Vancouver Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

In the city of Vancouver, pedestrians are the road-users who are most likely to be involved in a collision. According to statistics provided by the municipal government, half of all traffic accidents resulting in deaths or serious injuries involve pedestrians.

50% of the city’s pedestrian accidents causing fatalities or severe injuries occur after dark. Almost half of all wrongfully deceased victims are senior citizens.

In accordance with the province’s Motor Vehicle Act, drivers in British Columbia owe a duty of care to all road-users, including pedestrians. As such, anyone who operates a motor vehicle in Vancouver is required by law to do so with a reasonable degree of caution. If a driver fails to uphold this duty of care by violating the rules of the road, they might be considered negligent.

Driver negligence can cause families to lose loved ones. Because of a stranger’s failure to operate their vehicle responsibly, innocent members of the local community who manage to survive near-fatal collisions can sustain various types of injuries, ranging in severity from moderate to catastrophic.

Catastrophically injured pedestrian accident survivors may be able to recover a lump sum permanent impairment benefit from ICBC (the province’s sole provider of basic auto insurance). However, depending on the impact their injuries have had on their ability to continue working and their overall quality of life, the settlement amount offered by ICBC may not sufficiently cover an injured pedestrian’s total losses.

Unfortunately, ICBC has recently made it more difficult than ever for injured pedestrian accident victims to receive the coverage, care, and compensation they deserve. Since implementing their new “enhanced care” model of insurance coverage, ICBC only provides no-fault accident benefits. When the Crown corporation instituted this change, they took away accident victims’ rights to sue the negligent drivers whose wrongful conduct resulted in their injuries. Additionally, under ICBC’s “enhanced care” model, pedestrians who have been injured in car accidents after May 1, 2021 have fewer options than ever to appeal unfairly denied ICBC claims. If the provincially-owned insurer offers an unfairly low settlement amount or decides to withhold benefits from an injured accident victim, there are now limited options to contest that determination.

Already, injured pedestrian accident victims throughout the province have felt the negative consequences of ICBC’s decision to implement this new, no-fault insurance system. Implemented in an attempt to slightly reduce drivers’ monthly insurance premiums, this unfair new system disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable road-users. Injured survivors of car crashes are now forced to deal exclusively with ICBC to recover essential support payments, and are now subject to the insurer’s service delivery timelines.

Many injured accident victims feel as though they have been abandoned by ICBC’s “enhanced care” system. If you are concerned about what this new insurance model means for your physical recovery and your family’s financial recovery in the wake of your injury-causing pedestrian accident, contact your MLA.

If your collision occurred before this new system was implemented, our Vancouver pedestrian accident lawyers may be able to help you by suing the at-fault driver whose negligence was responsible for your injury-causing crash. If you were injured in a Vancouver pedestrian accident that happened before May 1, 2021, you may be entitled to pursue additional compensation by filing a civil claim. To learn more about options for financial recovery that might be available to you, contact us today.

Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers By Calling 1-800-JUSTICE

Regardless of when your collision occurred, you might benefit from taking advantage of a free initial consultation with our pedestrian accident lawyers serving Vancouver. By calling 1-800-JUSTICE today, you could receive personalized, case-specific legal advice from our Vancouver pedestrian accident lawyers, and learn about any compensatory options available to you.

To learn how our pedestrian accident lawyers serving Vancouver may be able to help you get your life back on track after surviving a traumatic encounter with a negligent driver, call 1-800-JUSTICE and schedule your free initial consultation with Preszler Injury Lawyers.