Ontario Trial Lawyers Association gives Ontario’s insurance industry a FAIL grade on coverage for accident victims.
Profits—More than $3 billion * Protection—You’re getting 96.5% less * Premiums—You’re paying 20% more
News and Views
FAIR submission to the Ontario Dispute Resolution System Review September 20 2013
“Vulnerable and innocent accident victims, whose treatment and benefits are dependent on the quality of the assessments and evidence, should not be the victims of a lesser degree of the standard of justice in our courts.”
FAIR submission to the Ontario Dispute Resolution System Review September 20 2013
Ontario Rehab Alliance Submission to the Dispute Resolution System Review
“Along with a number of other stakeholders we believe that sub-par Insurer Exams put increased and unnecessary pressure on the DR system. Insurer exams, when properly done and well regarded, play a vital role – providing insurers with insight and expertise to assist them in making difficult decisions from a layperson’s perspective and, in so doing, helping insure that benefit dollars are well used.”
Ontario Rehab Alliance Submission to the Dispute Resolution System Review
OTLA’s Submission to the Review of FSCO’s Dispute Resolution Services
“Although a seeming oxymoron, “compelling good faith” on the part of insurers in the handling of mediation claims is a concept in need of exploring as part of the DRS review.”
OTLA’s Submission to the Review of FSCO’s Dispute Resolution Services
Not slashing benefits
Letters to the Editor, Sept. 22 Insurers stack the deck
Re “Not slashing benefits” (Letters, Sept. 8):
“So, Insurance Bureau of Canada spokesman Ralph Palumbo didn’t like Alan Shanoff calling him out on his statement about reducing “unnecessary costs” to catastrophically injured auto accident victims in order to ensure the money goes “to people who really need it” (“Risky business,” Sept. 1). I’m not sure what those “unnecessary costs” are, unless Palumbo is referring to the tens of thousands paid for substandard, so-called “independent” medical assessments, done by doctors hand-picked by insurance adjusters, which paint their insureds who suffer traumatic brain injuries, major psychological issues (think of the death of a child in the back seat) and other devastating accident-related problems, as malingerers. I’d start there, Mr. Palumbo. The IBC “cut costs” by refusing many of these victims the legislated funding available to pay for their own balanced medical assessments. Maybe the IBC could stop its habit of plying the Liberal leadership candidates with tens of thousands in political donations. That would save money, wouldn’t it?”
Harold Becker, MD Toronto
(A few bucks, yes)
FAIR open letter to Stakeholders – work together for quality independent medical examinations
The credibility of the auto insurers’ preferred IME/IE vendors, whose assessments are often used to deny and delay seriously injured claimants’ access to policy benefits is not only affecting access to treatment, it is affecting our justice system.
FAIR response to The Stakeholder Roundtable on Catastrophic Impairment Sept 5, 2013
Given that “The goal of this review should be to ensure that the most seriously injured victims are treated fairly” then the FSCO must acknowledge that this has not been accomplished with a Panel that lacked the expertise necessary to arrive at a fair definition. No matter how cooperative and interactive the roundtable participants were, it cannot undo the flaws of the original Panel conclusions or the harm it will do to accident victims.
The confusion demonstrated by the FSCO CAT Panel in dealing with this new catastrophic definition should be reason enough to go back to the consultation process. FSCO needs to better accommodate those most severely injured by removing the obstacles to recovery rather than creating new ones. FAIR response to Stakeholder Roundtable on Catastrophic Impairment September 5 2013
College of Psychologists of Ontario discipline hearing – Marlin, Richard G
FAIR Association of Victims for Accident Insurance Reform will attend at this hearing tomorrow in the interests of public safety and on behalf of FAIR members whose rehabilitation and benefits rely on the quality of Ontario’s IME examinations and reports.
10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at Atchison & Denman Court Reporting Services, 155 University Avenue, Suite 302, Toronto. If you plan to attend, please contact the College by telephone (416-961-8817) or email (cpo@cpo.on.ca)
http://www.cpo.on.ca/members-of-the-public/index.aspx?id=3238&ekmensel=10_submenu_0_link_7
https://members.cpo.on.ca/members_search/show/1012?section=discipline#ui-tabs-12
This Is What It Feels Like to Be Quadriplegic
Truly inspirational message. Speaks to all of us as Ontario legislators move forward on the changes and reduction in Catastrophic Impairment benefits. Who but those most challenged are deserving of the rehabilitation and benefits than those most injured? We all need to look to doing the right thing over profit and politics.
Jimmy Anderson lives in Madison, Wisc., with his wife. He last wrote for Gawker in June about the car accident that left him paralyzed. He is the founder of the Victims of Impaired Driving Project.
http://gawker.com/this-is-what-it-feels-like-to-be-quadriplegic-1206659714
College of Psychologists of Ontario -Marlin, Richard G (Richard)
Ontario’s auto accident victims are legislated to attend Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) when they make an auto insurance claim. Unlike any other visit to a doctor, claimants have no choice in who their assessor might be, that decision is made by their insurer. Claimants can be fined up $500.00 for failing to attend an examination as of June 2013. FAIR hopes that the Colleges in Ontario such as the CPO take their responsibility to provide oversight and protect the interests of Ontarians seriously and take appropriate disciplinary action to prevent vulnerable accident victims from harm at the hands of their members who provide Ontario’s insurers with professional opinions.
A hearing will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at Atchison & Denman Court Reporting Services, 155 University Avenue, Suite 302, Toronto
https://members.cpo.on.ca/members_search/show/1012?section=discipline#ui-tabs-12
For further information please visit our page on IMEs at http://www.fairassociation.ca/the-independent-medical-examination-imeie/