Category: Medical Benefits

Halstead v. Aviva Insurance Company (19-01394)

The claimant sought a medical benefits in the amount of $12,341.56 proposing that the insurer pay the cash difference between her old vehicle, a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta, and a new vehicle, a 2017 Hyundai Tucson, which was a larger and more spacious SUV. The claimant and her treating OT argued that the new vehicle was necessary as the claimant’s job as a coffee shop newspaper producer and distributor required her to drive to over one hundred locations in the province over the course of two days every week to deliver papers. They noted that her old vehicle was smaller and lower to the ground which caused a strain on her hips while driving, made it more difficult to get in and out of the vehicle, and that the lower trunk height caused a strain on her back. The insurer denied the treatment plan on the grounds it was not reasonable or necessary as a result of the accident. The insurer noted in its denial letter that an IE would be arranged, but did not follow-up up on this and had no competing medical opinion. The claimant ended up purchasing the Hyundai. Vice-Chair Boyce noted that the claimant submitted two reports by the OT in support of the new vehicle, an original report from 2017, and an addendum report from 2020. Both the claimant and the OT took measures to find cheaper alternatives when selecting vehicles. Because the insurer did not arrange an IE, the claimant made the decision to purchase the Hyundai after a lengthy delay as it was necessary for her continued employment. Vice-Chair Boyce ruled in the claimant’s favour and found the medical benefits payable. A special award in the amount of $1,200.00 was also granted for the insurer’s withholding and delay.

Rattan v. Aviva Insurance Company (19-006304)

The claimant applied to the LAT disputing his entitlement to three medical benefits and interest. The insurer argued that the doctrine of res judicata prevented the claimant from re-litigating his entitlement to two of the disputed benefits, which the LAT had dismissed in a previous decision. Adjudicator Grant agreed with the insurer that res judicata applied as entitlement to the two disputed treatment plans had been adjudicated on the merits and the claimant was attempting to re-litigate a final decision of the LAT. With respect to the third medical benefit, Adjudicator Grant dismissed the claim noting that he preferred the evidence of the IE orthopaedic surgeon to that of the claimant’s family physician with respect to whether further treatment was reasonable and necessary. Adjudicator Grant held that the family physician’s diagnosis was based solely on the claimant’s subjective reports whereas the IE orthopaedic surgeon completed a thorough physical examination and his objective findings were that the claimant did not suffer an impairment warranting further treatment.

Nijjar v. Pembridge Insurance Company (19-011065)

The claimant disputed his entitlement to IRBs for an 18 month period and interest on medical benefits that had been resolved. Adjudicator Lake dismissed the claim for IRBs. She placed little weight on a “Physical Description of Job” sheet and a job description attached to an employer’s confirmation form that indicated a physically demanding job, because of contradictory findings. For example, the claimant had reported during IEs that his job was not heavy but required extended standing. The Adjudicator was unable to clearly determine the claimant’s job title or duties, and as such was unable to determine which job duties he was unable to perform. Interest was awarded on the two medical benefits from the date they were incurred. She dismissed the argument that interest should not be payable until the date that the claimant submitted requested medical records from his family doctor.

R.J. v. Certas Direct Insurance Company (19-009603)

The claimant sought payment for a housing accessibility assessment in excess of the $2,000 approved by the insurer, and sought a special award on cognitive training sessions that had been denied in 2017 but approved shortly before the hearing. Adjudicator Grant held that the $2,000 limit for assessments in section 25 applied to housing accessibility assessments, and that there was no carve out created by any Guidelines. He granted a special award of $200 on the cognitive training because the insurer had approved it shortly before the hearing, and had approved a similar treatment plan only months after denial of the subject treatment plan. The insurer had not set out a clear rationale for refusing the denied fees in the first place, and its approval of similar fees a few months later suggested that the fees were reasonable and necessary.

Z.K. v. Allstate Insurance Company Canada (17-006929)

The claimant sought entitlement to a catastrophic impairment designation, further chiropractic treatment, and the cost of denied neuropsychological and triage CAT assessments. Adjudicator Johal accepted that the claimant suffered three Class 4 marked impairments in each of activities of daily living; concentration, persistence, and pace; and adaptation in work or work-like settings. Prior to the accident the claimant ran a business for about twelve years, and became a licenced mortgage agent two years before the accident. He was very outgoing and social, hosted parties, and visited friends. He was healthy both physically and mentally and had no pre-accident conditions. After the accident, which was relatively minor, the claimant developed back and neck pain, and headaches. His mental functioning declined. He lost over 30 pounds, had no appetite, had poor short term memory, and needed assistance with basic personal care tasks. The claimant’s family believed he was depressed, and he reported being in frequent pain. He no longer entertained or visited friends. He did not return to work, and he rarely drove. The claimant’s neuropsychological assessor diagnosed the claimant with a severe pain disorder and moderate depressive disorder. She concluded that the claimant suffered Class 4 marked impairments in the above-noted spheres. The claimant’s psychological assessor made similar conclusions and conducted various testing to rule out malingering and feigning. Adjudicator Johal preferred the evidence of the claimant’s assessors over the IE assessors, who approached their role as a “detective” rather than neuropsychologist. The IE assessor also used testing methods that were not well peer-reviewed or had no validity measures. Adjudicator Johal denied the disputed chiropractic treatment because it was completed by a chiropractor, but largely proposed counselling and educational services, which were outside of the chiropractor’s scope of practice. The neuropsychological CAT assessment was approved, despite no evidence of head injury. Adjudicator Johal wrote that the request for an assessment was to show that there is a reasonable possibility that the claimant has the condition that is being investigated. The claimant did not need to show or prove that he had the condition in order for an assessment to be deemed reasonable and necessary. Finally, the triage CAT assessment was denied as there was no evidence presented why it would be required and what assessment of the claimant it would provide.

Mattina v. Federated Insurance Company of Canada (19-011267)

The claimant sought entitlement to a treatment plan for physiotherapy. The insurer argued that it was not liable to pay the disputed treatment plan because it was not signed by the claimant or a health care professional as required by section 38(3). The insurer had not raised the issue of noncompliance with section 38(3) in its two Explanation of Benefits issued to the claimant regarding the disputed treatment plan. Adjudicator Lake found that if the insurer was not consenting to an unsigned copy of the treatment plan being received through HCAI and wanted to view the executed hardcopy on file at the clinic, it was incumbent upon the insurer to request a copy upon receipt of the electronic version. Further, Adjudicator Lake wrote that the insurer’s failure to only raise the issue at this late stage of the proceeding was inappropriate. She concluded there was no breach of section 38(3). The claimant argued that the insurer failed to comply with its obligations under section 38(8), as it provided no medical reasons for its denial of the disputed treatment plan. The insurer provided two OCF-9s that simply indicated the treatment plan was not reasonable and necessary. Adjudicator Lake determined that these reasons did not discharge the insurer’s obligations under section 38(8) as neither denial provided any details regarding the claimant’s condition that formed the basis of the insurer’s decision. The treatment plan was payable starting on the 11th business day after the insurer received the treatment plan.

C.M. v. Intact Insurance Company (18-008995)

This is a reconsideration decision of Adjudicator Manigat. The insurer sought reconsideration of Adjudicator Manigat’s initial decision wherein she found that the claimant was entitled to the balance of a psychological treatment plan in the amount of $887.93 plus interest. The insurer submitted that the Tribunal considered the wrong issue in dispute and did not consider the issues stated in the Case Conference Report and Order. Adjudicator Manigat referred to a transcript of the hearing wherein she restated the issues in dispute and noted that the insurer did not object to these issues, despite the fact they were different than stated in the Case Conference Order. Therefore, Adjudicator Manigat held that the issues in dispute that she considered were correct, as proven by the transcript of the hearing. However, Adjudicator Manigat agreed with the insurer that she failed to consider all of the evidence before her with respect to the treatment plan. Adjudicator Manigat reviewed the evidence and agreed that the claimant failed to provide sufficient evidence that she required the balance of the disputed treatment plan. Adjudicator Manigat therefore granted the insurer’s request for reconsideration and varied the original decision.

R.K. v. Allstate Insurance (19-000502)

This is a reconsideration decision of Adjudicator Shapiro. The claimant sought reconsideration of the LAT’s dismissal of the claimant’s dispute for medical benefits. There was also a procedural issues as Adjudicator Shapiro made a finding on attendant care benefits entitlement in the first instance, despite the fact that this issue was withdrawn by the claimant. In his reconsideration decision, Adjudicator Shapiro held that while he erred in making a determination on attendant care benefits, this was not fatal to his original decision. Adjudicator Shapiro upheld his original decision on entitlement to medical benefits and amended the decision so that no order was made on attendant care benefits.

Lin v. Aviva Insurance Canada (19-006064)

The claimant sought to IRBs and further chiropractic treatment. The insurer raised a preliminary issue that the claimant improperly relied on three exhibits that were not previously served on the insurer and sought to have them struck. Adjudicator Norris agreed holding that the claimant failed to submit evidence to prove that the documents were previously disclosed or to explain the failure to properly disclose them. With respect to IRBs, the insurer paid the benefit until May 27, 2018, when it concluded that the claimant no longer qualified. The adjudicator agreed with the insurer’s decision, stating that the claimant failed to provide evidence that any of her healthcare professionals recommended that she refrain from her pre-accident employment as a supermarket cashier. Finally, the adjudicator found that the treatment plan for chiropractic treatment was not reasonable and necessary because the family physician’s treatment recommendations were untimely and there were no treatment records showing how or if the claimant benefitted from the treatment. The claimant’s family physician made no clear recommendations for the claimant to continue with treatment during the period leading up to and around the submission of the treatment plan.

B.M. v. Aviva Insurance Company (18-009572)

The claimant disputed entitlement to three treatment plans for physiotherapy and chiropractic services, and a special award. Both parties raised preliminary issues at the hearing: the claimant alleged that the insurer failed to give appropriate notice under section 38, while the insurer alleged that the claimant failed to comply with the Tribunal’s rules of disclosure when he introduced both an affidavit from himself and a written statement from his treating physiotherapist in his hearing submissions without prior notice. Vice-Chair White allowed the additional evidence submitted by the claimant, noting that the Order of Adjudicator John was “overly broad” and its only direction regarding disclosure and deadlines noted that no new evidence could be submitted after the date of the hearing. As the evidence was provided on the date of the hearing, it was allowed. Vice-Chair White ruled that the insurer did not comply with section 38 in relation to two of the disputed treatment plans, as the denial letters were insufficient in their language and medical and other reasons for the denial. The services incurred between the 11th business day and the date of the final (compliant) denial were found payable. The third disputed treatment plan was found not payable based on the chiropractic IE. Although a special award was requested in the Case Conference Order, the claimant did not raise the issue within the pleadings submitted, and as such, it was not considered.

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