Land Owner Transparency Act

The Land Owner Transparency Act is a law which created a publicly accessible database of information about certain individuals with an indirect interest in land in BC – such as through a corporation, trust, or partnership – and was designed as a part of the province’s plan to address concerns about housing affordability by ending […]

Do you need a lawyer to make a will?

A will is one of the most important legal documents for an individual to have, and yet only 44 per cent of B.C. adults have a will in place. Some put off making a will because they feel uncomfortable, which is understandable since making a will involves considering the impact of your death, the future […]

Understanding Power of Attorney, Representation Agreements and Committeeship

In certain circumstances, it can be necessary or convenient for one person to have the ability to act on behalf of another person. For example, a person who has suffered a debilitating health event may want their spouse to be able to deal with their legal affairs or make health care decisions while they are […]

ICBC CHANGES – FINANCIAL EXPOSURE FOR INJURED INDIVIDUALS

DID YOU KNOW? As of April 1, 2019, the BC government has limited the right of those injured in a motor vehicle accident to reclaim expenses beyond ICBC’s new fixed rate schedule for health care costs. This means that if a massage therapist, for example, charges more than what ICBC will cover, then the injured […]

ICBC CHANGES – NEW PRACTITIONERS LIST

DID YOU KNOW? If you are seeking treatment following a motor vehicle accident, ICBC can obtain medical reports from your health care practitioner. Who is considered a “health care practitioner?” The changes for ICBC that came into effect April 1, 2019, brought with them a new, seemingly expanded definition of a “health care practitioner.” The […]

ICBC CHANGES – NEW OBLIGATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS

DID YOU KNOW? Health care practitioners have new diagnostic and treatment protocols to follow when caring for a patient who has been injured in a motor vehicle accident. If the patient’s injuries are captured under ICBC’s new definition of a minor injury, the health care practitioner is also required to educate the patient on the […]

ICBC CHANGES – NO FAULT BENEFITS

DID YOU KNOW? If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, you are entitled to receive accident benefits to help with medical care and wage loss. The April 1st changes to ICBC brought with them the following increases to accident benefits: Medical and rehabilitation benefits increased lifetime to $300,000 from $150,000 for collisions occurring […]

ICBC CHANGES – NEW LIMIT ON EXPERTS & REPORTS

DID YOU KNOW? Along with making several changes to the way ICBC operates, the BC government further introduced a new regulation that limits the number of experts and reports both the plaintiff and defendant can rely upon in proving their injuries in a “vehicle action.” As of February 11, 2019, parties to a vehicle action […]

ICBC Changes – New Protocol

DID YOU KNOW? Under the new laws respecting ICBC, if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident on or after April 1, 2019, you have 12 weeks from the time of the accident to seek treatment from a physician. Failure to do so and failure to follow the prescribed treatment protocol could result in […]

ICBC Changes – Health Care Services Limit

DID YOU KNOW? The new legislation respecting changes to ICBC sets new limits on health care services. These limits apply to the amount ICBC will cover for such things as chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, kinesiology and physician care following a motor vehicle accident. The new fee schedule also sets frequency caps on treatments. If you […]