A Winnipeg cyclist says she’s been left with both physical injuries and financial hardship since being hit by a vehicle nearly five weeks ago.
Erin Essery was hit by a car while on her way home from work.
“I could feel myself being thrown towards the hood and felt my head, my face actually, smacked against the car,” said Essery.
She suffered a shattered elbow. Now, she said she’s only receiving 40 per cent of her wages in compensation from Manitoba Public Insurance while off work.
She had recently started a job as a travel agent and the work largely involves writing and typing.
While MPI will provide income replacement for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists injured in a crash, it doesn’t pay for the first week of lost wages, with those seven days considered to be the deductible portion of your bodily injury policy - the uninsured part of your coverage.
“People will start receiving benefits immediately whether it's physio or chiro or medication or home care. They'll start receiving that immediately. It's the income replacement they're not eligible until day eight,” said Brian Smiley from MPI.
Along with losing a week’s worth of pay, Essery said the crash has meant a large loss of her wages for earnings that used to come from commissions, which aren’t guaranteed. Insurance adjusters have to consider a full year’s work history to determine what a claimant is eligible to receive.
Under the calculations, Essery said her $4,000 a month pay suddenly has been whittled down to $772.
“There’s no one that can live off of $772 in a month. I mean, that’s below the poverty line. It’s not even minimum wage and it wasn’t my fault,” she said.
Thanks to friends and family, she was able to cover costs for last month, but wonders how she’ll look after rent in the future if her arm doesn’t heal soon.
MPI said in other jurisdictions, cyclists and pedestrians aren’t eligible for benefits and would have to sue the driver who hit them in order to get compensation.
- with a report from Caroline Barghout
