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…
It is my experience as a lawyer representing car accident victims that ICBC and other insurance companies regularly deny all the facts alleged by an injury claimant in a lawsuit with little or no explanation. This type of response to a civil claim appears to no longer suffice as adequate pleadings in British Columbia. In fact…
ICBC gets a failing grade in my books when it comes to road safety expertise and providing accurate data about road safety. Their most recent attempt at obtaining a 5.2% rate increase is filled with misleading propaganda trying to convince drivers that there is suddenly a distracted driving catastrophe about to occur in our Province.…
Anonymity is a feature of much Internet activity and is the foundation of a privacy interest that engages constitutional protection against things like unreasonable search (R. v. Spencer, 2014 SCC 43 ). However, claims for pain and suffering following a car accident require ICBC and other injury claimants to disclose the details of their loss, therefore, some…
A family doctor or specialist involved an in ICBC or other personal injury claim is often much less prepared for court than many personal injury clients expect. There are many factors to consider when finding a physician including experience, location, local resources, and the like. However, an understanding of their duty to the Court will…
The Court of Appeal of BC has upheld the awarding of over $400,000.00 for breach of a settlement agreement(2014 BCCA 66) despite the argument that the dispute should not have been dealt with by way of summary trial due to conflicts within the evidence. A summary trial is one that is conducted, for the most part, by…
As a lawyer in British Columbia since 1995 I have helped in the settlement of the some the most difficult cases you can imagine with ICBC, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Here we provide information and instructions that will help steer an ICBC insurance claim in the right direction. Best Time to Sette with…
The British Columbia Court of Appeal provided a rare existential perspective commenting on the value of human life this week in the right to die case of Carter v. Canada (Attorney General)2013 BCCA 435. For personal injury lawyers this reaffirms the dignity and respect for life that is the backbone of injury claim compensation. As the…
For the injured driver, pedestrian, cyclist or passenger looking to hire a lawyer, remember case deadlines in the ICBC claim process are not suspended during the period that you do not have a lawyer. Dealing with an insurance company like ICBC is part of my job as a personal injury lawyer so let’s just say…
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…