ICBC

Every day there are close to 700 car crashes in BC. These crashes kill at least one person and result in more than 215 people being injured. Some of these injuries are life altering, while others, although less severe, require the same careful management to ensure they do not have long-term effects. 

In personal injury cases, where the medical condition of the plaintiff is in question, information from the plaintiff’s treating medical practitioners is of key importance. As a general rule, neither party in a lawsuit “owns” a witness. The lawyers for both parties are free to contact any witnesses that they anticipate will be called by the opposing side.  

Research studies indicate to­day’s drivers rarely think about how long they will be able to continue driving. ICBC has found that virtually all older drivers, even those in their late eighties and nineties, say they plan to continue driving a minimum of two more years. Most drivers assume they will always be competent to drive, and a small proportion (particularly older men) are adamant that only death will force them to stop.[1] 

ICBC supports the use of evidence-based guidelines for patient treatment and disability duration. To support physicians in caring for ICBC claimants, ICBC is offering BC physicians free access to the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) web site. It’s an online resource that provides return-to-work guidelines and treatment data that are updated annually using scientific medical literature reviews, survey data analysis, and expert panel validation. 

Motor vehicle collisions represent one of the most significant causes of injuries and fatalities in British Columbia, particularly for youth. [1] The vast majority of these crashes are not unpredictable or inevitable but are the result of risky decisions and actions by drivers. For a number of years, ICBC has been conducting research on risk-taking behaviors with the aim of reducing the frequency and severity of such crashes and to develop effective intervention strategies.