YOU AND THE LAW® DON'T SETTLE TOO SOON IF HURT IN A CAR CRASH you've been injured in a car crash and, in short what factors ICBC used to arrive at that figure. And order, ICBC comes through with an offer to settle,if you ask, ICBC may or may not be prepared to don't be too quick to accept. explain or give a break-down. s not only your insurer but also But it's critical that you understand what your insures the driver who caused your injuries. Soclaim is worth - what factors a court would take aturally ICBC aims to keep settlement paymentsinto account when assessing "damages" (proper compensation) and whats a fair amount for each wn. factor or element of compensation Lawyers for car crash victims report that ICBC often tries to settle personal injury claims by makingIt's best if you talk to an experienced personal settlement offers very early on. This may appeal at injury lawyer as early as possible post- accident. Your lawyer is only on one side - yours. He or she first blush you can use the money, and you may feel it lets you put the car crash behind you so you can help you with your ICBC claims reporting (which you must make soon after the crash), alert you to potential traps and pitfalls there, make you can get on with your life as before. But in order to settle your claim, you'll have to signaware of time lines and time limits for your claim, a release. You may think that it's just a standardarrange appropriate medical help and evaluations, document, and sign on the dotted line to get theand negotiate a fair settlement or fight your case in money. Maybe you wont even bother to read it - after all it's just a bunch of legalese, right? But once you sign the release, and whether you read it or not, it usually means no more money. If you later experience health problems stemming from the car crash that weren't fully apparent when you signed, court. Heres just one recent example of how tricky reporting can be the accident victim walked to an ICBC office to report his injuries, only to get video-taped on the spot and later without knowing it. Months afterwards, his initially-approved compensation claim was denied altogether, but the video-tape was withheld by ICBC, making it ou'll have an uphill battle to try and overcome the release And in real life, often the full extent of accident hard for his lawyers to try and settle his claim (not injuries cannot be known right away. You need to beknowing what was on the tape) patient, to be sure all symptoms and problems have shown up and have fully resolved (or to determineThis column provides information only and if some are chronic). And you need solid medicalS back-up on that before you settle There are other reasons for not settling too soon. It's not unusual for the initial settlement offer to be a single, all-in number that isn't broken down into I registered nademark © anice and George Mucalou must not be relied on for legal advice. Please call Stephen W. Turner at 250-868-8801 for your free, no obligation, initial consultation. Written by Janice and George Mucalov, LL.B.s wih contribution by Stephen W Turner Lawyer Janice Mucalov is an award-winning legal w "You and the Law" is a STEPHEN TURNER LAW Personal Injury Law ICBC CLAIMS, DON'T GET HURT TWICE LC t868.8801 ,awe Doheunerowea LAW Call For Free Initial Consultation 508 Doyle Ave., law@stephenturnerlaw.ca