Many injuries people suffer in motor vehicle accidents are not easily diagnosed or explained. Unlike injuries like a broken bone that can be easily identified, injuries involving the soft-tissues of the body are much harder to diagnose. The lack of objective evidence these injuries leave behind increases the importance of the credibility of the injured party in both negotiations with ICBC and, in the event of a trial, before a judge.
In situations where the injuries are entirely of a soft tissue nature, the judge will often rely entirely on the credibility of the injured party to determine the amount of an award. ICBC, similarly, will place a large emphasis on the credibility of the injured party when discussing potential settlement.
Soft-tissue injuries – which can be just as disabling and painful as broken bones – if not properly presented, can lead to various legal issues, including unfair compensation for an injured party. This emphasizes why it is important for people injured in motor vehicle accidents to seek proper legal advice from a lawyer with experience in dealing with ICBC and personal injury cases.
The following article, from the BC Fibromyalgia society, provides some very basic information on fibromyalgia, a disease which commonly affects the victims of motor vehicle accidents. Fibromyalgia can be a disabling disease, which leads to a variety of physical and emotional symptoms.
http://www.mefm.bc.ca/bcfm/pages/whatisfm.html
