I’ve Been Injured in a Car Accident – What Compensation Am I Entitled To?

If you have been injured in a collision through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to financial compensation.  It is helpful for you to know what that type of compensation might include, as your ICBC adjuster’s motivation is to close your file quickly and for as little as possible, not to educate you.

The common categories of financial compensation for injuries include:

Pain and Suffering

This refers to compensation for the loss of enjoyment of life caused by the accident.  If you aren’t able to perform and participate in the activities that you used to, that will be taken into account.

The dollar figures for pain and suffering range dramatically from case to case, and are based on the duration and severity of your suffering.

If your expectations are based on U.S. TV shows, you will probably be sorely disappointed.  In Canada we have a cap on how much a person can be awarded for pain and suffering, which is just over $300,000, and it is very rare to reach those limits.

Wage Loss

If you have missed days at work because of your injuries, or your ability to work in the future has been affected, you are entitled to be reimbursed for that loss of income.

Special Damages

You should be reimbursed for your out-of-pocket expenses such as medication, therapy or other expenses that you would not have incurred if you had not been injured.

Cost of Future Care

If you can prove that it is required, monies to cover the costs of future care including ongoing medications, treatments or other accident-related expenses.

This list is overly simplistic and is in no way exhaustive. You must have medical evidence to back up your claim and have one or more doctor confirming your injuries.

A member of our personal injury team can advise you on your entitlement based on your specific situation.  Contact us to arrange for a free consultation and assessment of your case.