The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC, has 30 days to pay weekly injury benefits so the sooner you make your ICBC personal injury claim after the car accident the better. An injury claimant is required to “promptly give ICBC notice of the accident” within 30 DAYS with a written report and 90 DAYS with an accident claim form.
If you are delayed in reporting to ICBC and ICBC suffers no prejudice, then you should still be entitled to your accident benefits. ICBC cannot refuse to pay benefits if it has received all necessary information to assess your injury claim. In my own experience as a personal injury lawyer in Vancouver since 1995, injury claims seem to go a little smoother if the claim is promptly made by a personal injury lawyer.
An ICBC injury claimant should expect ICBC to pay benefits within 4 weeks after ICBC receives proof of the claim.
If ICBC refuses to pay, a lawsuit for a declaration that the claimant is entitled to benefits can be brought by way of Notice of Civil Claim. Take a look at the other resources at my site about making a claim with ICBC and check out my short video about ICBC claim deadlines.
Posted by Personal Injury Lawyer Mr. Renn A. Holness, B.A., LL.B.
