Five Benefits of Hiring an ICBC Lawyer

When is it a good idea for you to hire an ICBC lawyer to assist you with your ICBC claim? Maybe you were involved in a complex accident where ICBC alleges that you were at fault. Or perhaps you are suffering from serious, longstanding injuries and you are unsure if ICBC is compensating you fairly. Or you may have just been involved in a relatively minor accident in which you recovered from your injuries within one to two months after the accident.

In all these cases, hiring an ICBC lawyer can add significant value to your claim. Here’s how:

1. Proving You Aren’t at Fault

In some cases, it can be easy to determine which driver is at fault in an accident. If you are stopped at a red light and another vehicle rear-ends you, ICBC will likely take the position that the other driver is at fault.

In other situations, however, determining fault (also known as liability) for an accident can be more complex. You may be making a left turn at a busy intersection, or you may be passing a vehicle that turns into you. In these situations, ICBC may take the position that you are either entirely or partially at fault for the accident.

An experienced ICBC lawyer will take various steps to ensure that fault is properly assessed, such as hiring an investigator, interviewing witnesses, examining the veracity of the other driver’s statements, reviewing legislation, assessing case law, and negotiating with ICBC on your behalf.

Taking these steps properly can make the difference between a successful claim and a failed one, and an ICBC claim lawyer can handle them all for you.

2. Getting Fair Value for Your Claim

Determining the value of your claim requires expert knowledge. Several heads of damages may come into play in assessing the value of your claim, including damages for pain and suffering, out-of-pocket expenses like parking and mileage to and from treatment, past wage loss, loss of future earning capacity or lost opportunities to earn income, loss of housekeeping capacity, and costs of future medical care.

Awards made under these heads of damages will vary depending on the severity and duration of your injuries, but factors like your age, profession, income, and your health before the accident are all likely to impact the value of your claim.

Hiring a skilled ICBC lawyer will help ensure that you realize the full value of your claim, especially if you have an injury that will last long-term. Your concern should not only be how well you are doing six months after the accident, but ten years or more after the accident. Unfortunately, some injuries are permanent, including injuries like whiplash that can at first appear less serious.

An experienced lawyer will recognize when such damages may be involved in your case and bring in medical experts to establish the full extent of your injuries.

3. Ensuring Your Limitation Period Does Not Elapse

The period of time during which you are eligible to file a claim is known as a limitation period. Failing to file your claim within the limitation period can prevent you from recovering anything for your claim, regardless of who was at fault or how badly you were injured.

Generally, you have two years from the date of your accident to file your claim in court, whether by notice of civil claim in the Supreme Court of British Columbia or by notice of claim in Small Claims Court. But how long you have to file your claim may vary depending on the circumstances.

For example, in cases that involve a municipality, you may also need to give proper notice within two months of the accident, or else your case could be barred.

A personal injury lawyer will help you determine what limitation period applies to your case. Then, he or she will ensure that your claim is filed on time.

4. Building a Strong Case

A lawyer’s job is to properly assess and demonstrate the full extent of your losses so you can be fairly compensated. If you do not have enough evidence, then the court will not award you damages you would otherwise be entitled to.

ICBC will take steps to minimize the value of your case with a team of trained insurance adjusters and even lawyers. They will argue in favour of assessing fault against you or downplaying the severity of your injuries.

An experienced ICBC lawyer will acquire the necessary evidence on your behalf to ensure you build a strong, fair case against ICBC. Lawyers can hire medical specialists and other experts to provide opinions on the nature of your injuries, how they will impact your life and what treatment you will need in the future.

5. Assisting You with Treatment and Benefits

Navigating ICBC’s system of funding for treatment and disability benefits can be complex. Although ICBC offers to partially fund treatments related to rehabilitation for your accident-related injuries, paying for treatment can still be financially burdensome.

ICBC claim lawyers experienced in dealing with ICBC’s Part 7 benefits related to treatment and disability can direct you to various resources to fund treatment and assist you with securing benefits.

Contact an ICBC Lawyer Today

Regardless of the severity of the injuries you sustain in a motor vehicle accident in British Columbia, the ICBC claim lawyers at Preszler Injury Lawyers can provide you with valuable advice and help you with your claim to ensure you get fair compensation and the treatment you need. Our lawyers will speak to you for free and work to put you on the right track with your ICBC claim.