Judge Awards over $650,000 for Chronic Myofascial Pain

In this ICBC personal injury case the claimant sought injury compensation of over $865,000, with loss of future earning capacity at over $618,000.  ICBC, the insurer, argued that the claimant should not receive more than $89,000( Camilleri v. Bergen, 2015 BCSC 124). The claimant was injured in a motor vehicle collision and there was largely consensus…

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Car Accident Victim Denied Cost of Marihuana to Treat Pain

After a car accident in British Columbia the cost of care awarded by the court can include  medical marihuana. However, in the following personal injury case there was not enough evidence to make the connection between the car accident injuries and the need to smoke pot(2015 BCSC 57). This case also gives an excellent checklist for…

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Injury Claimant Beat Offer to Settle But no Double Costs

In this personal injury case the Claimant made an offer to settle which was rejected by ICBC (the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia). He proceeding to trial and beat his offer by $920. However the Judge was not satisfied that the claimant’s formal offer was one that ICBC ought reasonably to have accepted (Saopaseuth v.…

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7 day notice of Offer to Settle in Personal Injury Case not Required

In this personal injury case the ICBC insured driver rear-ended the claimant and knocked him off his motorcycle. The claimant suffered injuries to his neck which required surgery and ultimately resulted in devastating physical effects due to the onset of conversion disorder. The court awarded the claimant $2,735,818.16 for injuries received as a result of…

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Car Accident Settlement – Costs Same Proportion as Liability

Once a claim for personal injury is settled there is often post settlement negotiations to award the reasonable case costs. This post settlement negotiation can have a dramatic impact on the money a claimant gets in their pocket after fees, expenses and taxes. In this personal injury case the defendants served the claimant with an…

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Future Care Costs of $90,000 Set Aside

In a surprising personal injury claim decision the British Columbia Court of Appeal  has remitting the matter of cost of future care to the judge for a fresh determination. ICBC successfully challenged the awards for massage therapy and physiotherapy; Botox injections to the right shoulder; prescription for Nortriptyline; chiropractic treatment; and seasonal cleaning and gardening assistance (Johal…

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What to do after a Car Accident a Checklist for the Injured

First Steps After an Auto Accident If you are at the accident scene: Move away from traffic; Make sure the police and paramedics have been called; Take photographs and video at the scene before the vehicles are moved; Obtain witness names and contact information- don’t talk to witnesses about how the accident occurred; Record details…

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Maximum Amounts For ICBC Injury Claims

Part of my job as a personal injury lawyer often is to help claimants understand how much money they are entitled to receive from ICBC after a car accident injury.  The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is a Province wide government created insurance company responsible for compensated victims of personal injury on behalf of their…

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Credibility and not New Brain Science to Blame for Loss

After a car accident, a mild traumatic brain injury case usually relies heavily on the credibility of the claimant. With a normal MRI and no objective signs of injury, the court must rely on the credibility and reliability of the claimant and the strength of any corroborating evidence. The following appeal of a Brain Injury…

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$130,000 Pain and Suffering for PTSD

In this post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) personal injury case the Claimant was driving along Como Lake Road in Coquitlam  when a van hit into the side of his vehicle. The other driver admitted liability, but disputed that the car accident induced PTSD in the claimant (Kim v. Khaw,2014 BCSC 2221). In many ICBC injury claims the insurance…

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