The province is launching a pilot project to offer mediation to help settle claims with Manitoba Public Insurance.
"The mediator will be a qualified independent person that will come in, sit down with the injured person and with MPI and try to break down any barriers that may exist and try to get both sides to a settlement," said Andrew Swan, the minister responsible for MPI.
Liberal opposition leader Jon Gerrard said he's been pushing for changes to MPI for years.
"I hear from people that MPI is the most hated corporation under the NDP because of this sort of issue that people are not (having) resolved and it's time, obviously, to do something better," said Gerrard.
The province's goal is for quicker settlements for claimants and fewer legal fees for MPI.
"If we can resolve these cases through mediation there's actually savings to be had for MPI ratepayers," said Swan.
Maureen and Troy Thompson have been battling MPI over a car crash eight years and a personal injury claim.
They weren't satisfied with the $47,000 offered by MPI and have been fighting for $1 million in damages.
Maureen likes the idea of a mediator.
"That would be good because, as it stands, there's no one to talk to," she said.
Troy, however, has been filing paperwork to MPI over the past eight years and said he's not hopeful.
"Honestly, not really. I'm very leery when it comes to MPI," he said.
The mediator will be available starting sometime in spring 2011.
Anyone will be eligible to access the mediator and a time limit on past claims will not be in place.
The province will spend the next couple of years talking to people who go through the process to evaluate if it worked. If it does, the project could become permanent.
- with a report from CTV's Laura Lowe
