Re: “ICBC takes aim at scam artists,” The Leader, Jan. 27.
The most widespread auto insurance fraud by far in this province is carried out by ICBC every time it denies or reduces a legitimate injury claim.
The first “fraudster” listed in this article, a guy who lifted a heavy box at work but claimed he couldn’t help his wife do dishes, is a great example.
Most anyone with any number of injuries is still capable of lifting heavy objects, though it may cause her or him great pain and even aggravate the injury.
At home it’s a great excuse to get out of doing dishes. At work you could be fired if you don’t grit your teeth and do so.
The Workers’ Compensation Board used to advertise extensively that it was good to be active and work through the pain after an injury. Anyone “caught” by ICBC’s spies lifting heavy objects is doing what we are all told we need to do to recover. It’s not proof of anything.
It’s wrong for ICBC to avoid doing what we pay them to do: provide for those who are injured.
It’s a crime for a store that sells you an appliance to deliver an empty box. A legitimate claim denied or under-compensated by ICBC – whether to keep rates lower, fund the vast army of employees dedicated to keeping us from compensation, keep its many senior managers’ nests well feathered, or fund investments elsewhere – is just such an empty box.
Don DeMille, Delta