ICBC Claims – Duty to Mitigate and to Follow Medical Advice

Injured claimants have a legal duty to mitigate their injuries and losses from motor vehicle accidents. What this means is that injured claimants have an obligation and responsibility to take reasonable steps to minimize their losses such as by following medical advice.  If it is proven that an injured claimant failed to mitigate their injuries…

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ICBC Hired Gun – Dr. Marc Boyle Criticized Again by the Courts

If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, you must provide proof of the injuries you allege to have suffered through medical legal reports prepared by expert medical doctors. Both the injured claimant and ICBC have the opportunity to choose their own experts. Medical experts can either be treating doctors or independent doctors. Treating…

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ICBC Loses at Trial and Pays Double Costs for Failing to Accept Reasonable Offer

David Eby and his NDP government have been very vocal about ICBC’s financial problems. Instead of making changes to ICBC’s management who are responsible for its policies and procedures that are clearly not working, the changes made are directed at injured claimants by eroding their rights. Shouldn’t the ICBC executive who are responsible for how…

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Future Loss of Income Awarded Despite Prison and Criminal Conduct

This personal injury claimant was injured in two car accidents, the  first was a head on collision at  188 Street in Surrey,  and the second occurred at 192 Street at Number 10 Highway. The judge found that he suffered various soft tissue injuries. The defendants argued that the claimant’s original position was affected by fights that occurred when he…

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$100,000 Pain and Suffering Award for L4-5 Disc Protrusion

In this personal injury lawsuit the claimant, in his early 20s at the time of the car accident, sustained injuries to his neck, wrist, shoulder, and lumbar spine . The other driver conceded guilt for the accident so the case issues were:(1) the type of injuries; and (2) compensation amount to be awarded for the injuries.(Domijan v. Jeon,2018 BCSC 1988)…

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Awards for Future Loss of Earnings differ from Awards for Past Wage Loss

The Court of Appeal has upheld a $200,000.00 award to a 25-year old student for loss of future earning capacity despite having no settled pattern of employment, and no causal link between her injuries and her inability to keep positions in her desired field of employment. (Layes v. Stevens,2018 BCCA 415). An ICBC offer to…

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$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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$45,000 Offer of Settlement in the Age of ICBC Injury Caps

When ICBC pays for injuries, the worth or value of the claim is determined by judges following accepted values of justice and fairness. However, After April 1, 2019 there will be a government-imposed injury cap of $5,500 and the auto Insurance monopoly, ICBC, will be handed over the power to deny claims as Minor Injuries. These claimants will be…

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ICBC Pays Double for Failing to Accept Settlement Offer

For ICBC, money must really grow on trees. In this car accident injury case the claimant delivered a formal offer to settle for $398,000 less what had already been paid by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, ICBC. The defendants countered with a settlement offer of $238,000 less what had already been paid by ICBC. The Court…

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Settling with ICBC and the Cost of Expert Reports

ICBC suffered a knock out blow in this car accident case. ICBC had made formal offers to settle in the amounts of $25,000.00 and $35,000.00 for personal injuries and subsequently settled for $45,000.00 plus costs and disbursements (case expensese) agreed or assessed. The claimants case expenses totalled $32,000 at the time of settlement. Three months after…

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