Settlement of Two Personal Injury Claims means Double the Legal Costs

In this personal injury case involving two motor accidents occurring 6 months apart(Wang v. Dhaliwal,2014 BCSC 1662) the court awarded two set of legal costs totaling $13,000 in addition to the $59,000 out of court settlement. In British Columbia money you get for legal costs as a successful litigation are awarded to to help off-set the actual…

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Personal Injury ICBC Offers to Settle Beat but 75% Costs Awarded

In this personal injury car accident case ICBC applied for an award of its costs or, alternatively, to deprive the claimant of their costs.  ICBC offered to settle for $50,000.00 with the husband and $150,000.00 for the wife. After more than two weeks at trial the Judge awarded the wife $75,000.00 and the husband $189,000.00. (Liu…

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Settlement Offer to ICBC Exceeded But Double Costs Denied

This personal injury claimant offered to settle with ICBC for $60,000.00 one day before trial. The offer was only open for acceptance until that same afternoon at 4 p.m. The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, insurer for the defendant, rejected the offer and the trial judge awarded the claimant over $67,000.00 (Barnes v. Lima, 2014 BCSC 1475).…

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ICBC Offer to Settle of $450,000 Reasonable for Injury Claim

This car accident injury claimant was offered $450,000 to settle his settle her personal injury claim against ICBC and its insured(Brewster v. Li,2014 BCSC 463). When the offer was refused the case proceeded to a Supreme Court trial and after 9 days she was awarded $418,500, over $30,000 lower than the ICBC Offer. The Judge…

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Settlement Offer Beaten and Claimant Awarded Double Costs

This successful personal injury claimant was awarded double costs of all steps taken in the lawsuit following an offer to settle he made in the week before the trial (Ostrikoff v. Oliveira,2014 BCSC 842). In ICBC personal injury cases additional costs can be awarded to a party if they beat a reasonable offer made before the…

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Increasing ICBC Injury Settlements and Court Awards- New Discount Rates

The best news in 33 years for ICBC claims and personal injury cases involving claims for future loss of earnings and costs of future care! The decrease in the discount rate for future loss announced April 30, 2014 means claimants can expect more money for awards and settlements for future losses. This better reflects the decrease in…

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ICBC Offer to Settle Personal Injury Claim Attracts Costs

ICBC’s offer to settle this personal injury case for $125,000.00 was just above the $121,600 awarded by the court. As a result the judge denied the claimant his costs after the date of the ICBC offer for the first accident and, having found the second car accident caused no injury, awarded costs to the other successful…

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What is My ICBC Claim Worth – Assessing the Value of a Claim for Settlement

Quick Answer: “A Case Settles for what it is Worth” As a young lawyer I was told by my mentor Thomas O. Griffiths a case settles for what is it worth and was quickly put to work researching caselaw. I had a hard time understanding what he meant because you never know how much the…

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Personal Injury Settlement Includes Medical Booking Fee

This personal injury case settled for $75,000 plus costs and disbursements recognizing the claimant’s loss of quality of life. The remaining dispute however was over the  Claimants costs for hiring a booking agent to find a medical expert (Ross v. Logan, 2014 BCSC 548) . Taking a personal injury case to trial in British Columbia often…

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Smoking Pot for Pain After Car Accident Required Treatment?

Pain and suffering after a car accident is often claimed by personal injury lawyers for clients but can the award be reduced if the claimant fails to take medical marijuana? The Supreme Court of BC said the injury claimant’s personal injury award should not be reduced for failing to take medical cannabis (Glesby v. MacMillian,2014 BCSC 334).…

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