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NDP Government And Opposition BC Liberals At War Over ICBC Overhaul
NDP said last year, personal injury lawyers made a whopping $500 million from ICBC settlements. In one case reported by the media in 2019, an accident victim received just $22,874 of the $127,362 paid out by ICBC. 14 of the law firms that profited from settlements last year are past BC Liberal donors – giving a total of $154,926. Meanwhile Opposition BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson said Premier John Horgan and the NDP are taking away the rights of accident victims and giving ICBC full responsibility for the care for those injured in car accidents. "The NDP just abolished your right to compensation for pain and suffering if you're injured in a car accident," said Wilkinson, a former personal injury lawyer who practised for 12 years.
By DESIBUZZCanada Staff
VICTORIA – This week Premier John Horgan and Attorney General David Eby announced an Enhanced Care model at ICBC. By cutting lawyers and legal costs out of the process, Enhanced Care will significantly improve benefits and bring down insurance rates by 20% for people.
NDP said last year, personal injury lawyers made a whopping $500 million from ICBC settlements. In one case reported by the media in 2019, an accident victim received just $22,874 of the $127,362 paid out by ICBC.
14 of the law firms that profited from settlements last year are past BC Liberal donors – giving a total of $154,926.
BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson, a former personal injury lawyer of 12 years, has a choice to make.
Will Andrew Wilkinson choose better care and 20% lower rates for drivers, or will he pick the lawyers who make billions off the status quo at ICBC?
Wilkinson is choosing neither but wants auto insurance opened up to the private sector. He said with the recent announcement, Horgan and the NDP are taking away the rights of accident victims and giving ICBC full responsibility for the care for those injured in car accidents.
"With today's announcement, the NDP just abolished your right to compensation for pain and suffering if you're injured in a car accident," said Wilkinson. "Under this new scheme, if you're seriously injured in an accident the NDP will force you to deal with ICBC for the rest of your life, giving you no choice but to deal with the state-run monopoly."
"B.C. drivers need more affordable rates - that's especially true for young drivers - and they need it now," added Jas Johal, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough. "This NDP scheme is nothing more than an election trick with sky-high rates set to continue through this year and the promise to lower them only coming after the next election. It's offensive to ask British Columbians to put even more faith in ICBC, which is a broken system that most people already don't trust."
"Why aren't we being offered the Saskatchewan model where drivers can choose either no-fault or the current system of lump-sum settlements, with no difference in premiums?" concluded Wilkinson. "People deserve choice in insurance and they deserve it now. We will continue to stand up for B.C. drivers and insurance choice while Horgan and the NDP fight for ICBC instead of you."
NDP countered by saying Wilkinson is trying to block Horgan’s plan to reduce car insurance by $400.
“By removing lawyers and legal costs from the ICBC process, Enhanced Care will lower car insurance premiums by an average of $400 a year while significantly increasing benefits for people,” NDP said in a press release Friday.
“Instead of endorsing lower rates and better care, Andrew Wilkinson defended lawyers and inaccurately claimed that these changes won’t come into effect until after the next election. In fact, drivers will see this reduction starting in May 2021 – five months before the next election.”
NDP further said that in a fundraising email, BC Liberal ICBC Critic Jas Johal told supporters “we need your help to fight back” and asked people to donate.
“It’s disappointing that Andrew Wilkinson and the BC Liberals are trying to block better care and lower rates for drivers. Instead of standing with British Columbians who want more affordable and better car insurance, he is backing private insurers and the personal injury lawyers who are driving up rates. It’s clear that he’s not working for people,” said Garry Begg, MLA for Surrey-Guildford.
