If you slip and fall on private property in Ottawa, OHIP covers your emergency hospital care. However, you must generally seek compensation for non-OHIP expenses—like expensive physiotherapy, crutches, and lost wages—through the property owner’s commercial or home liability insurance by filing a personal injury claim.
Suffering a severe injury from a fall is a traumatic experience, whether you slipped on a freshly mopped floor in an Orleans grocery store or tripped on a broken staircase at a friend’s house in Kanata. 🏦 In the immediate aftermath, your focus is entirely on getting to the hospital and treating your pain. But once you are discharged, a terrifying realization often sets in: who is going to pay for the expensive rehabilitation, the mobility aids, and your lost income while you are off work?
Many residents mistakenly believe that the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers everything after an accident. ⚠ While OHIP is fantastic for emergency surgeries and doctor visits, it severely lacks coverage for the long-term recovery tools you need to regain your quality of life. Navigating the gap between what the government pays for and what the property owner’s insurance is legally obligated to cover is the key to protecting yourself from financial ruin.
Step-by-Step Process for Claiming Medical Expenses in Ontario
In Ontario, the Occupiers’ Liability Act dictates that anyone who owns or controls a property must take reasonable steps to ensure visitors are kept safe. 📍 Most applicants in this province rely on a personal injury law firm to enforce these rules. Here is the standard process for getting your medical bills paid after a fall on private property.
Step 1: Immediate Treatment and OHIP Coverage
Immediately after your fall, you should visit a local emergency room, such as the Ottawa Hospital or the Queensway Carleton Hospital. 🚨 At this stage, OHIP steps in to cover 100% of your emergency care, including X-rays, casting for broken bones, and any necessary surgeries. You will not receive a bill for these basic, essential medical services.
Step 2: Identifying the Occupier and Their Insurance
To recover costs for the treatments OHIP ignores, you must identify who is legally responsible for the property (the “occupier”). 🔍 This could be the commercial landlord of a shopping mall, the business owner renting the space, or the homeowner if you fell at a private residence. Your lawyer will send a formal legal notice to these parties, triggering their commercial general liability or home insurance policies.
Step 3: Filing the Claim for Non-OHIP Expenses
Once the property owner’s insurance company is notified, your lawyer will formally claim compensation for your out-of-pocket medical damages. ✍ Because the insurance company rarely agrees to pay your physiotherapy bills weekly, your law firm builds a comprehensive case to recover these costs as part of a large, final lump-sum settlement. Keep every single receipt for any medical device or medication you purchase.
What Medical Expenses Are Covered by Whom?
Understanding the exact division of financial responsibility helps you plan your recovery without unnecessary panic. 📜 Below is a clear breakdown of who generally pays for what after a slip and fall in Ontario.
| Medical Expense | Primary Coverage | Property Owner’s Insurance |
| Emergency Room & X-Rays | OHIP (100% covered) | Not applicable; OHIP may sue them for reimbursement (Subrogation). |
| Physiotherapy & Chiropractic | You or your private workplace benefits | Yes, claimed in your final injury settlement. |
| Prescription Medications | You or your private workplace benefits | Yes, claimed in your final injury settlement. |
| Crutches, Braces & Wheelchairs | You (out-of-pocket) | Yes, claimed with valid receipts in your settlement. |
How Much Does Medical Rehab Cost in Ottawa?
The financial burden of recovery can escalate rapidly if you do not have strong workplace health benefits. 💸 As of March 2026, here are the typical out-of-pocket costs an injury victim might face while waiting for their slip and fall lawsuit to settle:
- Physiotherapy Sessions: Private clinics in Ottawa typically charge between $90 and $150 CAD per session, which can total thousands of dollars over a few months.
- Mobility Aids: A standard pair of crutches costs around $40 CAD, while specialized orthopedic walking boots can cost $150 to $300 CAD.
- Psychological Therapy: Treating the trauma or depression resulting from a severe life-altering injury often requires a private psychologist, costing roughly $200 to $250 CAD per hour.
- Home Maintenance: If you cannot shovel your driveway or clean your house due to your injuries, hiring services can cost hundreds of dollars a month, which is also claimable in your lawsuit.
How Long Does the Process Take?
Getting reimbursed by the property owner’s insurance is not an overnight process. ⏱ In Ontario, you must legally notify the occupier within a strict 60 days if your fall was caused by snow or ice. However, actually receiving the settlement money for your medical bills generally takes anywhere from 1.5 to 3 years. This delay is necessary because your lawyer must wait until you have fully healed (or reached maximum medical recovery) to know exactly how much your total medical bills will ultimately cost.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What if I fall at a friend or family member’s house?
Many people hesitate to sue loved ones. However, you are not actually suing your friend personally; you are making a claim against their home liability insurance policy. That is exactly why they pay for home insurance—to cover accidents like yours without draining their personal bank accounts.
What if I do not have workplace benefits to pay for physio right now?
If you have no private insurance and cannot afford physiotherapy out-of-pocket, some specialized rehabilitation clinics in Ottawa will agree to treat you on a protected account (a medical lien). This means they will wait to get paid directly from your final legal settlement.
Does OHIP get paid back from my settlement?
Yes. Under Ontario law, OHIP has a “right of subrogation.” This means your lawyer is legally required to claim the money OHIP spent on your emergency care from the at-fault property owner’s insurance, and then pay that specific portion back to the Ministry of Health. It does not come out of your pocket.
Who pays if I slip and fall on a City of Ottawa sidewalk?
If you fall on municipal property, the claim is made against the City of Ottawa’s liability insurance. However, the legal standard to prove the city was “grossly negligent” is much higher than suing a private business, and you have a strict 10-day deadline to provide written notice to the city clerk.
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