Personal Injury Conference 2024

Course Chairs
Gurminder Sandhu, KC — Hamilton Duncan Law Corporation, Surrey
Krista L. Simon — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver

About the Course Chairs

Since being called to the bar in 2000, Gurminder has focused his practice on trial work in general civil litigation, family law, and insurance matters. He has been counsel on prominent and lengthy trials. Gurminder is widely respected by colleagues and members of the judiciary for his knowledge of the law, his professionalism, and his integrity. In recognition of his experience, in 2021 he was appointed by the Minister of Justice to the BC Federal Judicial Advisory Committee where he served for two years, after serving on the Provincial Judicial Advisory Committee for 10 years. 

Gurminder has been a Bencher since 2022. He sits as a motions adjudicator on the Law Society of BC  Tribunal.

Gurminder shares his knowledge in ways that help build the profession. He regularly speaks at events. He has contributed to CLEBC and for the LSBC's PLTC curriculum, and he has written policy submissions to government on behalf of the CBA.

Krista Simon is a partner at Hammerco Lawyers LLP. She leads the firm's Estate Litigation Group. Her practice focuses on estate disputes, personal injury, and sexual assault/abuse claims. She earned her LLB from Dalhousie Law School and LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School, and she is called to the bars of BC and Newfoundland and Labrador. Krista represents clients at all levels of court in BC. She is also skilled in mediation, having received her training at Harvard University and Pepperdine University. Krista has been recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada (2021-25) for Personal Injury Litigation and Insurance Law. She is a past president of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC and a current board and committee member. She has been a CBA Women Lawyer's Forum mentor. She is currently a member of the Supreme Court Civil and Family Rules Committee and is an Adjudicator on the LSBC Tribunal. In 2024, Krista was appointed to the Judicial Council of the Tswawassen First Nation. Krista is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and community seminars. 

Faculty
The Honourable Justice Maria Morellato — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Justice H. William Veenstra — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Carla Bekkering — Bekkering York Barristers LLP, Vancouver
Morgyn Chandler — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver
Douglas T.K. Chiu — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver  
Sandra L. Kovacs — KazLaw Injury Lawyers, Vancouver
Margot A. Liechti — Carfra Lawton LLP, Victoria
Alexia Majidi — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver  
Dale McGregor — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver
Rory Morgan — Kane Shannon Weiler LLP, Surrey
Alison L. Murray, KC — Murray Jamieson, Vancouver
Peter Norell — Kovacs & Norell, Vancouver
Nicholas Peterson — Collins Peterson LLP, Vancouver
Mark Szekely — Columbia Pacific Consulting Ltd., Vancouver

Course Materials Contributors
Larissa C. Doerr — Carfra Lawton LLP, Victoria
Cinthya Nunex — Articled Student, Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver

Click here for full faculty bios
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British Columbia Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Practice Manual
Everything you need to know about motor vehicle accident claims in BC

This publication is essential for: all lawyers with motor vehicle accident claims files

Current to: February 1, 2024

Advising your client on motor vehicle accident claims requires in-depth knowledge of BC's legislative scheme. Let the BC Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Practice Manual be your guide through the many complex issues that frequently arise. Often referred to by eminent counsel as the "go-to" resource for researching the extensive range of legal and practice issues that arise, this resource offers you clear and succinct analysis of key issues, discussion of leading cases, practice points, checklists and over 60 sample forms.

"The BC Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Practice Manual is rightfully known as 'the bible for personal injury lawyers.'  I have practised personal injury law for 35 years and still consult it weekly. The only frustrating part is that even though we have two copies at my firm of six lawyers, I can never find it in our library, because it is always in someone else's office being used!  You should not practice personal injury law without this manual, even if you're not doing car accident claims." – Alison Murray, QC, Murray Jamieson Barristers & Solicitors

With this resource, you will be able to:

• understand the intricacies of the Insurance (Vehicle) Act and Regulation and the legal principles that apply to your case
  
• get to the leading cases  you need for your client's case
  
• access quickly over 60 of the most commonly used sample forms

Buy today and be well prepared to advise your clients with motor vehicle accident claims! View a sample from this book!

The 2024 Update to the British Columbia Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Practice Manual is current to February 1, 2024 and includes:

• discussion of BC Court of Appeal cases including: appeals of assessments for non-pecuniary damages and damages for loss of housekeeping capacity; and clarification of "discoverability" in the context of potential third party proceedings
• discussion of Supreme Court of BC cases referencing: damages awards for loss of housekeeping capacity; contributory negligence of children and of pedestrians crossing a road; deductions of benefits from damage awards; contingencies in damages analysis; UMP claims; loss of future financial support in family compensation claims where there is a cultural expectation of filial piety; claims for psychological injury resulting from proximity to traumatic events; and claims against public carriers
• discussion of Civil Resolution Tribunal adjudications dealing with: evidentiary issues; and "minor injuries" arising from motor vehicle accidents occurring on or after April 1, 2019
• reminders in each chapter to consider the date of the accident to proceed under the appropriate legislative scheme

Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:05)

Raymond Lee — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Gurminder Sandhu, KC — Hamilton Duncan Law Corporation, Surrey
Krista L. Simon — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver

Case Law and Legislation Update (9:05 – 10:35)

Douglas T.K. Chiu — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver  
Dale McGregor — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (10:35 – 10:50)

PI Advocacy and View from the Bench (10:50 – 12:20)

The Honourable Justice Maria Morellato — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Justice H. William Veenstra — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Rory Morgan — Kane Shannon Weiler LLP, Surrey
Alison L. Murray, KC — Murray Jamieson, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:20 – 1:00)

PI Damages: Preparing and Presenting the Expert Evidence (1:00 – 2:00)

Carla Bekkering — Bekkering York Barristers LLP, Vancouver
Nicholas Peterson — Collins Peterson LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:00 – 2:05)

Occupiers Claims (2:05 – 2:35)

Alexia Majidi — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver  
Peter Norell — Kovacs & Norell, Vancouver

BREAK (2:35 – 2:45)

Civil Resolution Update (2:45 – 3:15)

Margot A. Liechti — Carfra Lawton LLP, Victoria

BREAK (3:15 – 3:20)

Calculating Financial Loss: The Fundamentals (3:20 – 3:50)

Mark Szekely — Columbia Pacific Consulting Ltd., Vancouver

BREAK (3:50 – 3:55)

Sexual Violence Civil Claims (3:55 – 4:25)

Morgyn Chandler — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver
Sandra L. Kovacs — KazLaw Injury Lawyers, Vancouver

Closing Remarks (4:25 – 4:30)

Gurminder Sandhu, KC — Hamilton Duncan Law Corporation, Surrey
Krista L. Simon — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver