$730,000 Rear End Injury Settlement Awarded Costs Above BCMA Guidelines

The claimant was rear ended when stopped in traffic which caused her vehicle to strike the rear of another vehicle in front of her. This personal injury case settled on the Friday prior to the commencement of trial the following Monday. The settlement was for payment of $736,807.00 new money, plus assessable costs and disbursements for…

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ICBC Settlement Averages for Rear Ender Accidents

The Rear Ender: Mechanics of  Whiplash Associated Disorder The neck acts as a stationary marker during an average rear end impact collision. When hit from behind by a car the spine and torso load the seat and the torso begins to accelerate. Significantly high shear forces develop in the neck and brain, the spinal curves straighten and the…

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Rear-end Collision Draws Inference of Negligence against Rear ending Driver

Is it common sense and the law in BC that a driver rear ending another quickly stopping vehicle is at fault for following too closely, unless there is evidence to the contrary.  The following personal injury case tried unsuccessfully to prove otherwise ( click here to review full case of Wright v. Mistry,2017 BCSC 239).…

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Pain and Suffering Award of $95,000 for Moderate Pain Disorder

This ICBC claimant was injured in a rear ender when driving on Boundary Road in Vancouver. When traffic came to a stop the claimant was rearended by a pick-up truck pushing her car about two car lengths into a van that had previously stopped in front of her. Immediately she experienced pain in her right leg, left…

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$120,000 2x for Pain, Suffering and Future Income Loss

Two motor vehicle accidents are treated as one ICBC injury claim in today’s personal injury case review. In the first car accident the claimant was rear ended by a vehicle travelling at approximately 60 km/h at King George Highway and Highway #10 located in Surrey, British Columbia. The claimant’s vehicle was damaged and written off…

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Apology at Car Accident Scene Not an Admission of Liability

This first personal injury case of 2017 is a classic example how various witnesses to a car accident will remember the circumstances differently.  This is also an unusual ICBC rear end crash in which the person hitting the other from behind is found 75% at fault. As Supreme Court Judge Griffin pointed out: Even honest witnesses will…

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$100,000 Pain and Suffering Award for Neck Pain and Headaches

The purpose of an award for pain and suffering, called “non-pecuniary damages”, is to provide money compensation that ameliorates the condition of an injured claimant. In making such an award, the following factors are relevant: age of the claimant;  nature of the injury;severity and duration of pain; disability; emotional suffering; loss or impairment of life;  impairment of family, marital and social…

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$250,000 Loss of Earning Capacity Award in Rear End Accident Upheld

The Court Appeal has made it clear in this personal injury case that an award for loss of future earning capacity reflects the exercise of judgment framed by clearly articulated factual findings. To require the trial judge to say more than he did in this case would be to impose an impossible burden on trial judges (Fadai…

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Legal Analysis for Multiple Car Accident Whiplash Claims

This ICBC personal injury claim arose out of two rear-end motor vehicle accidents.  The claimant  was involved in a third accident in which he was at fault. The question arose as to what impact, if any, the claimant’s responsibility for the third accident should have on the defendants’ liability for the consequences of his injuries (Derksen v. Nicholson,Insurance…

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rear-end whiplash injuries

What to do when Rear-Ended: An ICBC Claim Checklist

With 25 years experience as a lawyer working for rear-ended injury Claimants, I have a few suggestions about ICBC injury claims and dealing with ICBC. “I just got rear-ended today should I call ICBC?”- if this sounds like you or someone you know, read on. Rear end collisions are common but different than most other…

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