Catastrophic Injury Benefits That You May Be Entitled To in Ontario
Each year, hundreds of catastrophic injuries take place in Ontario as the result of accidents on our roads, injuries on public and private properties and in places of employment. Catastrophic injuries have life-altering consequences for people who are involved in these accidents and can mean a lifetime of costly medical and rehabilitative interventions and continuing care.
When individuals have suffered a permanent disability due to an accident, they can qualify for a catastrophic impairment under Ontario’s accident benefits. Under our current legislation, a catastrophic impairment is defined by one or more of the following:
- Paraplegia or quadriplegia
- Amputation
- Vision loss in both eyes
- Traumatic brain impairment that results in 1) a score of 9 or less on the Glasgow Coma Scale, 2) a score of 2 or 3 on the Glasgow Outcome Scale, 3) a 55 percent or more impairment of the whole person, or 4) a class 4 or 5 impairment to mental or behavioural ability as set out by the American Medical Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.
What These Designations Can Mean for an Injured Party
If you have been catastrophically injured in an accident that has resulted in an impairment under these guidelines, you will have access to significant additional benefits for your medical and rehabilitative costs as well as attendant care benefits, both of which offer benefits up to one million dollars. Unfortunately, proving catastrophic impairment can be overwhelming for an injured party and their family and difficult to prove with insurance companies often challenging or outright denying those benefits.
If you or a family member has sustained a catastrophic and permanent disability in Ontario, you owe it to yourself to understand your rights to these additional benefits under our laws. At Hilborn and Konduros, we are here to help. Call our team of Ontario permanent disability lawyers to discuss your options after a catastrophic injury. (519) 658-6341.
