Workplace Insurance & Benefits: Canadian Pension Plan

The collision was life-altering for Ben. He had been driving home after a long day at work when he was t-boned in an intersection by a drug addict driving a stolen sports card at three times the posted speed. Ben survived but the impact has left him in with spinal damage and paraplegia. It has been two weeks since the collision. He is still in the hospital but has asked you, his good friend, to help him figure out what to do. He is 30 years old, single, and had been working for the local government in the Planning Department. His earnings for the last five years have been pretty stable at $44,000 per year. The municipality has a sick leave plan that will carry him at full wages for 13 weeks and a long term disability plan that will pay 60% of his earnings for 18 months beginning six months after injury. Ben has no savings, owes $3000 on his credit card, and pays $1200 per month for his apartment. Fortunately, the apartment is wheel-chair accessible. Ben is still in a lot of physical pain and he is likely to require three more surgeries over the next year. The prognosis at this point is uncertain but his treatment team has been preparing him for a long recovery. What can you tell Ben about his likely income over the next two years? What if he is unable to work again?