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 definition means any of the following: a medical practitioner, a nurse practitioner, a person who is entitled to practice a health professional under the Health Professions Act or “a person in a prescribed class of persons who provides health care.” This means psychologists, massage therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, acupuncturists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, etc., may now be required to submit medical reports to ICBC regarding a patient they are caring for.
These reports can assist ICBC in determining the severity of your injury. If your injury is captured under ICBC’s new “minor injury” definition, you will be subject to a $5,500 cap on pain and suffering payouts.
Prior to the April 1st changes, the list of health care practitioners was more narrowly identified. Furthermore, there is concern for the scope of expertise and whether the practitioners captured in this new definition can adequately opine on the issues asked of them by ICBC.
The laws in B.C. have changed and it may no longer be enough to seek treatment without first consulting legal advice. It is wise, then, to contact a lawyer immediately after a motor vehicle accident. They can help you understand the new system, defend your rights and ensure that you receive proper compensation.
Based in Cranbrook, Rella, Paolini & Rogers operates one of the largest, most successful motor vehicle accident claims practices in the southeast region of B.C., with a focus on ICBC claims.