ICBC Settlements and Injury Claims – Abbotsford

ICBC Settlement Lawyers – Abbotsford (ICBC Injury Claim Lawyers)

For the past 13 years, we have settled hundreds of ICBC claims in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.   We have many years of experience dealing with ICBC adjusters in Abbotsford and Chilliwack. This knowledge gives us an extra advantage to make sure you get the settlement you deserve for a car accident claim.  


Abbotsford ICBC claim lawyers (car accident injury lawyers)
Contact us today for a free consultation
604-621-4431
Clearbrook Plaza, Suite 260 – 2655 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford
13+ years experience in ICBC claims law – Abbotsford, Surrey & Vancouver
ICBC Injury Claims – Car Accident Injury Law… it’s all that we do.

contact us - bungay law office

Professional ICBC Claim Legal Representation – No Fees unless you Win

chris-bungay-vancouver-personal-injury-lawyer-CAN-ICBC-FORCE-YOU-TO-SEE-A-DOCTOR?


Get legal advice before you settle

It is very important that you get legal advice before you settle your ICBC claim. ICBC is an insurance company, and they are not interested in paying you a lot of money. In fact, ICBC is motivated by paying you as little as they can. The adjuster you speak with may be nice and friendly, but you must remember that the adjuster is only allowed to pay you a minimal amount. This is because ICBC is a business, and like any business, saving money is important to ICBC. Do not let ICBC save money by paying you less than you deserve.

The value of your case is determined by the law. Remember, ICBC adjusters are not legal experts. Only an experienced ICBC injury claims lawyer can give you a true legal opinion about the correct amount for your settlement. Our experienced Abbotsford ICBC injury claims lawyers can give you true advice on the correct value of your ICBC settlement. 

How much money should you get in an ICBC settlement?icbc claims lawyers abbotsford bc

We are often asked the question “How much should I get for my ICBC settlement?” This is a question best answered by an experienced ICBC claims lawyer. There are many legal factors that go into determining how much your injury claim is worth. First, we do a legal analysis of your injuries. We compare your injuries with the hundreds of other settlements we have obtained for people like you. Our lawyers will also look at other legal cases decided by judges, in cases where injured people like you have gone to Court. By looking at these factors, we are able to give you an accurate assessment of your ICBC injury claim.

How long should you wait before you settle your ICBC injury case?

Another common question we get asked is “How long should I wait before I settle my ICBC case?” In our experience, you should wait until you are feeling better before you settle. The money you get is often determined by the age of your case. The longer you have an injury claim, generally, the more you will get paid. This is why it is very important to wait a sufficient amount of time before you try and get a settlement. 

Settling your ICBC case too early can be dangerous

There are dangers to settling your ICBC claim too soon. If you settle your injury claim right away, you may not be paid fairly. Taking your time, using a lawyer to help, and being patient can get you a much higher settlement.

It is also important to remember that, after your injury claim settles, ICBC is not obligated to pay you any more money. This means that if you are still injured, and you get a settlement, you will no longer be able to get your treatments covered. If you get a settlement too early, and your injuries affect your ability to work, you may lose out on money for the rest of your life. For all of these reasons, it is very important not to rush your ICBC settlement. 

ICBC has offered me money to settle: Will they offer me less if I say no?

ICBC may offer you money shortly after your car accident. Many people accept ICBC’s offer because they are afraid ICBC will offer them less if they wait. ICBC can encourage this kind of thinking by putting time limits on offers to settle. They might email you and say something like “I have an offer for you, but it expires on Friday”.  It is very important to know that ICBC rarely offers less money if you reject their first or even second offer. In our experience, ICBC usually offers you more later if you wait for the right timing, and if you get help from one of our experienced Abbotsford ICBC claim lawyers. 

Does my injury claim or settlement affect the other driver?

Many people are worried that their settlement or injury claim will negatively affect the other driver. It is true that ICBC pays your injury claim from the insurance of the driver who caused your injuries. However, this does not mean that they are personally affected. As long as the other driver had valid insurance, there is very little chance they will personally be affected. Usually, that person is not personally responsible for paying you from their pocket if they have valid insurance.  As for the other driver’s insurance premiums, these are usually affected regardless of whether or not you have an injury claim. The damage to the vehicles is being paid anyway from the other driver’s policy, so your injury claim would have no further negative advantage to the other driver’s premiums. They are going to be affected if they are responsible for the accident, regardless of whether you have an injury claim or settlement. 

If the other driver has a good driving record, your injury claim will likely have no effect on the cost of their insurance or their premiums. Regardless of this, even if you are a kind person, you must be your own best friend if you have an injury claim. You deserve to protect yourself and your family from injury and make sure you have enough money to get treatment and recover. Remember, other drivers have insurance for a reason: to protect themselves and people like you who are hurt in a car accident. 

Getting the right treatment for your Injury Claim

It is very important to get the right treatment for your injury claim. First, getting the right treatment increases your chances of recovering from your injury. We can make sure that ICBC pays the money needed to cover your treatment costs now before you settle. Without an experienced ICBC claims lawyer, ICBC may refuse to pay for treatment, or they may only pay for part of the treatment. Usually, without a lawyer, ICBC only pays a portion of the treatment cost upfront and charges you something called a “user fee”. This fee can be as high as thirty or forty dollars per treatment. ICBC often uses these ongoing fees as a pressure tactic to try and force you to accept an early settlement, before you are fully recovered.  Our law firm can make sure that all of the treatment costs for your injury claim are covered upfront before you have to worry about settling. 

If you do not get the right treatment, your ICBC settlement will have a lower value. For example, if your doctor recommends physiotherapy, and you cannot pay for it upfront, ICBC (or a judge) may say you did not properly “mitigate” your damages. This is a legal principle which states that you must do everything possible to try and recover, and if you do not, ICBC can pay you a lesser amount for your settlement. A good way to avoid this is by having one of our experienced Abbotsford ICBC claim lawyers make sure that all of your treatment costs are covered upfront, so this money does not come out of your pocket. In this way, you will not feel pressured to settle your claim early, and you can relax and focus on getting better.   


Abbotsford ICBC claim lawyers (car accident injury lawyers)
Contact us today for a free consultation
604-621-4431
Clearbrook Plaza, Suite 260 – 2655 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford
13+ years experience in ICBC claims law – Abbotsford, Surrey & Vancouver
ICBC Injury Claims – Car Accident Injury Law… it’s all that we do.

contact us - bungay law office

Professional ICBC Claim Legal Representation – No Fees unless you Win

abbotsford icbc claims lawyer - scales of justice


 


Author: