When you’re involved in an auto accident there are many things that need to be addressed. First and foremost, you need to make sure that you and your passengers are safe and seek medical attention right away for any serious injuries. The next most important step is gathering information. This is especially important if you were hit by a negligent driver driving a vehicle from a jurisdiction outside of British Columbia.
In any auto accident in B.C., if you are in a B.C licenced vehicle, no matter who’s at fault, you need to file a claim with ICBC to receive benefits for your injuries and to repair damage to your vehicle. When the other driver in the accident is driving a vehicle that is not from B.C., but licensed in another province, obtaining the right information in a timely manner is important to make sure that you can obtain the compensation you deserve.
The information you need to collect from the other driver includes:
- Their insurance company name, policy number, and phone number
- The driver’s name, address, phone number, and license number
- Comprehensive photos of the vehicles involved and crash site
- The police report number if the police are involved
- The names, numbers, and accounts from any witnesses
The reason that it’s so important to gather this information is that drivers from outside of B.C. are not insured by ICBC. Having the correct information from the other driver helps ICBC contact their insurance company and enables you to pursue a claim against that driver. If you fail to collect the proper information, you will be responsible for paying your deductible, regardless of whether you are at fault or not, and you might be unable to pursue a personal injury claim.
At Stephens & Holman, our lawyers have extensive experience with auto accidents and ICBC and are here to help you navigate the aftermath of your accident. If you’ve been injured in an auto accident due to another’s negligence, contact the law firm of Stephens & Holman by calling us at 604-730-4120 for a free, no-obligation consultation. We proudly serve greater Vancouver and all of British Columbia.