$1.1 Million Awarded to Teenager with Somatic Symptom Disorder

In this personal injury case the claimant suffered injury in two motor vehicle accidents for which she was not at fault. The claimant was a 16 year-old high school student, enrolled in Grade 11 when the first car accident occurred.  It requires the capital asset approach to assess the value of personal injury case when…

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First Injury Case of 2018 Applies Possibility Test to Past Losses

In this important and first Supreme Court personal injury case of 2018 the court accepts that a claim for past loss of earning capacity involves a consideration of hypothetical events. Therefore an ICBC injury claimant is not required to prove these hypothetical events on a balance of probabilities when claiming loss of past opportunity to earn.(De Groot…

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Left Turn Car Accident Decision Questionable with Yellow Light

In today’s case the claimant is found 50% at fault for making a left hand turn, on a late yellow, causing the car accident which is the subject of this personal injury case. The assessment of damages was bifurcated from liability so this decision only addresses fault for the car accident. (Elima v. Dhaliwal,2017 BCSC…

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$75,000 for Chronic Injuries to Neck and Shoulder

  A money award after a car accident or fall is meant to provide some solace to an innocent victim of personal injury. Some injuries are not amenable to treatment or complete recovery, such as chronic pain syndrome, and victims will have to suffer pain for the rest of their lives. In today’s ICBC case example…

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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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CPP not Considered a Policy of Insurance by Supreme Court of Canada

  Canada Pension Plan  (“CPP ”) disability benefits are not considered part of a “policy of insurance” says the Supreme Court of Canada ( click here for Sabean v. Portage La Prairie Mutual Insurance Co., 2017 SCC 7) as CPP is a mandatory government program. This is an important decision for injury claimants in Nova Scotia. However, this decision…

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$75,000 Pain and Suffering Award for Aggravation of Prior Condition

In this personal injury case the claimant was injured in two car accidents and claimed to have suffered a chronic pain syndrome.  The judge found the medical expert opinion evidence presented to be highly unsatisfactory. Therefore judge Saunders was not persuaded that there was a “but for” causative link between either of the subject accidents and…

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Define ICBC in British Columbia

ICBC stands for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. The Provincially created auto insurance company responsible for providing mandatory third party liability coverage. ICBC is the largest crown corporation measured by revenue. The ICBC Board consists of at least three directors appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Lieutenant Governor in Council must also designate a…

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$135,000 Pain and Suffering Award for Somatic Symptom Disorder with Chronic Pain

This whiplash injury claimant was injured at a deli in Langley, British Columbia and claims damages for pain and suffering; Past loss of earning capacity; Loss of future earning capacity; Cost of future care; and Special damages She was a customer standing in the store when a vehicle crashed into it. The claimant was pushed into the wall of the deli,…

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$85,000 Award for Moderate Soft Tissue Injury Pain and Suffering

The injury claimant was a passenger involved in a car  which occurred at an intersection in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver. There were no police or ambulance called to the scene. The claimant went home and saw a doctor the following day (Picton v. Fredericks,2016 BCSC 1470). This is a classic example of a psychological crumbling skull case. When trying to…

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