The insurance industry in Alberta actively lobbies the government on issues that affect their interests. In particular, the industry has been known to lobby for changes to legislation that affect auto insurance, including changes to the rules governing accident benefits and the compensation available to injured individuals.
One example of the insurance industry’s lobbying efforts in Alberta is the Minor Injury Regulation, which was introduced in 2004 and set a cap on pain and suffering damages for minor injuries resulting from car accidents. Pain and suffering damages are intended to compensate injured individuals for the physical and emotional pain and suffering they experience as a result of an accident. The current cap on pain and suffering damages in Alberta is adjusted annually for inflation and as of 2023 is $5,817. Not all injuries are subject to the cap. Additionally, other types of damages, such as medical expenses and loss of income, are not subject to the cap.
Check with a personal injury lawyer before deciding whether your injuries are subject to the Minor Injury Regulation. The cap on pain and suffering damages may not apply to you, despite what you may have heard. Get a second opinion. Educate yourself. Call our Calgary personal injury lawyers, obligation-free. Our personal injury information line is:
Do not rely on what the at-fault driver’s insurance company may be telling you. They are generally interested in closing your case as cheaply and quickly as possible because, like most businesses, they are motivated by profits. This is no surprise. It is to be expected that the at-fault driver’s insurance company will act in their own self-interest. Likewise, be fair to yourself when seeking fair compensation, particularly when you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident through no fault of your own.