ICBC’s practice of hiring private investigators to investigate claimants before trial is common. It is one of the ways ICBC protects itself from fraudulent claims. Such fraudulent claims can increase everyone’s insurance premiums. However, such investigative reports can also hurt legitimate claimants in the courtroom. Should the claimant testify that his life has been ruined…
Small businesses make up a large portion of Kelowna’s business market, and that trend doesn’t seem to be stopping. If you are considering starting a business or expanding your existing business, here are a few details to consider and discuss with your lawyer and accountant. Taking into account the unique circumstances of your business, it…
Homeowners and smaller contractors are often tempted to skip recommended practices when undertaking a small renovation. In many cases, little thought is given to the contract (and in some cases the only document is an invoice) and there is no attempt to comply with the Builders Lien Act. Although it is understandable that the parties…
British Columbia is establishing Canada’s first online dispute resolution body. The innovative Civil Resolution Tribunal will address small claims and strata property disputes. The Tribunal is expected to launch later this year. The Civil Resolution Tribunal Act was passed in 2012 and amendments to the Act passed third reading on April 21, 2015. The Tribunal…
When I think back to the time I was just starting to practice as a trial lawyer, about 42 years ago and list the tools available back then to settle files before proceeding to trials, the list is pretty short. Actually there was no list. Back then the options for settlement of litigious matters heading…
Most cases settle before they ever get to trial and there are good reasons why. This article will discuss some of the reasons why many personal injury cases settle in B.C. The foremost reason is certainty. If you are a plaintiff and settle, you know exactly how much money you will receive. If you are…
The Kelowna farmer’s market supplies local, high quality goods at competitive rates provided by people you know. Similarly, local lawyers bring many valuable benefits to the table that you should not forget about when retaining a lawyer. There are a plethora of talented personal injury lawyers in Kelowna. When you live in a town like…
It used to be that you knew what to do with all the memorabilia of your life. You’d put it in a box to give to your kids, or you’d write it into your will. But these days, the most complete record of your life may be online. The Internet plays a major role in…
In a 6 to 1 decision the Supreme Court of Canada struck down provisions preventing the RCMP from unionizing. The decision was released January 16th. The Court determined the exclusion of the RCMP from federal labour relations legislation was unconstitutional. The Court also determined that former regulations imposing an alternate labour relations regime on RCMP…
Here’s a suggestion for a New Year’s resolution that will benefit both you and your family and will be relatively simple to complete: make or update your estate plan this year. Many people look for any reason to procrastinate about this stressful subject. And it always feels painful to spend money on estate planning, because…
