Dr. G. Braganza

The applicant was injured in a motor vehicle accident and sought a determination that she sustained a catastrophic impairment under Criterion 8 (mental or behavioural disorder) of the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule.

The respondent denied the claim, relying on its psychiatric assessor who found only mild to moderate impairments.

The Tribunal preferred the evidence of the applicant's assessors, noting that they appropriately included pain-related impairments and relied on functional occupational therapy assessments which demonstrated the applicant's significant deterioration when challenged by tasks.

The Tribunal concluded the applicant suffered marked impairments in three of four functional domains and declared her catastrophically impaired.

The defendants brought a motion to compel the plaintiff to attend and complete a defence neuropsychological examination.

The plaintiff, who suffered catastrophic impairment in a motor vehicle accident, had attempted the assessment on three occasions but was unable to complete it due to severe headaches, fatigue, and psychological distress.

The court dismissed the motion, finding that the plaintiff was not malingering and that compelling further testing would be futile and pose an undue risk of self-harm.

The court also adjourned the pre-trial to allow the defendants time to review newly filed expert reports.