Author Archives: Admin2

To the Minister of Finance re Prebudget consultations

Minister,

I am a motor vehicle accident survivor and I suffered with a severe brain injury.  The funding and resources available to me in the Statutory Accident Benefit Schedule (SABS) of 2008 assisted me in my recovery.  I worked for the government in the Ministry of Social Services and Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, prior to the accident.  I am well aware of the social services programs.

I am appalled that the insurance industries are being allowed to download THEIR responsibilities of injured MVA victims to our already overloaded social services to save their profits.

The resources necessary to recover from a MVA, are readily available to the survivors through the rehabilitation services resources through the insurers.  The same resources and funding is NOT available through our social services.

With the legislation constantly being changed and benefits slashed by your government, you are assisting the insurers to bully, delay and deny the vulnerable persons who entered a contract to assist them when necessary.  Your government made insurance mandatory to operate a vehicle, but your government is deleting the mandatory responsibilities of the insurers and allowing them to breech the contracts we, the people, are made to sign.

The endless and expensive IME (independent medical examination) being used by the insurers to delay and deny victims is traumatizing some of the most vulnerable population.

The monies being taken out of the medical and rehabilitative benefits, is not being used to assist a victim to return to state of well being. It’s being used to abuse the victims and ultimately line the pockets of others to make money on the backs of a vulnerable population.

I truly believe OUR tax dollars and our government’s supports should be used to assist all Ontarians and NOT support wealthy insurance companies to escape their responsibilities to auto accident survivors!

Tammy Kirkwood

After my presence on CBC radio show, insurer cuts my benefits – Jokelee Vandercop

Since I was on CBC’s Ontario Today show on January 21st – ‘So You Think You’re Covered! (can listen to podcast by going to previous episodes), the car insurer paying my income replacement benefits has cut them without warning, Ten days after the show they prepared an Explanation of Benefits form and wrote: “Since you now have earnings which we can deduct from your weekly benefit entitlement, we cannot consider any further payments until we receive copies of earnings statements.  http://deniedbenefitclaims.com/blog.html

Getting Personal

A ruling last fall by Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice, revolving around a personal injury claim, clearly demonstrates that making a determination with respect to costs before trial is not only difficult, it could prove both an expensive and risky proposition.

http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/getting-personal/1003467637/?type=Print%20Archives

Accident Benefits: Auto Collision Victims Shafted

In late 2014, the Liberal Ontario government passed Bill 15, the “Fighting Fraud and Reducing Automobile Insurance Rates Act, 2014”. The new law only benefits multi-billion dollar insurance companies while giving auto collision victims in Ontario the shaft when in need of accident benefits.

http://bonnlaw.ca/2015/02/04/accident-benefits-car-crash/

Kenney pledges to wipe out social security tribunal backlog by this summer

Jason Kenney is vowing that by this summer, he’ll eliminate the massive caseload backlog that’s left thousands of ailing or injured Canadians waiting years for appeals after being denied Canada Pension Plan disability benefits.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/kenney-pledging-to-wipe-out-social-security-tribunal-backlog-by-this-summer/article22851348/

Do we still need juries?

In a move seldom seen in Canadian courts, Superior Court Justice Andrew Goodman ordered the rogue jurors to show up in court and explain why they — among 300 people summoned for jury selection — hadn’t responded.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/02/06/do-we-still-need-juries

Geico targets Uber drivers with ridesharing policy

Geico is introducing a new ridesharing insurance policy across the U.S. aimed at Uber drivers – but would it work here?

http://www.insurancebusiness.ca/news/geico-targets-uber-drivers-with-ridesharing-policy-187866.aspx

What’s in YOUR Legal Bill???

According to the most recent data available 78% of Ontario’s legal bills are reduced at an assessment hearing. http://www.fairassociation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Whats-in-YOUR-legal-bill.pdf

Defence Doctor’s “Bald Proposition” Minimizing Collision Related Injuries Rejected

In today’s case (Worobetz v. Fooks) the Plaintiff was injured in a 2010 collision and continued to experience symptoms at the time of trial.  The defendant admitted fault but denied the extent of the Plaintiff’s injuries.  In support of his case the Defendant retained a physician who gave evidence that the Plaintiff’s lingering symptoms were likely related to deconditioning and being overweight. In rejecting this evidence Mr. Justice Joyce provided the following critical comments:

http://bc-injury-law.com/blog/defence-doctors-bald-proposition-minimizing-collision-related-injuries-rejected?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IcbcLaw+%28ICBC+Law%29

OIAA speaker explains how Ontario civil law on privacy affects cyber liability exposure

Three years after the Court of Appeal for Ontario ruled that individuals and organizations can be sued in the province for “intrusion upon seclusion,” a lawyer suggested to claims adjusters yesterday that awards in excess of $10 million are being sought in some class action lawsuits arising from alleged privacy breaches.

http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/oiaa-speaker-explains-how-ontario-civil-law-on-privacy-affects-cyber-liability-exposure/1003465430/s7vw03Wsv64srM2vx/?ref=enews_CU&utm_source=CU&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CU-EN02062015