What Are Accident Benefits?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Ontario, you could be eligible to claim certain financial benefits. These are intended to help you tide over the physical and financial problems you could face while you’re recovering. The Statutory Accident Benefits Scheme (SABS) is available regardless of fault, to you as a driver, your passengers and to pedestrians injured in the collision and payable by your own insurance company.

In case you don’t have coverage, you’re still entitled to SAB payable by insured persons in the vehicle that hit you. In the eventuality that no insured person was involved in the collision, there is a special fund available to meet such a situation.

Available Benefits

All motorists are required to have auto insurance. The accident benefits available are based on the nature of injuries, type of policy and the amount of coverage available. In general, benefits available under a standard auto insurance policy include

• Medical Rehabilitation
• Attendant Care for Catastrophic or Non-catastrophic injuries
• Care-giver benefits
• House-keeping and Home Maintenance Expenses
• Income Replacement
• Death and Funeral Benefits

Your policy may also make you eligible to receive Dependent Care benefits, Indexation benefits etc.

Deductibles have to be computed before you can arrive at the final figure.

In addition, injured victims are also entitled to claim compensation for their injuries by filing a personal injury suit against those responsible for the accident.

As experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyers, we can help you deal with the complex legal, medical and insurance issues involved.

Qualifying For Benefits

It’s important to know that the injured person doesn’t automatically qualify for statutory benefits. They have to be applied for, within the specified time limit, using the prescribed forms and procedures available only on request. In certain cases, your doctor or health care provider has to provide supporting documents. An experienced car accident lawyer who regularly handles such cases can provide guidance and assistance through the entire process.

Issues And Challenges

Although SABS looks fine on paper, collecting the actual benefits can be a long and frustrating process. Our injury lawyers who have the expertise and experience in dealing with insurance companies and claim-adjusters have to be well-informed and up-to-date on the latest rulings/notifications, changes in acts and regulations as they are subject to frequent amendments, revocations etc.

Common issues include:

• Denial on technical grounds
• Contesting the nature of your claim
• Minimizing the nature and extent of injuries
• Claim not made within the specified time frame
• Lapse of statute of limitations
• Specified procedures not following (reporting the accident, getting immediate medical attention etc) 

How We Can Assist 

Most people have very little information on the complicated nature of insurance legislation regarding accident benefits. Insurance companies are ultimately for-profit corporations that need to focus on protecting their own business interests.

Keeping these factors in mind, our trained and skilled 24×7 injury lawyers can immediately begin working on safeguarding your rights and ensuring that all the paperwork is completely accurately and in time, so that you can concentrate on recovering your health and getting your life back in order.