Accident benefits disputes at the Licence Appeal Tribunal

The Licence Appeal Tribunal's Automobile Accident Benefits Service deals with disputes about entitlement to or the amount of statutory accident benefits. That is different from a lawsuit for damages against an at-fault driver. A collision can create several legal issues with separate deadlines.

Keep the insurer's written decision, benefit applications, medical information, and treatment plans. Identify which benefit was refused and the reason given. Do not assume an ongoing internal discussion with the insurer preserves every tribunal deadline. The process may involve a case conference, disclosure, and a hearing under the LAT's rules. Serious injury, tort litigation, and complex coverage questions may require a lawyer. The first assessment should distinguish the benefit dispute from any other claim arising from the accident.

Organize the file by benefit and insurer decision. A treatment refusal, income replacement dispute, and other benefit issue may involve different evidence and dates. Keep the refusal wording, delivery information, application forms, medical material, and correspondence discussing the insurer's reasons. Identify the precise amount or entitlement disputed. Do not treat a general complaint about the insurer as a substitute for identifying a particular decision and the statutory benefit at issue. Preserve any relevant assessment and treatment-plan records in complete form.

At the first assessment, disclose any related tort claim, settlement discussion, or lawyer already acting from the collision. Coordination matters because several processes may concern the same injuries while addressing different rights. Review current LAT rules, applicable deadlines, and the documents needed for a case conference or hearing. If the dispute involves serious injury, complex coverage, or a matter outside the proposed retainer, obtain the appropriate referral promptly. A useful file separates the benefit question from broader accident losses and explains how the evidence responds to the insurer's stated basis for refusal.

Sources

• Licence Appeal Tribunal Automobile Accident Benefits Service
• LAT accident benefits laws rules and decisions

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General Ontario legal information, not legal advice for your matter, and reading it does not create a retainer. Sources checked 15 October 2026: check the current law, forms and dates before you act.

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This article is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.