Injury Compensation News

If you have been injured in an accident for which you were not to blame, and are seeking compensation from the negligent party, you are entitled to receive sick benefits from the State while your compensation claim is ongoing. If the amount of sick benefits you are receiving is insufficient to provide for your primary care requirements, it may be possible for your solicitor to apply for interim payments of compensation. However, once your compensation settlement is finalised, it will be backdated to the time at which you were diagnosed with an injury and any sick benefits you have received from the State will have to be repaid. For more information about the recovery of sick benefits and interim compensation payments, speak with a perosnal injury solicitor.

Facebook Photos Result in Loss of Sick Leave Benefits

Wednesday, 25 November, 2009

Natalie Blanchard, 29-year-old IBM employee from Bromont, Quebec, has been denied sick benefits by Manulife Financial after posting photographs on Facebook.

Blanchard was suffering from depression and took sick leave, with sick leave benefits from Manulife Financial. The insurer claimed that it had seen photos of Blanchard enjoying herself and looking cheerful on her Facebook page and stopped her monthly payments on the basis that she was no longer depressed. It is reported that the photos show her attending a Chippendales show, attending a birthday party, and on a beach holiday. In her defence, Blanchard has stated she went on three trips after consulting with her psychiatrist.

Manulife has confirmed it uses social networking sites to check up on people making claims, but, of course, can’t comment on a specific case.

While it is difficult to judge the merits of this particular case, it’s clear that anyone with a personal injury claim should think very carefully about publishing photographs that are open to misinterpretation or even misuse.

Posted in Sick Benefits - No Comments »