How many of Ontario’s injured car crash survivors have to take their insurer to a tribunal hearing (LAT) to get access to recovery benefits?
Lots. Too many. Which companies have more than their market share of claims in the LAT AABS system? All part of these Stats. The summary tells us that average # of days between application and decision has reached an epic 381 days – far more than promised with a new and streamlined hearings system! Note there are 2 pages – see the bottom of the excel sheet. How does your insurer stack up with cases at the LAT?
LAT AABS Applications (March 2019)
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Ontario government revamps simplified procedure to reduce delays for 2020
The Government of Ontario says it will double the monetary threshold in 2020 for civil claims that can use the simplified procedure process, one of several updates aimed at lowering legal costs and reducing delays.
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Police chief proposes new Vision Zero enforcement team amid spike in collisions
Amid growing public pressure to crack down on dangerous drivers, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders is pushing for the creation of a dedicated traffic enforcement team.
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Surveillance and social media in personal injury cases
Although the Ontario Court of Appeal found that surveillance evidence excluded at a personal injury trial was not so significant as to make a difference as to damages, it was a “hollow verdict” for the defence in the case with some lessons about social media as evidence.
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Self-regulation: the end of an era? Lawyer discipline and the role of law societies
Anne Rempel has not had a positive experience with self-regulation. She has made two complaints to a Canadian law society, but the process left her feeling the concerns were not entirely addressed by the “black box” system of lawyer discipline.
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Ontario Court of Appeal clarifies test under “anti-SLAPP” legislation
On August 30, 2018, the Court of Appeal for Ontario released its
long-awaited decisions in a series of appeals
[1] addressing the limits of the province’s “anti-SLAPP” legislation. This was the first appellate interpretation of s. 137.1 of the
Courts of Justice Act (
CJA), which provides a preliminary, pretrial procedure for a defendant to seek dismissal of a claim where the litigation arises out of a defendant’s expression on a matter of public interest.
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‘That’s a joke’: Ontario man reacts as driver faces $2,000 fine in near-fatal collision
Benjamin Schenk’s life was changed forever in May as he drove along
Highway 400 south of Barrie.He and his wife Bella De Bartolo were on their way to a family cottage for the Victoria Day long weekend when a tire flew off a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction and crashed into their car.
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Crash Not Accident: Better Road-Safety Reporting Could Save Lives, Show Researchers
Planes do not slam into the ground accidentally, they crash. However, such language is not always used for road smashes: they are often described as “accidents,” as though no one was at fault. Campaign groups have been lobbying for neutral road-incident vocabulary for many years—“crash, not accident” is a
common mantra—and now new research has demonstrated that thanks to the leading language used in media reporting, blame for road smashes is often placed on victims.
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Fact Sheet: Social Assistance Update
It has been almost a year since the Ontario government announced a number of
proposed changes to our social assistance programs on Nov. 22, 2018. Many of these changes have been cancelled or postponed as a result of community resistance. This fact sheet explains where we are today.
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Ontario Launches Free Routine Dental Care for Low-Income Seniors
TORONTO — As part of its comprehensive plan to end hallway health care, Ontario is investing in programs that keep seniors healthy in their communities longer.
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BC attorney general considers legislation to protect ICBC profits from government
British Columbia attorney general David Eby is considering another plan to help keep the troubled Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) afloat – this time, with legislation that would keep the provincial government’s hands off the insurer.
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‘I thought it was BS’: Alberta drivers facing higher insurance costs
Some Alberta drivers are facing increases in car insurance premiums next year, following the provincial government’s decision to lift a five per cent cap on rates.
