On Thursday June 11, 2015, our Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the law limiting medical marijuana to dry leaves infringes on Canadians’ liberty and security of person protected by section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court was unanimous in ruling that medical marijuana can be legally consumed in a range of ways, from cannabis-infused cookies and brownies to cooking oils …
legal Tag Archives
The Truth Revealed About Insurance Companies’ Profits in Ontario
Dr. Fred Lazar and Dr. Eli Prisman, from the York University Schulich School of Business, conclude in a recent study that for the period of 2001 to 2013, consumers in Ontario have likely overpaid for auto insurance by between $3 and $4 billion. This money has not gone to accident victims nor to lower premiums for consumers – instead this money has gone straight to …
Show Me the Policy, Honey! Why is Uber keeping its insurance details a secret?
Uber maintains it has sufficient insurance to protect customers of the popular ride-sharing program, but refuses to produce the paperwork to prove it. On March 9, 2015, Uber asked an Ontario Superior Court Judge for an Order to seal its insurance policy, claiming it is necessary to do so for “competitive reasons”. The sufficiency of Uber’s insurance coverage is a hot button topic and Uber …
Pitfalls, Potholes and Falling Concrete: Problems with the Minimum Maintenance Standards
With one of the coldest months on record finally behind us, Ontarians are getting a knack for braving subzero temperatures this winter. Unfortunately, Ontarians will continue to feel the chilling effect of the Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways (“MMS”) long after the snow has gone. Recent news about a large chunk of concrete allegedly falling from the Gardiner Expressway Bridge and smashing into the …
The “Inevitable” Accident Defence
The inevitable accident defence can be applied not only in cases of black ice or potholes, but also where accidents are attributed to a medical condition, sudden mechanical failure, or an animal darting onto the roadway.
New Policy on Travel Expenses for Treatment Providers Discriminates Against Rural Claimants
FSCO regularly publishes Bulletins which are meant to guide insurers and claimants on the permissible and impermissible practices surrounding claims for accident benefits. In FSCO Bulletin A-14/14, along with outlining regulatory amendments which were to take effect on December 1, 2014, FSCO also sent a strong message about mileage expenses for treatment providers, which will discriminate against claimants who live anywhere other than large towns and cities and …