Practice Emphasis
Ryan is a Partner at Nixon Wenger LLP. His practice is devoted to civil litigation with a focus on personal injury, property damage and insurance claims. Ryan has appeared in all court levels in British Columbia.
Ryan was recently named as one of Vernon’s “Top 20 Under 40”.
Practice Areas
Insurance Defence
Ryan acts for insurers in a number of different areas including coverage disputes and third party liability defence for both personal injury and property claims.
Health Law
Ryan defends Hospitals against claims of medical malpractice.
Personal Injury
Ryan acts for injured parties, primarily as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Ryan has consistently delivered strong results for his clients through both mediated settlements and trials.
Education and Interests
Education
- Bachelor of Arts degree (with distinction) from the University of Victoria in 2005
- Juris Doctor degree from the University of British Columbia in 2010
- Called to the British Columbia Bar in 2011
Professional and Civic Interests
- Member of the Canadian Bar Association – Insurance Law Section
- Member of the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia
- Chair, Board of Directors of the Okanagan Science Centre
Recent Decisions
Plantiff Awarded $670,000 in damages
Mike Yawney, senior personal injury litigation partner, and associate Ryan Irving, took this claim to trial. The Plaintiff, Mr. Dunbar, had been injured in a head on collision on Hwy 97 near Salmon Arm, B.C. on July 6, 2011. He was a tradesperson and was on his way to work when the accident occurred. He […]
Jury Award Far Exceeds ICBC Offer
HALLER v. GALEY Jury Trial Conducted by James Cotter and Ryan Irving, December 2015 Our client, Mr. Haller, was 62 years old at the time he was injured in a high speed, rear-end motor vehicle accident. Following the accident, he suffered from a significant neck injury and debilitating headaches, as well as problems with balance […]
Claim Resolves for over $400,000.00 prior to Trial
A young man from Lumby, BC was rear ended at highway speed while driving in the Kootenays. The female driver that hit his vehicle, bending the frame, admitted fault for the accident. Michael Yawney QC was retained to pursue his claim for damage for the injuries he suffered in the accident. His injuries impacted his […]
BC Resident injured in Alberta Settles Claim for $250,000.00
Michael Yawney QC was retained by a BC resident injured in Alberta while driving home from fire fighting in Northern Alberta. He was a passenger in a vehicle where the driver, also a BC resident, fell asleep and went off the highway. The client suffered soft tissue injuries, and a suspected concussion in the subject […]
Claim Settles Prior to Trial Date for $250,000.00
An oil patch worker that lived in the Okanagan and commuted to northern Alberta retained Michael Yawney QC to pursue a claim for injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident. The client had initially retained different counsel, then was referred to Mr. Yawney to take over pursuing a claim. Michael and litigation associate, Ryan Irving pursued […]
Head On Accident Settled During Trial for $500,000.00
Michael Yawney QC and Ryan Irving pursued a claim through to a jury trial in Kamloops BC for a Shuswap resident who had been hit head on by an inattentive driver while he was driving on a side road close to his home. The client was a tradesman and although he carried on working after the […]
Restaurant Owner Suffer Injuries, Resolves Claim for over $400,000.00
A take out food restaurant owner from Kelowna was injured when his vehicle was struck by another vehicle on the streets of Kelowna. He was referred to Michael Yawney QC by friends. He suffered debilitating neck and back injuries that impacted his ability to carry on his restaurant business. The claim was vigorously defended by […]
Major highway collision resolves for over $14,000,000 for infant girl
Michael Yawney QC was asked by an Alberta lawyer to take on a complex injury claim from a collision that occurred on Hwy # 1 in BC, near the Alberta border. A tractor trailer lost control on winter roads and hit a family travelling back to Alberta. A young baby was severely injured in the […]
Brain injury claim resolves for more than $3,900,000.00 plus costs
Michael Yawney QC , along with partner Ryan Irving and Associate Allison Jaquish took a complex mild traumatic brain injury claim to the brink of trial and resolved it for over $3,900,000.00 plus costs. The plaintiff was injured when she was 11 years old when the vehicle she was a passenger in veered off the […]
Aarts-Chinyanta v. Binkey/Hayer/Stewart et al
Three Motor Vehicle Accidents Contribute to Chronic Pain: Susan A-C was referred to Nixon Wenger by a friend. James represented her initially for an accident that occurred in 2012. While representing her, Susan was unfortunately involved in two other accidents, none of which were her fault. Susan suffered chronic soft tissue injuries which affected her […]
Goldie v. McLean/Kehler et al – Welder Was a Victim of Two Accidents
Matt Goldie was referred to James by a former client. Initially he was involved in a serious rear-end collision accident which caused him significant disability in his low back. At the time of this first accident, Matt was working in construction and took almost two months off of work before returning to this heavy manual […]