Will going on a vacation affect my ICBC claim?

As a Vancouver personal injury lawyer dealing with ICBC claims, I get asked this question all the time:

"I had a vaction booked before I was involved in a car accident.  Will it affect my claim if I go?"

Answer: Yes.

The better question is:

Should I go anyway?

To answer this question, you will need to get specific advice from a lawyer on your case...(insert plug here) like the fine lawyers here at McComb Witten who deal only with ICBC claims :-).

I can, however, provide some useful legal information that might help you understand how ICBC may use your vacation to obtain evidence.
  
For years ICBC has asked for photos (with mixed results) from vacations for people injured in BC car accidents and having an ongoing ICBC claim.  A recent decision requires the injured person to produce all photos plus digital "metadata" from their vacations 1 and 7 months post accident.  Here is a link to the case:

http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/SC/11/08/2011BCSC0885.htm

In a file I had years ago, a client was required to produce photos from a trip to Jamaica.  She produced a number of photos including one of her smoking a self rolled "cigarette".  Now, I don't judge my clients, but a jury might.  So, the question from a lawyer's perspective becomes "What is a jury going to do with this evidence?"