For those of you not following the news, a rather scathing report was published this summer on ICBC. The CEO has been replaced with an acting CEO and there have been many changes in upper management at ICBC, including a change in the position of Vice President of Claims.
Recently ICBC announced that it was continuing to restructure. They have just finished over 200 terminations.
Without doubt many good people who have been working hard are now looking for a new position. For clients of mine the change, in my view, is a change that will hopefully take ICBC in a better direction.
About 4-5 years ago, ICBC appeared to take a much more aggressive approach to claims. The change in direction ICBC was humorously labelled"Operation Robe-up!" by lawyers (at trial in British Columbia lawyers wear formal robes). As part of this change of direction, ICBC seemed to take authority for settling files out of the hands of file adjusters. Often decisions were made several managers up from the ground. More cases went to trial. Sometimes individuals won big awards; sometimes ICBC won big and individuals lost big.
ICBC's approach has had a big impact on our profession. In the past newly called lawyers lamented that they never get into trial. Now there is a whole new generation of litigators that are getting better at their craft.
In October 2012, our firm had 5 trials scheduled in one week...when push came to shove 4 of them went ahead (but 2 had to be moved back to accommodate the judges).
If you have found this blog because you have had a ICBC claim and are looking for a lawyer, then make sure to ask your perspective lawyer if they go to trial...even if you do not want to go to trial. Having a lawyer adept at navigating a file through a trial and doing it regularly is both a sword and a shield for clients.
Recently ICBC announced that it was continuing to restructure. They have just finished over 200 terminations.
Without doubt many good people who have been working hard are now looking for a new position. For clients of mine the change, in my view, is a change that will hopefully take ICBC in a better direction.
About 4-5 years ago, ICBC appeared to take a much more aggressive approach to claims. The change in direction ICBC was humorously labelled"Operation Robe-up!" by lawyers (at trial in British Columbia lawyers wear formal robes). As part of this change of direction, ICBC seemed to take authority for settling files out of the hands of file adjusters. Often decisions were made several managers up from the ground. More cases went to trial. Sometimes individuals won big awards; sometimes ICBC won big and individuals lost big.
ICBC's approach has had a big impact on our profession. In the past newly called lawyers lamented that they never get into trial. Now there is a whole new generation of litigators that are getting better at their craft.
In October 2012, our firm had 5 trials scheduled in one week...when push came to shove 4 of them went ahead (but 2 had to be moved back to accommodate the judges).
If you have found this blog because you have had a ICBC claim and are looking for a lawyer, then make sure to ask your perspective lawyer if they go to trial...even if you do not want to go to trial. Having a lawyer adept at navigating a file through a trial and doing it regularly is both a sword and a shield for clients.
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