Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal’s decision to deny a worker’s claim for psychological trauma was patently unreasonable

26. August 2016 0
The court held that the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal’s (“WCAT”) decision to deny a worker’s claim was patently unreasonable, as the court held that WCAT made findings with respect to the worker’s experience of a traumatic event without interviewing or assessing the worker, and made a medical finding that was contrary to the opinion of ...

The appeal by a worker (“Plesner”) from a judicial review of his claim for workers’ compensation was allowed where the Court found that provisions and policies under the Workers’ Compensation Act R.S.B.C. 1996 c.492 (the “Act”), breached his Section 15(1) Charter rights as they require a worker to meet a significantly higher causation threshold for a purely mental work-related injury than required for those who suffer purely physical workplace injuries

Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Workers Compensation Boards – Charter of Rights and Freedoms – Workers compensation – Benefits – Traumatic event – Psychological injury – employment related – Validity and application of policies – Judicial review – Compliance with legislation – Remedies – Charter relief Plesner v. British Columbia (Hydro and ...

An employer’s appeal of a decision of the Nova Scotia Workers Compensation Appeals Tribunal (“WCAT”) was dismissed when the court found there was evidence to support the WCAT’s conclusion that an intense meeting with a supervisor was a “traumatic event” such that the worker’s subsequent stress condition was an “accident” within the meaning of the Workers Compensation Act, S.N.S. 1994-95, c. 10.

Administrative law – Workers compensation – Benefits – Statutory provisions – Accident – Definition – Traumatic event – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Workers Compensation Boards – Judicial review – Standard of review – Correctness – Patent unreasonableness Children’s Aid Society of Cape Breton-Victoria v. Nova Scotia (Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal), [2005] N.S.J. No. 75, Nova Scotia Court ...