Renn A. Holness is a gifted lawyer and author to over 1000 legal blog articles. Married father of two daughters, son of a neurosurgeon and founder of Holness and Small Law Group

ICBC Continues to Pay Dr. Grypma to Advocate and Attack Claimant Credibility

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC, is a government created auto insurance monopoly entrusted with providing universal public auto insurance in British Columbia. However, ICBC has been using biased medical experts to deny legitimate personal injury claims, the following case is a recent example (Litt v. Hassan, 2015 BCSC 1920).  This twisted and tainted approach to…

First Settlement Proposal Remains Confidential in Second Car Accident Case

As a result of the car accident in question the claimant sustained injuries to her head, jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, back, left arm, left elbow, left wrist, left hand, left hip, left leg, and left heel. Importantly, the claimant had suffered an injury in a another almost identical motor vehicle accident just two years before the…

Family Doctor Blamed but not Named in Car Accident Lawsuit

ICBC insured defendants have lost a bold application to name a family doctor for negligent treatment in this multiple car accident lawsuit (Jack v. Kendrick,2015 BCSC 1872). The claim is for injuries sustained in three separate motor vehicle accidents and the allegation was that the family doctor  prescribed negligently large doses of opiates.  In order for ICBC to obtain…

Fall on Bus Results in $40,000 Award for Pain and Suffering

The claimant suffered injuries as a passenger on a bus operated by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, doing business as Translink and/or Coast Mountain Bus Company Limited (“Translink”).  The claimant was  76 years old at the time of trial and claims that he fell when the bus on Translink’s route number eight stopped suddenly…

ICBC is Debtor to Successful Injury Claimant and Must pay Legal Costs

In this twisted car accident injury case the ICBC claimant asked for $3 million and received only $62,900 for his injury after a Supreme Cour trial.  He was also denied his legal costs. The claimant lost his appeal on the issue of quantum but  the Court of Appeal found that as the successful party he was entitled to…

$100,000 Psychological Injury Award Taken Away

In a dramatic admission of medical illiteracy the Court of Appeal conceded that absent expert medical opinion evidence, a judge is not qualified to say what is, or is not, an illness (Saadati v. Moorhead,2015 BCCA 393). The trial judge refused to accept the claimant had suffered a brain injury but found that he had…

Passenger Grabbing Steering Wheel Insured by ICBC

ICBC has lost this important injury insurance law appeal, the court concluding that the word “use” includes the grabbing of a the steering wheel by a passenger(Felix v. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia,2015 BCCA 394). This bold decision by Madam Justice Bennett brings insurance coverage to all British Columbia passengers that take control of a vehicle, when it…

Cyclist not Faulted for Hitting Parked Car in Agony of the Moment

A stunning win by this injured cyclist is unanimously upheld against a quick turning driver which caused him to hit a parked car. This personal injury case concerned determination of blame in a car accident involving a cyclist. The claimant suffered injury when bicycling southbound on Blanshard Street in Victoria, B.C. and a vehicle suddenly pulled out into traffic from a nearby…