In British Columbia reporting a motor vehicle accident is different than anywhere else in Canada. The Insurance Corporation of BC, ICBC, is the only insurance company in the Province that is permitted, upon notice, to provide accident benefits to people injured in motor vehicle accidents. As a personal injury lawyer in Vancouver since 1995 my…
Being a personal injury lawyer in Vancouver since 1995 gives me the benefit of some experiential knowledge when it comes to what ICBC says publicly about bodily injury claims and how they behave in private litigation. The recent attempt of ICBC to obtain an insurance rate increase is the latest example of a government corporation…
Good news for personal injury claimants in Victoria, Vancouver and the rest of the Province. If a personal injury case in British Columbia is filed under Fast Track , the Civil Rules limit the under oath examination of the claimant to two hours. The following case of (Henneberry v. Humber, 2014 BCSC 1133 ) stands for the…
After settlement of a personal injury case with ICBC the last thing an injury claimant expects is another fight over the costs of the case. Well, currently the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC, seems to be welcoming settlement with an iron fist by fighting costs after settlement. In the personal injury case of Gray v. Kohnert,2014…
Personal injury lawyers in British Columbia are often faced with having to attend one or more Case Planning Conferences (“CPC”) at the request of ICBC or other defendants in the normal course of litigation. These closed court CPC’s have a status of their own and, as recently revealed, are under veil of secrecy. The court…
No adverse inference was drawn by the judge after the claimant failed to have his family doctor testify at the personal injury trial. (Fabretti v. Gill,2014 BCSC 899). This ICBC injury case involved a car accident that occurred on the Pattullo Bridge in New Westminster. The claimant was only 12 years old at the time. He…
The law creating the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC, essentially prohibits an owner, driver or passenger from entering into a contract to exclude liability while in use and operation of a motor vehicle. The majority of our Court of Appeal have determined that such a waiver or release is contrary to the nature of…
This personal injury case involved in a motor vehicle collision that occurred on Highway 97 North near Summit Lake, BC. when the claimant hit into a parked vehicle that had lost control earlier(Hart v. Jacobsen, 2014 BCSC 704 ). Despite the ice and snow the claimant told the ICBC adjuster he was driving at 80 to…
As a Vancouver car accident lawyer assisting people with ICBC claims since 1995 I have three important tips for ICBC claimants and for those seeking legal advice after a car accident: 1. ICBC Claims Lawyer- Specialization Help with free ICBC advice is as easy as making a phone call. Most lawyers with experience in ICBC…
It is not uncommon for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC, to initially accept fault for an accident and then later change their mind. ICBC personal injury lawyers assisting victims will welcome this case (Pavan v. Guolo,2014 BCSC 648) as it makes it clear that ICBC must produce all documents gathered in the investigation…