The insurer filed a request for reconsideration after the Tribunal previously decided that, among other things, the claimant was entitled to two OCF-18s, plus interest as a result of the insurer’s failure to comply with section 38 of the SABS. The insurer argued that the Tribunal had referred to case law not submitted by either party, denied the insurer the right to issue a proper denial notice, and misapplied section 38(11). On reconsideration, Adjudicator Lake noted that, while case law that was not submitted by either party was cited (MFZ v. Aviva), it was in terms of comparison towards the purpose of statutory interpretation. In relation to the allegation that the previous decision denied the insurer the opportunity to issue compliant denial notices, Adjudicator Lake noted that the insurer’s position fell afoul of the SABS consumer protection mandate and that it was unlikely that the legislature would have intended to bring a dispute over benefits between the parties to a conclusion by relying upon the insurer to determine when, and if, it would provide a denial notice that complied with sections 38(8) and 38(9). Adjudicator lake stated that this position would amount to an absurd, unreasonable, and inequitable result and would strip the Tribunal of its jurisdiction to resolve accident benefit matters. Lastly, Adjudicator Lake addressed the insurer’s position that she erred in misapplying section 38. Adjudicator Lake noted that in her previous decision she was silent on whether the OCF-18s were required to be incurred prior to payment. While her silence on the issue did not amount to an error of law, Adjudicator Lake conceded that she should have been clearer regarding the interpretation of section 38 in that the OCF-18s were to be paid within 30 days of an invoice being submitted. Adjudicator Lake granted the request for reconsideration in part, finding that the claimant was entitled to the OCF-18s plus interest following submission of an invoice for services rendered.
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