The Law Show – September 23, 2018: Children’s Injuries on School Trips, The Rise of Distracted Driving, and Minor Injury Claim Cap
The Law Show – September 23, 2018: Children’s Injuries on School Trips, The Rise of Distracted Driving, and Minor Injury Claim Cap
Joe Murphy, K.C., a founding partner of Murphy Battista LLP, joined Jim Gordon for the September 23, 2018 episode of The Law Show. They spent part of this episode discussing the possibility of injuries on children’s school trips, including what parents can do to ensure their child isn’t injured while on a field trip and what rights they and their family have in the event an injury does occur.
Joe also spoke about the surge in distracted driving convictions, and how they have led to an increase in car accidents and a corresponding rise in ICBC premiums. Joe then touched on the BC government’s plan to impose a $5,500 cap on minor injury pain and suffering payouts, that is set to launch April 1, 2019, and what it means for accident victims. Particularly, Joe discussed the ambiguity and potential complexity surrounding the legislation on what qualifies as a minor injury, specifically in relation to brain injuries. He also confirmed that any claim arising from an incident that occurred before April 1, 2019, will not be affected by the changes in legislation and will not be subject to the cap.