What to Do After a Car Accident in BC (Step-by-Step Guide)

A motor vehicle accident sets off a cascade of biological and administrative processes simultaneously. Most people manage the administrative side — reporting the accident, documenting the vehicle damage — and defer the medical side until symptoms force their hand. This is the first and most consequential mistake. Delayed treatment consistently leads to poorer outcomes, longer recovery, and greater complexity in the ICBC process.

Step 1: Report the Accident to ICBC

File your claim with ICBC as soon as possible — ideally within 24 hours. You will receive a claim number, which is what physiotherapy clinics need to bill ICBC directly. Under Enhanced Care, ICBC handles billing — you pay nothing out of pocket for approved sessions. Do not wait to see whether your symptoms persist before filing. If you feel symptoms at the scene or afterward, your claim is valid.

Step 2: Seek Physiotherapy Within the First Week

Under ICBC Enhanced Care, you receive 25 pre-approved physiotherapy sessions in the first 12 weeks with no out-of-pocket cost. You do not need a physician's referral. Contact a registered physiotherapy clinic, provide your claim number, and begin. Early physiotherapy — ideally within days of the accident — significantly improves outcomes for soft tissue injuries, whiplash, and concurrent concussion.

Step 3: Report All Symptoms — Including the Ones That Seem Minor

This step is where most patients under-serve themselves. In the immediate aftermath of an MVA, adrenaline suppresses pain signals. Symptoms that seem minor on day one — mild headache, slight neck stiffness, fogginess — are frequently the leading indicators of whiplash and concussion that will become significantly more problematic by day 3–5. Report everything you notice, even if you're not sure it's related to the accident.

What Your ICBC Physiotherapy Should Address

Used correctly, 25 sessions is sufficient to complete structured rehabilitation from most MVA injuries. Used passively — massage, heat, gentle stretching — those sessions resolve acute symptoms but leave you vulnerable. Your physiotherapy program should include:

• Cervicogenic assessment: The neck is almost always involved in MVA injury, even in low-speed collisions. This affects headaches, upper back pain, and arm symptoms.
• Concussion screening: Many MVA patients experience mild concussion without recognising it. Fogginess, light sensitivity, visual disturbances, and fatigue that developed after the accident warrant vestibular-ocular assessment.
• Progressive loading: Passive treatment manages acute pain. Progressive exercise and loading rebuilds the tissue capacity needed to return to work, driving, and physical activity without reinjury.
• Return-to-work planning: If your occupation involves physical demands, your physiotherapist should document capacity and communicate with your employer about appropriate return timing and modifications.

The Most Common Mistakes After an MVA

Based on clinical pattern, the mistakes that consistently complicate recovery are:

• Waiting more than a week to start physiotherapy — the acute inflammatory window closes and chronic patterns establish faster than expected
• Under-reporting symptoms to ICBC, then finding approved sessions are insufficient for the actual complexity of the injury
• Spending all ICBC sessions on passive treatment (massage, soft tissue work) without a structured progression program
• Returning to work full-duties before objective functional capacity has been assessed

What to Do Right Now

If you were in a motor vehicle accident recently — even if you're 'feeling okay' — report to ICBC and book a physiotherapy assessment. The assessment costs nothing under Enhanced Care. The information it provides is the foundation of an effective recovery program.