Two claimants sought judicial review of the Tribunal Orders staying their applications while ordering the claimants to attend IEs prior to hearings on catastrophic impairment disputes. The Court held that the judicial review was premature and should not be heard. The cases did not raise exceptional circumstances, absent which the Court would not consider review or appeal of interlocutory matters.
The claimant appealed the Tribunal’s denial of IRBs and a special award, arguing that the decision lacked procedural fairness, reasonableness, and did not consider key evidence. The Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the Tribunal provided the claimant with an opportunity to present his case, and holding that the Tribunal was not required to cite every document submitted by the claimant in its reasons.
The insurer appealed the Tribunal’s decision that the claimant’s slip and fall on ice met the definition of accident. The claimant’s application included other disputes relating to accident benefits claims that were not yet decided. The Court held that the insurer’s appeal was premature as the accident definition decision was interlocutory. The Court wrote that it would have jurisdiction to hear the insurer’s appeal of that issue once the Tribunal had determined all issues in dispute.
The claimant appealed the Tribunal’s decision that he was not involved in an accident. The Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the Tribunal’s reasons had no error of law, and that the claimant’s appeal was largely an attempt to relitigate the factual issues that were before the adjudicator.
The claimant appealed the Tribunal’s denial of a special award related to IRBs which were reinstated after the post-104 week mark following further medical assessments. The Court dismissed the appeal, holding that it did not raise an issue of law. The Tribunal’s determination regarding the special award were factual in nature, and the Tribunal applied the proper legal test in deciding whether a special award was warranted.
The claimant appealed the LAT’s decision that the limitation period barred the application. The Court allowed the appeal and remitted the matter to the Tribunal for a new hearing. The Court found the Tribunal erred in concluding that the denial letter was received on the day it was authored, as no evidence was before the Tribunal to prove the date of receipt. The Court also held the Tribunal erred in putting the onus on the claimant to refute the date the insurer alleged the denial letter was received by the claimant in the mail.
The claimant appealed the LAT’s dismissal of his catastrophic impairment dispute, arguing that the Tribunal’s supplemental reasons contained in the reconsideration decision violated the principles of fairness. The Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the SPPA gave the Tribunal the power to make rules to reconsider its own decision, and that the reconsideration process gave the Tribunal the ability to dismiss, confirm, vary, or cancel any part of its original decision or order. The Tribunal’s procedure in the subject matter followed the reconsideration process contemplated by the SPPA and the Tribunal’s own rules. The Tribunal acted entirely within its own jurisdiction on the reconsideration.
The claimant sought a stay from Divisional Court of the LAT’s decision that the dispute would proceed in writing rather than orally. The Court rejected the stay, holding that there was not a serious issue, there was no irreparable harm if the stay was not granted, and the balance of convenience did not favour the claimant given the prematurity of the decision. The Court wrote that if, at the end of the Tribunal’s process, the claimant wished to dispute the fairness of the hearing, he could do so at that time.
The insurer appealed the Tribunal’s decision that the settlement between the insurer was valid and enforceable. The claimant died 10 days after settling her tort and AB claims for $957,000, with 60 percent to be structured. The 60 percent was returned to the insurer based on the reversion; however, the claimant’s estate took the position it was entitled to keep the 40 percent. The insurer disagreed, and argued that there was no valid settlement because the claimant died prior to agreement on the structure percentage. The Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the Tribunal applied the correct legal test. Further, the Court wrote that the claimant’s lawyer had authority to negotiate the settlement, and the executor of the estate could execute the agreement by signing the necessary documents.
The claimant appealed the Tribunal’s decision denying an adjournment of a scheduled hearing. The Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the denial of the adjournment was an interlocutory step from which no appeal was permitted. The Court also declined to grant a stay of the proceedings.
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150 York Street, Suite 1800
Toronto, Ontario M5H 3S5
416.507.1850
© 2020 Thomas Gold Pettingill LLP