Income Tax season is upon us, and we’d like to offer some tips for individuals and families who have suffered from personal injury to help maximize their returns. If there is someone you know that could benefit from this information, please pass it along.
In response to the evolving COVID-19 crisis, the Ontario Government released Order 518/20 under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, declaring a state of emergency for the Province on March 17, 2020.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues with no end in sight, many of you will face economic hardship and other obstacles that interfere with your ability to run your business. We have prepared this compilation of many the most impactful government relief measures that may be available for you in this time of uncertainty. It is based on our best current information and hopefully will answer some of your questions and offer guidance for further investigation into the benefits available. We will continue to monitor the news for updated information and will try to communicate any important updates promptly. We recommend that you confirm the current status of the measures we describe and review the websites for any other potential sources of assistance the government agencies might offer. As always, we hope that you and your loved ones are safe and are here for you if you have questions or concerns.
Read More about COVID-19 Federal and Insurance Assistance for Businesses
Halloween is all about fun and candy, but keeping children safe should be your highest priority.
Read More about Keeping your ghouls and ghosts safe – Halloween Safety
Recently we issued a letter to the Healthcare providers in our network, providing them with an important update about how insurance companies view patient rehabilitation needs, and how they assess what is “reasonable and necessary”.
Read More about The 3-Part Violi Test: Advice for Rehabilitation Professionals
Halloween brings out the kid in everyone. You have the chance to dress up, binge on candy and see the parade of cute costumes at your front door. Keeping a few Halloween safety tips in mind, ensures that everyone has a wonderful evening and the tired, candy-filled princesses, superheroes, ghouls and ghosts get tuck away in bed safely after a successful night.
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.
One of the most controversial (and potentially unconstitutional) aspects of the Ontario government’s 2019 budget released on April 11, is the proposed repeal of the Proceedings Against the Crown Act. This Act has been in force for 56 years and establishes the framework for citizens to sue the government. In its place, the Ford Conservatives will enact the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act. The proposed Act will severely limit the circumstances under which a plaintiff can pursue a lawsuit against the government whileintroducing significant additional procedural hurdles. Provided that the government is deemed to have acted in “good faith”, the proposed Act bars any cause of action for:
Read More about 2019 Budget Scandal! Ontario Government to Repeal Proceedings Against the Crown Act
As the COVID-19 crisis continues with no end in sight, many of you will face economic hardship and other obstacles that interfere with the well-being of you and your families. We have prepared this compilation of many the most impactful government relief measure that may be available for you in this time of uncertainty. It is based on our best current information and hopefully will answer some of your questions and offer guidance for further investigation into the benefits available. We will continue to monitor the news for updated information and will try to communicate any important updates promptly. We recommend that you confirm the current status of the measures we describe and review the websites for any other potential sources of assistance the government agencies might offer. As always, we hope that you and your loved ones are safe and are here for you if you have questions or concerns.
Read More about COVID-19 – Canadian Emergency Response Benefit
Let us begin this post with the sincere hope that you and your family are staying well during this unusual time.
