As an Ottawa personal injury lawyer and an Ontario personal injury lawyer, I have some very serious concerns about the proposed changes the Ontario government announced with the new regulations for auto insurance in Ontario, specifically the reduction of medical and rehabilitations expenses from $100,000 to $50,000. This reduction in medical and rehabilitation expenses will have a significant impact on accident victims in Ontario. Unfortunately it will have a tremendous impact on accident victims who are seriously injured but not necessarily catastrophically injured. In this case the medical rehabilitation benefits may run out before they can apply for catastrophic benefits at two years. What is equally disturbing about the proposed changes is that many accident victims who by the time of their injury have a psychological component, (ie: psych treatment, physio treatment,occupational therapy treatment, or home modifications) will be in need of more. Home modifications for example, building a ramp to your front door, or modifying your washroom to accommodate your disability or get a stair lift, all of these things come out of this settlement . In other words , a small amount of money over a ten year period just won’t go that far and won’t be enough ! In addition to the reduction in available benefits, the new regulations also affect assessments. In addition to reducing the amount of medical and rehab expenses, the propsed changes want to have the cost of insurer assessments in the victim’s settlement. As of right now, if the insurer chooses to do an assessment of the injured person, the cost comes out of the insurer’s pocket , not the policy limits for the victim suffering an injury. However, the proposal suggests that the money will come out of the accident victim’s settlement. This is extremely important because these assessment can be very expensive and they can also add up quickly. That can really add up – Under the new proposal, the policy limit of $50 000 can almost be eaten up in assessments alone. Where does that leave the accident victim and their injury? How can they continue on with their rehabilitation? In most cases, this rehabiltation needs to continue on for some time. This I find truly disturbing. It will be the accident victim who suffers and will continue to suffer.

The government has proposed that people will have the opportunity to purchase $100,000 – $1 million in medical and rehabilitation benefits if they choose. I suppose if everyone opts for the extra coverage and maximizes their benefits, then they will be fine. The reality is however that most don’t and won’t. Insurance is very expensive and most people are either not informed of the “extras” available to them or they cannot afford them. I would love to hear your views on these proposed changes.

David Hollingsworth, Ottawa personal injury lawyer
Ontario personal injury lawyer

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury, you may be entitled to Accident Benefits you are not receiving. You owe it to yourself and your family to receive maximum compensation. Visit www.ottawainjury.ca for more information and a free consutation.