Rainy River Catastrophic injury Lawyers
In Ontario, all basic insurance plans must have provisions for no-fault accident benefits. They should be made available to anyone injured as the result of a motor vehicle collision, regardless of which party was responsible for the collision.
When assessing accident benefits claims, there are several factors that insurance companies take into consideration. Chiefly among these factors is the severity of injuries resulting from the motor vehicle collision. That is because the amounts of accident benefits available to claimants vary depending on the severity of the injuries they have sustained.
The Ontario Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) outlines the costs of accident benefits that must be included in all auto insurance plans across the province. Although some policyholders may elect to purchase additional coverage, all auto insurance plans in Ontario must include provisions for the following mandatory minimums:
- $3,500 in medical and rehabilitation benefits for accident victims who sustained minor injuries
- $65,000 over 5 years for the combined total costs of medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits for accident victims who sustained non-minor, non-catastrophic injuries
- $1 million for life in combined medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits for accident victims who sustained catastrophic injuries
Catastrophically impaired accident survivors should be entitled to higher benefits amounts due to the ongoing, pervasive, and expensive costs associated with their injuries. To reduce confusion about who qualifies for higher amounts of accident benefits, the SABS also provides an official definition of “catastrophic impairment.” In accordance with that definition, accident survivors should meet the threshold of catastrophic impairment if they have sustained at least one of the following conditions:
- Paraplegia or Tetraplegia
- Severe impairment of ambulatory mobility or use of an arm; or Amputation
- Loss of Vision of Both Eyes
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) meeting the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) criteria
- Physical Impairment or Combination of Physical Impairments (which results in 55% or more of whole person)
- Mental or Behavioural Impairment (excluding Traumatic Brain Injury) Combined with a Physical Impairment (which results in 55% or more impairment of the whole person)
- Marked impairment in three or more areas of function that precludes useful functioning; or an Extreme impairment in one or more areas of functioning due to mental or behavioural disorder
Many survivors of catastrophic car accidents find themselves unprepared for the financial burden that comes with their injuries. The immediate costs of coping with the physical and psychological aftermath of the accident can add up quickly; anxiety about supporting themselves and their families in the long-term can be daunting. Accident benefits can help them offset the costs of their injury-related financial losses to help them stave off financial distress.
However, insurance companies often use manipulative tactics to pressure catastrophically impaired car accident survivors into accepting unfairly low settlement offers. They may dispute the findings of the claimant’s healthcare professional, question the severity of the injuries sustained by the applicant, and withhold funds they should be rightfully owed. Doing so can lead to lengthy negotiations and long-lasting dispute resolution processes.
Insurance companies can often get away with paying injured policyholders less than what they should be owed by making the process of applying for fair coverage complicated, drawn-out, and difficult to comprehend. That is why many injured survivors of motor vehicle collisions in the region rely on our Rainy River catastrophic injury lawyers. To learn how Preszler Injury Lawyers may be able to provide you with assistance, contact us today and receive a free initial consultation on your case.
Book Your Free Initial Consultation
If your insurer is pressuring you to accept an unfairly low settlement offer after you sustained life-altering, debilitating injuries in a motor vehicle collision, our catastrophic injury lawyers serving Rainy River may be able to help. With more than sixty years of experience advocating for accident survivors throughout the province of Ontario, our team Rainy River catastrophic injury lawyers are dedicated to assisting those who have been mistreated by insurance companies and helping members of the local community get the accident benefits they are rightfully owed.
To book your free initial consultation, call our offices today and receive case-specific legal advice from our catastrophic injury lawyers serving Rainy River.
