Reporting Your Claim

• You do not need to speak to ICBC immediately—find a lawyer to represent you and protect your rights before you call ICBC.
• You may choose to have a personal injury lawyer deal entirely with ICBC on your behalf.
• If you are a pedestrian or cyclist hit by a motorist, report it to the police ASAP.
• If you were involved in a hit and run, report it to the police within 48 hours.
• If you were injured, you must apply for ICBC accident benefits within 90 days.

Medical Treatment

• See a doctor ASAP and alert him/her to all of your injury symptoms.
• Tell your doctor about every injury—sometimes the smallest injury turns out to be the most persistent.
• Make sure your doctor records all your injury complaints.
• Return to your doctor for follow-up visits on a regular basis.
• Be sure your doctor knows how your injuries affect your employment.

Key point: The more documentation we can obtain from your treatment professional, the better your settlement is likely to be.

Legal Process

• If your claim is not settled within 2 years, we sue the responsible party to keep your claim open.
• We file a lawsuit, or a notice of claim, in Supreme Court.
• You do not necessarily have to go to court—the majority of claims are settled fairly outside of court.
• You may be asked questions by ICBC (an Examination for Discovery) but we will prepare you for the discovery and attend with you.

Settling Your Claim

• Your claim should only be settled when your medical condition has resolved or if it appears your condition will not fully resolve.
• We provide ICBC with all the claim-related medical information as well as details of your financial losses.
• We are able to settle most claims directly with the adjuster or ICBC’s lawyer.
• If we cannot reach an agreement, we schedule a mediation in order to meet with ICBC and an independent mediator and negotiate a settlement.
• If we cannot resolve your claim at mediation, we proceed to trial.