Monday, June 11, 2012

Insurance News - Monday, June 11, 2012

Assault Victim May Qualifies for SABS Because of Psychological Trauma

The plaintiff was physically assaulted by several unidentified assailants while parked at a gas station sorting his money. He escaped by putting his car in gear and driving away. He believed he may have run over one of his assailants in the course of fleeing. He claimed he sustained psychological and physical injuries as a result of the incident.

This case is revolves on the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the SABS, which defines an "accident" as “an incident in which the use or operation of an automobile directly causes an impairment”. The motion judge granted a declaration that the plaintiff was involved in an “accident” within the meaning of the SABS. The insurer appealed.

The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal with respect to the physical injuries, holding that the physical assault did not constitute an “accident”. The Court held that a trial was required to determine whether the psychological injuries were caused by the ordinary use of a motor vehicle.

With respect to the psychological injuries, the Court held that running someone over could be considered a normal incident of the risk created by the use or operation of a vehicle.

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Louisiana Cracks Down on Uninsured Drivers


A new law has passed in Louisiana, giving the state’s law enforcement expanded authority over vehicles that may not be insured.The legislation, House Bill 1053, was signed into law this week by Governor Bobby Jindal. State officials believe the new law will help law enforcement ensure that drivers are protected while taking to the state’s roadways.

According to the new auto insurance law, officers will now be able to tow vehicles if drivers cannot show proof of insurance coverage on their first offense. State officials suggests that more than 850,000 vehicles are currently uninsured in Louisiana, many of which are likely to have been targeted by citation in the past but were allowed to stay on the road due to faulty laws.

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Top 7 Most Dangerous Cars in America

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently performed crash tests and rated the cars in four separate categories. 24/7 Wall St. analyzed the ratings and ranked the seven most dangerous cars in the country.

1. Dodge Ram 1500
2. Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab
3. Mazda CX-7
4. Mazda CX-9
5. Nissan Pathfinder
6. Jeep Wrangler
7. Suzuki SX4

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