No Witness Adverse Inference in ICBC Trial

Blaming innocent victims for not calling expert witnesses sounds unfair. The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia defends guilty drivers. The guilty drivers blame claimants for not paying doctors to testify at trial. Then they ask the court to draw an adverse inference. The current government changed the expert rules to help the state run auto…

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How Much ICBC Payouts are Worth

ICBC Injury Caps ICBC settlement payouts after April 1, 2019 have changed. Compensation for pain and suffering is limited to $5,500 for cases of minor injury. Learn right away whether ICBC will label you as a minor injury. The $5,500 cap does not apply to wage loss or case expenses. There are however other payout…

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ICBC Settlements for 2019

There are several new considerations when it comes to settling ICBC injury cases this year (**see update 2020 ICBC settlement predictions). ICBC began 2019 by withdrawing many settlement offers made in 2018  surprising many claimants without lawyers. Here is what to look out for when it comes to ICBC settlements: ICBC Internal Policy – ICBC…

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ICBC Withdraws Settlement Offers for 2019 Creating Another Financial Disaster

As an advocate for the injured for over 23 years I have never experienced the level of discrimination now faced by auto injury victims in British Columbia. The Attorney General, our chief advisor of law to the government,  distains injury victims access to legal advice and the court system, recently blaming lawyers for pushing back against the monopoly…

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Top Personal Injury Law Changes of 2018

Pain free life is valued as part of the dream of the Good Life by most Canadians.  The elimination of auto victims rights in 2018 and the increase in the ICBC monopoly on car insurance is therefore a shocking embarrassment to our democratic principles in British Columbia. Minor Injury Cap passed 2018 will apply to all car…

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Reasonable Offer to Settle vs. Offers that Ought Reasonably be Accepted

The Supreme Court has presented a new interpretation to offers to settle when it comes to ICBC settlement offers(Kobetitch v. Belski,2018 BCSC 2247). This personal injury lawsuit involved two motor vehicle accidents, the jury awarding the claimant $760,000.  ICBC sought costs of the trial based on offers to settle delivered before the trial began. The first ICBC offer…

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Future Loss of Income Awarded Despite Prison and Criminal Conduct

This personal injury claimant was injured in two car accidents, the  first was a head on collision at  188 Street in Surrey,  and the second occurred at 192 Street at Number 10 Highway. The judge found that he suffered various soft tissue injuries. The defendants argued that the claimant’s original position was affected by fights that occurred when he…

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Winning Substantial Success in a Personal Injury Case

In many personal injury cases there are several claims being made and some of these claims may not be successful at trial. How do you know when you have achieved substantial success? This is important when deciding on entitlement to legal costs and disbursements. Your substantial success will help determine the amount of money you…

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