Schemes And Relationships That Put Restrictions On Cashing Out Accident Benefits

Ontario’s car-owning residents enjoy access to Statutory Accident Benefits, if their vehicle becomes involved in a collision. Yet all the residents of Ontario face the need to deal with specific restrictions, if they want to cash out those same benefits.

Details on the benefits available to all residents can be found on the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS).

By studying that Schedule, residents gain a better sense for when it makes sense to cash out. It makes sense for a resident to cash out on his or her SABS-associated benefits, if that same resident has sustained a catastrophic injury, has received a prognosis for a given injury, or has recovered fully from an accident-related injury.

Questions that a resident of Ontario should ask, prior to accepting any of the Statutory Accident Benefits:

• What will be the size of the anticipated income replacement? An adult that continues to recover from an injury should not be expected to take-on any workplace-associated tasks.
• How much money will be made available to the accident victim, in order to pay for medical expenses and rehabilitation costs?
• How much money will be available for payment of the resident’s miscellaneous expenses?
• What funds will be made available, in order to pay for case management of a client’s rehabilitation services?

How could a resident discover the answers to those particular questions?

The answers should be found in a payment summary. The defendant’s insurance company should stand ready to make that summary available to an insured resident of Ontario. Residents that feel hesitant about requesting such a summary should hire a lawyer. Accident Lawyers in Waterloo know how to go after the documents that are needed by their clients.

Facts about SABS to keep in mind

The SABS’ offices refuse to issue a single benefit to anyone that has failed to prove the liability of the alleged driver-at-fault. In other words, any injured resident ought to come forward with proof of negligence on the part of the other driver. In the absence of such evidence, an injured victim should not expect to be granted a single benefit from SABS.

That fact highlights the reason that a resident’s request for SABS’ money might be denied. Residents can act to prevent issuance of a denial by seeking legal guidance. A lawyer can suggest what evidence might be used to demonstrate the proof of allegations, concerning the other party’s negligence.

Obviously, it would not make sense for anyone to consider cashing out SABS’ benefits, if there was not the slightest chance that any such benefit might be made available to that particular accident victim. Of course, a good lawyer should stand ready to advise a client, regarding the restrictions on the release of SABS’ funds.