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CHANGES COMING FOR CAR ACCIDENT VICTIMS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Michael Golden Law Corporation May 10, 2018

It looks like British Columbia may be catching up to the rest of the country when it comes to leaving the full tort system behind. The legislation, introduced in late April and set to take effect next year, makes it so that settlements for minor injury claims will have a $5,500 cap. It will also aim to have claims for small injuries resolved within a 90 day window, outside of the B.C. Supreme Court.

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) is the key player in BC’s car insurance game. By law, all vehicles must be covered by ICBC’s Autoplan. According to an article in the Globe and Mail, ICBC spend nearly one-quarter of its budget handling legal expenses and fees and is expected to post a $1.3-billion deficit for the most recent fiscal year. British Columbia’s Attorney-General explains that the change is necessary as ICBC pushes to make insurance affordable for the province’s residents.

Who Will Be Affected By the Change?

If you have been in a car accident and are suffering from minor injuries as a result, you may be affected by the change to ICBC’s cap. The government claims that under the legislation, there will be a list of minor injuries that cover a broad range including:

  • Abrasions

  • Contusions

  • Pain syndrome

  • Some psychological conditions

  • Some psychiatric conditions

  • Sprains

  • Strains

Navigating an injury related to a car accident is hard enough without having to worry about handling insurance companies and concerns about settlements. Speak to a skilled personal injury lawyer.