By Stacey L. England
When you’re in a car accident, the last thing you want to do is wait for an insurance settlement to start getting your life back to normal. In Nova Scotia, it is mandatory that all automobile insurance policies include coverage for medical benefits and loss of employment income caused by the accident. This coverage is often referred to as Section B Benefits or Accident Benefits.
“It’s an automatic no-fault policy that most people don’t realize they have access to,” explains Stacey England, personal injury lawyer with Burchell MacDougall’s Elmsdale office, “It provides up to $50,000 or four years of coverage for treatment of your injuries.” This coverage, allows you to start the physical healing process as soon as possible.
Once you’ve contacted the insurance company, you don’t have to wait to receive your Section B Benefits approval to start your treatment. If you’ve suffered a strain, sprain or whiplash injury then, depending on the severity of your injury, you are entitled to receive no less than 10 and up to 21 treatments with a physiotherapist or chiropractor. These treatments must occur within 90 days of the accident. Your treatment provider or your lawyer at Burchell MacDougall can help you fill out the necessary forms.
Quite often your Section B Benefits claims adjuster may make a suggestion that you use the services of a particular chiropractor, physiotherapist or massage therapist. “We see clients referred to services in the city,” Stacey says, “But it’s your decision where you go to for treatment, and there are a variety of highly experienced professionals to choose from right here in Elmsdale.”
Those treatment providers include PROTx, PhysioDirect, Strides Fitness, Strides Health and Wellness Centre, Classic Physiotherapy, PT Health, and Elmsdale Community Chiropractic Centre. Stacey goes on to say, “We have a close relationship with these treatment providers which allows us to work with them to optimize your recovery. It is important that clients understand their Section B Benefits and get access to medical treatment as soon as possible.”
“Your medical doctor is an important partner on your road to recovery, however, it is important to know that under Section B coverage you do not require a medical referral to start your physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment”, says Dan Purcell, physiotherapist and owner of PROTx Services in Elmsdale. Accessing the right treatment at the right time can be key to your recovery.
Although Section B Benefits are an automatic part of automobile policies, the process of getting your Section B claim approved can be a time consuming and complicated one. That’s when it helps to have a personal injury lawyer on your team.
“We see clients start to recover, but the stress of dealing with their insurance company sets them back,” explains Martin Bull with PhysioDirect, “Or they’ll never recover because they are constantly stressed, wondering if they’re covered and how the process works. A lawyer takes that stress away and lets the client focus on their recovery.”
Burchell MacDougall is located in your community, with experience in personal injury cases and solid relationships with other local professionals.
“We work together to make sure things go as smoothly as possible for you,” Stacey concludes, “It’s about so much more than compensation; it’s also about getting your life back on track and working with you to get you back to your pre-injury status. You can always call me for a free consultation and remember, I work on contingency, which means you don’t pay until we settle your claim.”
This article is for information only and is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any questions or would like further information, you should consult a lawyer.
