
13 Oct A vote for the BC NDP is a vote to empower ICBC to be the “judge, jury and executioner”
As you may know, a British Columbia provincial election has been called for October 24, 2020.
The BC NDP has been advancing a new policy plan for ICBC called “No-Fault” insurance. If re-elected, they are planning to implement this unfair ICBC insurance model on accidents claims after June 1, 2021. There is no question the legislation gives ICBC almost unlimited powers to deny claims and pay next to nothing to the vast majority of injured victims. Therefore, the legislation will definitely harm injured British Columbians and their families.
The problem with the BC NDP No Fault legislation is it takes away justice and fairness in B.C.. No Fault means that if you are injured in a car collision caused by a reckless driver, that driver is entitled to the same schedule of benefits as you. Yes, the at-fault driver, who was not paying attention or for that matter, was on his/her cell phone or impaired, gets the same compensation as the person who’s life is ruined.
In a No Fault system, seriously injured individuals will have a lifelong relationship with ICBC. Rather than having their case resolved with a fair settlement that allows the individual to decide what care they need and when, a No Fault system requires the individual (or their family) to go back to ICBC week-after-week, month-after-month, year-after-year, providing evidence in hopes that ICBC will agree to fund their next treatment or wage loss benefit.
The No Fault schemes result in less damages being paid to those injured on our roads. Lost wages are capped at low levels well below true wage loss and no damages are paid for pain and suffering. Out of pocket expenses are only partially covered and there is no allowance for loss of capacity to earn future income or loss of housekeeping services. Basically, ICBC has to pay out a fraction of the true losses of an injured victim so the injured victim is the one that is penalized in the NDP’s No Fault system.
Injury victims in a No Fault system are often without the means or knowledge to obtain the medical evidence necessary to prove their claims leaving them largely at the mercy of ICBC. Even then, if ICBC denies the claim or a request for treatment, the opportunity to dispute the high handed denial of an adjuster is very limited. Hiring a lawyer to help you is not economically viable so you will have to face the experienced ICBC adjuster and his/her lawyer by yourself. That means ICBC has basically unfettered discretion to do whatever they want without any real checks and balances.
The BC NDP would have you believe they are there for the little guy but in this case, clearly they are willing to give ICBC unfettered powers to deny and limit payouts with injured victim being kicked to the curb. If you don’t like ICBC now, wait until they have this power without any real checks and balances.
A vote for the BC NDP on October 24 is a vote to empower ICBC to be the “judge, jury and executioner”.
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