In Aviva Insurance Company of Canada v. Dittmann, released on March 15, 2018, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed a leave to appeal application by Aviva and ordered the insurer to pay Ms. Dittmann’s legal costs.
Read More about Ms. Dittmann’s Automobile Insurance Success Against Aviva
Many of you are unaware that there is a statutory deductible imposed on non-pecuniary general (pain and suffering) damages below a certain monetary threshold. Prior to August 2015, the defendant insurance company was entitled to deduct $30,000 from an award for pain and suffering under $100,000 (Family Law Act (FLA) claimants faced a $50,000 threshold with a $15,000 deductible). This meant that a plaintiff would receive no compensation despite a jury award of $30,000 or less at trial. This obviously unfair practice was designed to discourage lawsuits in what were perceived as less serious cases. The “no-fault” accident benefit system was presented as a reasonable exchange for this loss.
In F.H. and Certas Direct Insurance Company, a recent hearing before the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), the unnamed Applicant sought a declaration that her ongoing post-accident impairments were not subject to the Minor Injury Guideline (MIG) and the $3500 cap on treatment under the MIG.
Read More about Accident Benefits Update: Chronic Pain Is Not a Minor Injury
In E.E. and Aviva Insurance Company, a recent decision of the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), the Applicant, E.E. claimed that he had suffered Catastrophic (CAT) Impairment under the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) following a serious single vehicle collision on January 28, 2012 in which he was a passenger. His initial complaints included neck and back pain with loss of sensation in his right arm. No neurological defects were noted at the hospital. His condition deteriorated over time, and he required several emergency room visits culminating in significant spinal surgery. He continued to suffer from spasticity in his extremities with severely altered gait and very limited use of his dominant right hand, as well as ongoing psychological impairments.
In order to receive accident benefits under an auto insurance policy, a claimant must prove that they have been injured in an “Accident” as defined in the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS). Under the two-part test set out by the Supreme Court of Canada, the claimant must how that the injuries were a) caused by or as a result of b) the ordinary and well-known use and operation of a motor vehicle.
Read More about Car-Surfing Injury Is an “Accident” -Divisional Court Upholds Lat Decision
