Injury Claimant is “Successful Party” Despite Low Award

Personal injury lawyers in BC will want to take note that the Court of Appeal has reversed an award of trial costs as the judge was clearly wrong in finding that the defendants were successful. (Loft v. Nat,2014 BCCA 108). The Court of Appeal makes it clear that obtaining less money than what was requested…

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ICBC Refuses Settlement Offer for Personal Injury and Forced to Pay Costs

In this double costs Fast Track personal injury case(Peacock v. Battel, 2013 BCSC 1902) the claimant made an offer to settle to settle her case for $125,000.00 but the defendant, insured by ICBC, refused making only a $41,000 offer. The court awarded the claimant $255,000 and found that ICBC should have accepted the claimants offer. This…

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Lawyer to Deal with ICBC after a Car Accident

As a personal injury lawyer I have managed, handled and cared  for  hundreds of claims against ICBC due to car accident injuries and I have noticed 3 things that claimants almost always ask- Do I need a lawyer? How much is my case worth? and How much do you cost? All very important questions deserving…

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How Much does it Cost to Hire a Lawyer for an ICBC Claim?

Lawyers Bill Based on a Percentage of  up to One-Third of the Recovery or By Hourly  Rate A Lawyers legal fees are regulated by the Law Society of BC and as a result you will find many lawyer fees are paid on a percentage of what is recovered and usually not more than  33 1/3…

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Taxes on Legal Fees- PST, GST and Personal Injury Claims in BC

As of April 1, 2013 HST no longer applies to legal fees and legal services in BC.  In personal injury cases no income tax is payable on lawyer negotiated settlements for  pain and suffering compensation with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC, and other insurance companies. The Provincial change back to the PST and GST…

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Free Legal Advice Before Speaking with ICBC

As a personal injury lawyer in Vancouver since 1995 I have always been open to providing a free initial consultation for people dealing with ICBC following a car crash . Getting no fee lawyer advice can be a lifeline and true asset at the beginning of an ICBC claim, just after the car accident. Hiring an experienced lawyer for a…

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Average Contingency Legal Fee for Personal Injury Lawyers

Hiring a personal injury lawyer in British Columbia should not have to be a guessing game, especially when it comes to legal fees. That is why the Law Society strictly controls how much a lawyer gets for his or her percentage legal fees.  The median or average percentage is set organically by the marketplace and is often…

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Registered Owner of Vehicle Responsible for Injury Despite Licence Plates

Appellant wins as Court of Appeal overturned a trial judges decision defining the meaning of “owner” in the Yukon.( Aucoin v. Shepherd, 2013 YKCA 1) . The second owner purchased a motor vehicle from the first owner, who was the original  registered owner of the vehicle.  the first owner signed and gave the second owner the required transfer papers and the only set…

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Negotiated Settlements With ICBC- Getting the Best from the Lawyer’s Advice

My personal injury law firm has negotiated hundreds of out of court settlements with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia on behalf of car accident injury claimants, which is a first rate way of saving court time and expense. Some personal injury cases cannot however be settled and are best taken to trial by experienced…

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