Tag Archives: car crash

The government of British Columbia is cracking down on highway drivers…. driving too slowly.

New legislation will increase the power police have to pull over drivers who are obstructing the left or “passing lane” of a highway: As it stands now, there is already a $109 fine for driving in the left lane slow enough to obstruct traffic. Apparently, the problem with this old law was that it was […]

How will dash cams change the personal injury landscape?

The obvious answer is that in liability disputes dash cams will provide very strong evidence towards who is at fault for a motor vehicle accident. This can be extremely valuable to a plaintiff who is injured by a defendant that is not telling the truth. It can also be valuable to a defendant who is […]

What are the consequences of lying to ICBC?

Lying to ICBC either before or after a car accident can be disastrous. It gives ICBC reason to void your insurance. The law allows them to do so if an insured commits fraud or makes a “willfully false statement with respect to a claim”. If you get into an accident and your insurance has been […]

What are the consequences of losing a personal injury case?

  When choosing to go ahead with a personal injury case you should always consider the consequences of losing. In this recent Supreme Court of British Columbia case, the plaintiff was found to be 100% at fault for the accident (which involved a bicycle striking a truck). The Plaintiff was assessed court costs against him: […]

What is the duty to mitigate and how can it affect your personal injury claim?

The duty to mitigate was dealt with in a recent Supreme Court of British Columbia case: http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/SC/14/22/2014BCSC2224.htm This case dealt with a 57 year old construction worker who sustained various soft tissue and psychological injuries in a motor vehicle accident. His total award was reduced by 15% (on the major heads of damage). This may […]

Can I sue even if I’m only involved in a “fender bender”?

The simple answer is yes. The courts have ruled conclusively on this issue: http://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcsc/doc/1993/1993canlii1318/1993canlii1318.html ”     I do not subscribe to the view that if there is no motor vehicle damage then there is no injury.  This is a philosophy that the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia may follow, but it has no application in […]

What happens if I am injured in a hit and run?

A “hit and run” involves one or more drivers leaving the scene of an accident without providing their name and address. It is a crime in Canada to commit a hit and run. The punishment for this crime can be up to life in prison, depending on the circumstances and injuries to the parties involved. […]