In the event the motion is granted, Grossman says it has the potential to wipe out the province’s civil jury pool, revolutionizing the system in one sweep.
That would suit Rhona DesRoches, a board member of FAIR, the Association of Victims for Accident Insurance Reform. She says plaintiffs currently face an uphill battle to win over jurors tainted by insurance industry propaganda about fraud in the system.
DesRoches says judges are in a far better position than a group of laypeople to navigate the way through complex legislation and conflicting expert testimony and arrive at a fair conclusion for accident victims. She says Ontario should follow the lead of jurisdictions such as Quebec and the United Kingdom, where juries are no longer allowed in motor vehicle cases.
“We’re behind the times,” DesRoches adds.
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