In 2015, there were 1,858 deaths and 10,280 serious injuries from motor vehicle accidents in Canada.
Serious accidents like these change peoples’ lives in an instant. Even for those lucky enough to survive a dangerous accident, the subsequent injuries can cause outrageous medical bills, extreme lifestyle alterations, pain and suffering, and time off from work or the loss of a job.
For many, it’s the time off from work and the possible loss of a job that are the most damaging of all. This can limit or halt your ability to make money for long periods of time or, sometimes, for the rest of your life.
Fortunately, if you have had to take time off work because of serious injuries or disabilities caused by a motor vehicle accident, you have options.
Canada Pension Plan or CPP Disability
If you have made adequate contributions to the pension plan, you may qualify for this disability benefits. To qualify, you must be under 65 years old and have a “severe and prolonged” disability. There are no concrete regulations here, but your condition will be verified after a review by the CPP.
In terms of contribution requirements, you must have contributed to the Canada Pension Plan in 4 of the last 6 years. Or if you have been contributing for at least 25 years, you must have contributed in 3 of the last 6 years.
Employment Insurance or EI
Next, depending on contributions you’ve made, it’s possible you’ll be eligible for benefits through the employment insurance program that your employer has. In this case, you would need to be eligible, which means that you would need to:
- Be employed in insurable employment and have at least 600 or more hours of insurable employment during the designated period
- Have had your regular earnings per week reduced by more than 40 percent
- Meet the EI “sickness benefits” qualifications
The Income Replacement Benefit
Finally, for up to 104 weeks after a motor vehicle-caused disability, you may be able to receive payments every two weeks through your insurance policy. This is called the income replacement benefit, and it will replace some of your lost income at a maximum of $400 every week. Most of the time, the amount is calculated based on your yearly income.
A Personal Injury Lawyer in Pickering Can Help
Navigating these options and your potential eligibility can be confusing, time consuming, and frustrating. For this reason, before moving forward on your own, it’s wise to contact one of the best personal injury lawyers Pickering has to offer: Steven Polak.
Steven Polak is an injury lawyer in Pickering who can help you determine what compensation you may be eligible for if you have been injured by a motor vehicle accident and cannot return to work.
Contact Steven today to schedule a free consultation and learn about your options.