auto insurance premium reductions

/ COVID-19 /

We are living in a difficult time; people are getting sick and dying and the economy is in chaos. Recent Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) projections show a forecast of a federal deficit of nearly $250 billion. Millions of Canadians are out of work and many small and medium-sized businesses will not survive the current crisis.

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Court rebukes defence practice of contacting doctors for records

/ Personal Injury /

By LegalMatters Staff • A recent court decision should serve as a warning to insurance company counsel who bypass plaintiff’s lawyers to obtain medical records, says Barrie-area litigator Steve Rastin. “This practice violates patient-doctor confidentiality, violates the Rules of Practice and Procedure, violates the Rules of Civil Procedure, however, in some cases it appears to be a longstanding

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