ICBC Advance Payment Does Not Have "Any Bearing" on Costs Order

Reasons for judgement were released today by the BC Supreme Court, Kelowna Registry, addressing whether an ICBC tort advance has any effect in a costs order following a trial.
In today’s case (Jackson v. Yusishen) the Plaintiff was injured in a 2009 collision.  Prior to trial the Plaintiff received a $5,000 advance from ICBC.  Although various offers were made during the course of the proceedings at the start of trial the Defendant had a formal settlement offer of $100,000 and the Plaintiff’s formal offer was for $2 million.
After a lengthy jury trial the Plaintiff’s claim was largely rejected and damages of $5,000 were assessed.  Mr. Justice Betton awarded the Plaintiff costs up to the time that ICBC made their formal offer and ordered that both parties bear their own costs thereafter.  In finding that the advance of damages had no bearing in the costs assessment the Court provided the following reasons:
[14]         The plaintiff had requested an advance and received a $5,000 advance on June 4, 2013. When the advance was provided, the attached letter contained the following:
…The advance is to be applied first towards any heads of damage which will attract pre-judgment court ordered interest.
..
[49]         I will comment briefly on the advance payment of $5,000. This was not an offer to settle in accordance with the formal requirements of Rule 9-1. It does have the practical effect of making the appropriate order here a dismissal of the plaintiff’s claim. I do not find that it has any bearing on my order as to costs in the circumstances here.