Steven M. Polak

• Partner, Lerners LLP (2008 to present)
• Associate lawyer, Lerners LLP (2002-2007)

Steven dedicates his entire practice to assisting injured and disabled clients. As part of the team of over 100 lawyers at Lerners LLP, he assists injury and disability victims with motor vehicle accident lawsuits, accident benefits cases, disability benefit cases, slip and falls, and other injury cases. Focussing on one area of law allows him to stay on top of the legal developments and industry trends.

He has a unique perspective, from, in the past, also having acted for insurance company defendants. Steven started his practice in the firm’s London office in 2002, before joining the Toronto office, and is also regularly in the Durham area.

He has acted, and continues to act, as counsel in lawsuits in a number of different cities in Ontario, including Toronto, Ajax, Whitby, Mississauga, Scarborough, Oshawa, Newmarket, Thornhill, Markham, Brantford and beyond. He has also represented injury victims and insurance clients in the Court of Appeal (Ontario’s highest court).

Steven offers his clients his respect, his calm and experienced guidance and his record for success in obtaining fair and just compensation for injuries and losses. He has represented clients with numerous conditions, including head injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, chronic pain disorders, TMJ, RSD, fractures, disc problems, whiplash associated disorders and a range of other physical and psychological impairments.

Steven provides free (no obligation) consultations to injured persons and provides flexible fee structures, including contingency fee arrangements.

• “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]

• “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.”

• Changes to the Insurance Act affecting car accident victims, published in Hospital News (2010)
• The 2010 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 (2003), Co-authored with Rodney Dale
• Bad Faith Actions: Goliath Meets the Sword of Damocles, Insight Publications (2004), Coauthored with Rodney Dale
• Quantifying Damages in Obstetrical Malpractice Claims, Insight Publications (2005), Coauthored with Rodney Dale
• Overcoming jurisdictional barriers and managing cross-jurisdictional claims (2005), 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 (2005), presenter at the “Auto Insurance Claims Litigation” Canadian Institute conference

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

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

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

He is a member of the Board of Directors, Canadian Mental Health Association – York Region and South Simcoe. Steven’s parents immigrated to Canada from Chile. His family roots stretch back to Chernivtsi, Ukraine on his maternal side and Romania/Poland on his paternal side.