A Halifax personal injury lawyer has suggested to the Nova Scotia government that there needs to be a boost in the medical rehabilitation benefits which are handed out to those who suffer ‘catastrophic’ injuries in motor vehicle accidents. John McKiggan has stated that those who suffer severe injuries in accidents required extensive medical treatment and should be eligible to receive more medical benefits, maybe up to $100,000. They must also have additional benefits such as income replacement of up to $1,000 for every week that the injured person is unable to go to work as a result of the accident. John McKiggan is from the Atlantic Trial Lawyers Association.
McKiggan has also served in the advisory committee at the Nova Scotia Automobile Insurance Review. He welcomes the recommendations to increase the present medical rehab coverage and recommends doubling it from $25,000 to $50,000. But the trial lawyers are of the opinion that more is needed as the ones that suffer catastrophic injuries are very few in numbers.
McKiggan also mentioned that these numbers were very small, but when they needed extensive medical coverage they should be able to get it. In general, consumers are worried about the increase in rates and the insurance industry uses this as a form of threat. However, since the numbers of people who need that level of benefits are less, the extra cost in premium will be infinitesimal.
The consultants who had conducted the auto insurance reviews have now given their recommendations where they have stated that the province must delay the introduction of catastrophic benefits until such a time where the assessments regarding this system would be completed in Ontario and Alberta. The recommendations also include increasing maximum disability benefits for those who are unable to get back to work after being involved in a crash. It has been suggested that they increase it from $140 per week to $250, but this is also inadequate compared to what the trial lawyers association has suggested which is at $1,000 a week for the very serious cases.
But apart from these recommendations regarding delay in the implementation of catastrophic auto insurance, McKiggan seems to be quite pleased with the entire outcome of the review. But the review recommends that policyholders must have a choice to pay a higher premium, so they will gain the right to sue for damages.
The average consumer wants cheap insurance and they fail to realize the importance of having adequate coverage when you need it the most, he said.
