$70,000 Award for Soft Tissue Injury Causing Major Disruption

The personal injury claimant was alone in her vehicle in Maple Ridge when the car following behind failed to stop in time and collided with the rear of the claimant’s vehicle. At the time, the claimant was 56 years old and employed as a bartender-server at a bowling alley.The claimant said that the effects of her injuries forced her to…

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$70,000 for Pain and Suffering with Persistent Low Back Ache

After a car accident non-pecuniary damages are awarded to compensate the claimant for pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of amenities.  The compensation awarded must be fair to the at fault party. Fairness is measured against court awards made in comparable cases. However other personal injury cases, though helpful, serve only as a rough guide. In…

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$135,000 Pain and Suffering Award for Somatic Symptom Disorder with Chronic Pain

This whiplash injury claimant was injured at a deli in Langley, British Columbia and claims damages for pain and suffering; Past loss of earning capacity; Loss of future earning capacity; Cost of future care; and Special damages She was a customer standing in the store when a vehicle crashed into it. The claimant was pushed into the wall of the deli,…

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Egg Shell Personality Psychiatric Injury Claims

When it comes to psychological injury and psychiatric injury claims after a car accident a vulnerability to injury is not required if the emotional injury is proven as being caused by the collision. However, alternative but equally acceptable is the “egg shell personality” approach for individuals that may have suffered from prior psychological conditions in remission. One…

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How Much is Your Chronic Pain Case Worth- ICBC Feeling the Pinch

ICBC is the auto monopoly defending most personal injury claims in British Columbia. In the last 6 years ICBC has refused to settle legitimate personal injury claims making very low offers, slogging through and clogging the courts.  ICBC is causing intense aggravation of pain and suffering to victims of personal injury.Some may be convinced the recent crisis within…

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$85,000 Award for Moderate Soft Tissue Injury Pain and Suffering

The injury claimant was a passenger involved in a car  which occurred at an intersection in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver. There were no police or ambulance called to the scene. The claimant went home and saw a doctor the following day (Picton v. Fredericks,2016 BCSC 1470). This is a classic example of a psychological crumbling skull case. When trying to…

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Injury Claimant Blamed for not Taking Anti-depressant Medication

Can ICBC reduce an injury award because you did not attend recommended therapy or treatment for depression or anxiety? We explore the answer in the following injury case review. The claimant was injured in a rear end motor vehicle accident on the Seymour Parkway driving towards Deep Cove in British Columbia. She suffered ongoing chronic pain in her neck, shoulder…

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$6,000 Limit for Whiplash Soft Tissue Injury Compensation?

No, There is no such limit on the compensation available to ICBC whiplash claimants or others suffering from neck injury and soft tissue injury in British Columbia. Howver, Accidents after April 1, 2019 may be subject to the 2019 ICBC Minor Injury Cap. ICBC is now allowed to call serious injuries minor to limit compensation.…

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Early Retirement Loss Awarded to 38 Year old with no Lost Income

This case affirms, despite what ICBC says to claimants without lawyers, an award for loss of future earning capacity is available in soft tissue injury cases in which claimants have suffered little or no loss of income: Hu v. Tan,2016 BCSC 908. The Supreme Court was convinced this personal injury claimant would not have considered retiring early had it not…

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Elderly Injury Claimant Awarded $50,000 for Pain and Suffering

Age is a factor for compensation for older and retired adults after a motor vehicle injury and is considered in today’s personal injury case: Bardua v. Han, 2016 BCSC 861.  As it relates to compensation for pain and suffering for retired individuals  Judge Griffin  famously stated: [88] The retirement years are special years for they are at a time…

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