Dr. G. M. Sawa

The applicant was injured in a motor vehicle accident and claimed housekeeping benefits, acupuncture treatment, and a special award.

The arbitrator found the applicant was entitled to $3,676 for housekeeping expenses, as she suffered a substantial inability to perform her household tasks for a period following the accident.

The claim for further acupuncture treatment was denied because the medical evidence emphasized regular exercise rather than passive therapies.

The claim for a special award was dismissed as the insurer's denial of benefits was supported by an expert opinion and was not unreasonable.

The applicant was injured in a motor vehicle accident and claimed statutory accident benefits, including income replacement and housekeeping expenses, arguing she could no longer work as a live-in housekeeper.

The arbitrator found that while the applicant sustained genuine injuries, including vertigo and cervicogenic pain, she exaggerated her limitations and was only disabled from working until her employer returned from Florida on February 21, 1996.

Income replacement benefits were awarded up to that date, along with a 50% special award because the insurer unreasonably withheld payment despite having uncontradicted medical evidence of disability for that initial period.

Claims for ongoing income replacement, housekeeping, and a case manager were dismissed.