Category: Attendant Care Benefits

L.Y.T. v. RBC Insurance Company (17-007019)

The claimant sought entitlement to attendant care benefits and a special award. The claimant claimed that her son resigned from his employment to provide her with attendant care. Adjudicator Sewrattan found that the claimant was not entitled to payment for attendant care as she had not proven that she received attendant care services from her son. Adjudicator Sewrattan found that a letter stating the son quit work to take care of his mother after the accident was not sufficient to prove the claimed benefits were payable as the letter did not prove that the son provided the type of services requested in the claimant’s Form 1. It was not enough that there was evidence the son assisted the claimant in some way after the accident. Adjudicator Sewrattan found that the son’s banking evidence was not credible.

Applicant v. Coachman Insurance Company (16-003306)

The claimant sought entitlement to removal from the MIG, IRBs, ACBs, medical benefits, and special award. He argued that he sustained a fractured sternum, a concussion, and major depressive disorder as a result of the accident. Despite an IE assessor concluding that the fractured sternum was related to the accident, the insurer concluded otherwise based on the related CT scan being performed a month after the accident in a foreign country. Adjudicator Gosio concluded that the claimant did suffer a fractured sternum, a concussion, and psychological impairments from the accident. He removed the claimant from the MIG and awarded some of the claimed medical benefits. He awarded IRBs based on the claimant being unable to perform his employment as a realtor primarily due to psychological issues. Surveillance of the claimant being physically functional did not persuade Adjudicator Gosio that the claimant was untruthful or that he was able to return to his employment. Adjudicator Gosio also awarded fifteen months of ACBs and held that the insurer had unreasonably withheld payment. Services were deemed incurred in accordance with section 3(8). Finally, Adjudicator Gosio issued a special award against the insurer in relation to ACBs due to the manner in which it denied ACBs and mislead the claimant on the IE physician’s opinion.

M.C. v. Aviva Insurance Company of Canada (17-002614)

The claimant sought entitlement to treatment outside of the MIG, attendant care benefits, six treatment plans, and a special award. Adjudicator Truong found that the claimant was entitled to treatment outside of the MIG, the cost of an attendant care assessment and assistive devices, interest, and a special award. Adjudicator Truong found that the claimant was not entitled to attendant care or the cost of the remaining treatment plans. She noted that the claimant had not incurred any attendant care services following the accident. Adjudicator Truong held that the MIG did not apply to the applicant’s impairments pursuant to section 38(11) because the insurer had failed to respond within 10 days. Adjudicator Truong found that the attendant care assessment was payable for the same reason. The treatment plan had been denied on HCAI, but no denial letter was sent by the insurer. Adjudicator Truong also held that the applicant was entitled to the special award largely due to the insurer’s continued denial of the cost of the attendant care assessment despite its failure to provide a denial letter. Adjudicator Truong stated that once the insurer became aware it had breached section 38(8) with respect to providing notice, it should have immediately provided notice and/or paid the benefit.

Applicant v. Certas Direct Insurance Company (16-003108)

The claimant sought entitlement to NEBs, ACBs, and a chronic pain assessment. The insurer argued that the claimant was barred from seeking the chronic pain assessment for failure to attend an IE assessment. Adjudicator Anwar found that the claimant was barred from pursuing the cost of the chronic pain assessment due to her nonattendance at a s. 44 assessment and because the LAT application was filed prior to the insurer providing a response to the proposed treatment. The adjudicator found that the claimant failed to prove that she sustained a complete inability to carry on a normal life as a result of the accident. In coming to this conclusion, Adjudicator Anwar noted that he found the records of the claimant’s family doctor more persuasive that the IEs and s. 25 medicolegal reports, the evidence of the claimant and her son, and the report of the family doctor prepared for the hearing.  The claimant was also not to be entitled to ACBs.

V.K. v. Allstate Insurance Company (16-004273)

The claimant sought entitlement to attendant care benefits and medical benefits for vision-related expenses and transportation expenses. Adjudicator Truong held that the claimant was not entitled to any of the benefits or expenses at issue. The claimant’s mother provided her with attendant care; however on the limited and unreliable evidence before the adjudicator, the claimant did not meet her onus of proving that the mother sustained economic loss. Therefore, the claim for attendant care benefits did not meet the definition of “incurred” under to the SABS. The claims for prescription eyewear and an eye exam were not reasonable and necessary, and the transportation expenses submitted were not authorized transportation expenses within the meaning of the FSCO Superintendent’s Guideline No. 04/16. The claimant was not entitled to laser eye treatment expenses because no treatment plan was submitted.

I.A. v. Allstate Insurance (17-006850)

The claimant sought entitlement to attendant care benefits as well as the benefits proposed in four treatment plans. Adjudicator Watt found that none of the benefits in dispute were reasonable and necessary as a result of the accident. Adjudicator Watt further noted that the claimant had not submitted a Form 1 or attendant care assessment in support of entitlement to attendant care benefits. The application was dismissed.

Applicant v. Aviva Insurance Canada (17-002957)

The claimant sought entitlement to treatment outside of the MIG, attendant care benefits, medical benefits, the costs of three examinations, and a special award. After a review of the medical evidence, Adjudicator Anwar preferred the reports of the claimant’s specialists and held that the claimant’s injuries warranted treatment outside of the MIG. Adjudicator Anwar further concluded that the claimant was entitled to the medical benefits sought, as they were reasonable and necessary, but that attendant care benefits were not warranted nor were any expenses incurred.  Moreover, Adjudicator Anwar held that the insurer did not unreasonably withhold payments from the claimant to necessitate a special award.

Applicant v. Aviva Insurance Canada (17-002213)

The claimant sought entitlement to two medical treatment plans and attendant care benefits. Adjudicator Brian Norris reviewed the chronology of Form 1s and denial letters and determined that the insurer had paid all payable attendant care and no further benefits were owed. On review of the medical evidence, Adjudicator Norris determined that one of the two treatment plans was reasonable and necessary. Accordingly, the one treatment plan was found payable, while the remaining claims were dismissed.

Applicant v. Certas Direct Insurance Company (17-001627)

The claimant sought entitlement to 15 treatment plans, non-earner and attendant care benefits. The insurer paid the non-earner and attendant care benefits for two years, before stopping both with IE reports. The insurer, in its written submissions, reversed its position on medical benefits, and ultimately approved the disputed treatment plans. However, Adjudicator Susan Sapin determined the withholding of the treatment amounted to a special award and awarded five percent of the disputed quantum, plus special award interest. On review of the medical documentation, as well as an analysis of the claimant’s pre- and post-MVA lifestyle, along with finding favour in the claimant’s subjective reports, it was held that the claimant suffered a complete inability to carry on a normal life and was therefore entitled to ongoing NEBs. As it pertained to the claim for attendant care benefits, Adjudicator Sapin determined that the claimant was entitled to a reduced Form 1 quantum, as the claimant failed to demonstrate proof of incurred expense necessary to claim the full amount. Although the insurer sought to quash the claimant’s ongoing attendant care benefits as premature, Adjudicator Sapin held that the claimant needed to dispute the denial of attendant care within the 104 week period, or else forfeit the claim beyond the 104 week due to a possible limitations deadline. On review, it was determined the claimant was entitled to an increased quantum beyond the 104 week cut-off; however, the claimant would first need to apply for, and be designated, catastrophically impaired. Interest on all payable benefits was also awarded.

Applicant v. Allstate Insurance Company of Canada (17-001523)

The claimant sought entitlement to a number of medical benefits, as well as attendant care benefits. The insurer denied the medical treatment asserting the claims were not reasonable and necessary. The insurer also denied the claimant’s attendant care claim and cited a lower attendant care rate commissioned by an IE assessor. Adjudicator Billeh Hamud reviewed the medical evidence and preferred the evidence of the insurer’s attendant care assessor, which was not rebutted. Accordingly, attendant care benefits were awarded at the rate of the insurer. Moreover, because only one of the attendant care providers was qualified, the award for attendant care was confined to the expenses of the one PSW. As it pertained to the medical benefits claimed, Adjudicator Hamud determined that fees attached to the submission of treatment plans were compliant with Superintendent Guideline No. 03/14 and therefore payable. The substantive treatment sought, with the exception of a progress report, was considered not reasonable and necessary on review of the medical evidence.