Dr. Cassidy's study on no-fault insurance:

supporting another shock absorber

Nipawin - April 21, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis
   

shock
absorbers

Our compassionate socialistic and liberal governments like to work within an environment of
global competition as envisioned by the World Trade Organization and at the same time they
like to implement shock absorbers to have a social and economic system where individual
initiative and diversity is suffocated on behalf of paternalism and conformism. In Saskatchewan,
we have shock absorbers in our provincial budgetary processes, we have shock absorbers in the
Workers Compensation Board, we have shock absorbers in the Saskatchewan Government
Insurance, we have shock absorbers in the administration of health services, we have shock
absorbers in our legal processes, we have shock absorbers everywhere, and we have shock
absorbers in the entourage of people working for Premier Roy Romanow.
   

rights to
pursue a remedial
legal recourse

We have emphasised in our writing that a component for measuring our democracy is the extent
to which we can use our individual rights to pursue a remedial legal recourse for a wrong we have
been subjected(1). The more shock absorbers we have, the less individual rights we have, and the
more bureaucratic and lethargic our social and economic system becomes.
   

statistical
analysis

So, yesterday, we have a study by Dr. David Cassidy, a health researcher at the University of
Alberta, supporting the shock absorber "no-fault insurance system(2)." In this study,
Dr. Cassidy uses the objective tools of statistical analysis to conclude that people recover
twice as fast from whiplash and related traffic injuries if they cannot sue for pain and
suffering. Dr. Cassidy says a system which allows people to sue forces them to focus on
  their injuries, instead of on getting better.
   

Studies on no-fault insurance
have been disgraced

I have my reservations about Dr. Cassidy's conclusion, first because many statistical studies
sponsored by governmental agencies are flawed(3), and second because his conclusion is
rationalized by the supposed psychological motivation that under a no-fault insurance system
the injured focus on getting better rather than on his/her injuries. Studies on no-fault insurance
have been disgraced by claims that the related data could have been falsified(4), and by the recent
resignation of Justice Thomas Wakeling from the committee that was established to review the
Saskatchewan's no-fault insurance plan(5). Therefore, I express my reservations about Dr.
Cassidy's conclusion and my perception for the validity of this conclusion rests on the answers
to these two simple questions:
-Was the psychological motivation of Dr. Cassidy to receive funds for his
research greater than the psychological motivation for the injured
to have a legal remedy?
-Which agency provided the funds for carrying Dr. Cassidy's research?
   
  If you, reader, have the answers to the above questions, please let me know and we will be a step
closer to understand the state of dementia of our Big Brain(6).
   
------------Endnotes:
   
  Quote by Donella Meadows "challenging a paradigm is not a part-time job. It is not sufficient to make your point once and then blame the world for not getting it. The world has a vested interest in, a commitment to, not getting it. The point has to be made patiently and repeatedly, day after day after day" ftp://sysdyn.mit.edu/ftp/sdep/Roadmaps/RM1/D-4143-1.pdf   http://iisd1.iisd.ca/pcdf/meadows/default.htm
   
  General reference: Articles by Mario deSantis published by North Central Internet News http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/authors/desantis.html
   

1.
-

Bad faith and paper legislation to cover the assets of SaskWater, by Mario deSantis, April 17, 2000
   

2.
+

Sask whiplash victims recover faster under no-fault: study, CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | Apr 19 2000 5:43 PM
   

3.

The misuse of Statistics as a scientific tool, by Mario deSantis, January 18, 2000
   

4.
-

SGI accused of meddling: Researcher claims she was told to falsify no-fault insurance study, by Kim McNairn, The StarPhoenix, May 14, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
   

5.
-

WAKELING RESIGNATION ANNOUNCED, Saskatchewan Government, News Release, Crown Investments Corporation - 190 April 12, 2000 http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2000/04/12-190.html
   

6.
-

Honourable Janice MacKinnon and the NDP Government: Spin-doctoring the Truth, by Mario deSantis, February 21, 2000
   
------------Additional References:
   
  Here are some current other Saskatchewan health studies.
   
  Here is an article critisizing Dr. Cassidy and his association with things.
   
  Here you will find some referenses to other work and projects of Dr. Cassidy
   
  Interesting article referring to Dr. Cassidy's research into Whiplash and no-fault.
   
  Dr. Hugh Anton discusses presentations at a conference on Dr. Cassidy's findings
   
------------Reader Response:
  Ensign received this first person explanation of the system being used by SGI and how their "study" and its results are much more then suspect. This response is not very long as the writer who's name is not being published because of possible repercussions from government agencies, was unable to do a longer explanation because of the pain and discomfort he experiences from his injuries.

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