A group of Ontario psychologists say their patients are being unfairly denied workers' compensation.
They say that the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario (WSIB) has been cutting workers' compensation claims in order to pay off its deficit. To do that, the psychologists say the board is getting other doctors to overrule their conclusions about their patients' fitness to return to work.The recommendations of health care professionals are routinely being ignored or overruled by the faceless claims people at the WSIB? Sorry if I don't act surprised.
The psychologists are holding a news conference at Queen's Park on Thursday, calling on WSIB to restore benefits for injured workers.
Loss of Benefits
The sad reality is that the very same thing happens in the auto insurance sector. Patients lose the benefit of early intervention and society ends up with more marginalized members who then have to knock on the door of an overburdened health care system.
Last month I highlighted the plight of one doctor who claims that she lost her job because she wouldn't change her medical opinion to WSIB and an insurer's liking. With these stories piling up, perhaps it's time to appoint an independent body to look at WSIB's policies and practices.
I am a personal injury lawyer with Pace Law Firm in Toronto. Contact me if you have any questions.
