
It hardly seems fair.
You’re forced to purchase ICBC auto insurance. The law demands it.
Yet when you get into a car accident they don’t want to be there for you. They want to find every excuse they can find not to pay you, even though you weren’t the negligent party in your accident.
Meanwhile, you’ve got bills, and lots of them. Medical bills Medicare won’t cover. Dental bills. Money that isn’t coming in because you had to miss work in order to recover.
You need help. Help from experienced ICBC lawyers who can get you the money you deserve. In fact, it’s wise to secure that help before you even leave the hospital.
Strengthen Your Claim
You can strengthen your ICBC claim while you’re still at the accident site, as well as after the accident.
- Get the names and contact information of everyone who is on the scene of the accident, especially the other driver’s.
- Avoid statements like “I’m sorry,” “I never saw him coming,” or “this was my fault.” Rest assured these statements will all be used against you later.
- Get medical attention. BC requires accident victims to “mitigate” their damages. If you fail to get medical attention you could be accused of failing to litigate and can lose all or most of your claim.
- Avoid saying things like, “I’m fine.” These sorts of statements can be used to downplay the severity of your injuries later.
- Take pictures if you can.
- Follow all of the doctor’s instructions. Again, this is a matter of mitigating your losses.
- Call an ICBC lawyer before speaking to anyone from ICBC. Do not sign anything they give you. Let your lawyer handle it.
- Keep all medical records, documents, bills, instructions, prescriptions, and other documentation from necessary services. Work closely with your lawyer to get the evidence they’ll need to successfully work your case.
It’s okay to call us if you’re still within the basic limitation period, even if you feel you’ve made some mistakes after reading the list above. We may still be able to take, work, and even win your case.
We fight for you.
What happens next? A battle in which ICBC’s own lawyers will try to prove you were at fault for the accident. BC is a comparative negligence province. It assigns each driver a percentage of fault.
If you are more than 51% at fault then ICBC has to pay you a lot less. You need a lawyer who will thoroughly investigate your case and who will help convince a judge and a jury that you deserve compensation.
Contact Merchant Law Today
The personal injury lawyers at Merchant Law are known as some of British Columbia’s toughest litigators. When you call us, ICBC knows you mean business.
Working with us is risk-free. We work on contingency, which means we don’t get paid until you either get a fair settlement or a verdict in your favor. Typically our clients walk away with up to ten times as much money as they’d have gotten on their own, even after our fees are accounted for.
Get started today by calling (250) 487-7777, or by visiting our Kelowna office at 201-347 Leon Avenue.