Richmond, B.C. man closes business after crash, claims ICBC not doing enough

A 74-year-old Richmond business owner, who was injured in a motorcycle crash in May 2022, said ICBC’s No-Fault system is failing to support him.

Yoshihiro Yanagitani said he was forced to close his auto repair shop business due to his injuries.

“I got bleeding inside (my head), my eyeball drop out from a (facial bone) fracture, two rib bone broke — one stuck my lung, my shoulder damaged, my hip, knees and ankle — about 20 to 30 bone fractures,” he said. “I can’t even grab a wrench, and I can’t do jobs.”

After the accident, which he captured on video, he had to close the shop for the foreseeable future as he recovered and had to lay off his employees.

Yanagitani’s difficult recovery journey, where he was in the hospital for nearly four months, was also made even harder, he said, due to ICBC’s lack of communication.

“Three, four days after (the accident) I called ICBC,” he said in his online fundraiser. “They just gave me a claim number and then (said) they will contact me after that.”

He said he did not hear back from them for over a month until after he hired a lawyer.

The 35-year business owner said he gets $740 a week from ICBC, but it “doesn’t help anything.”

“To keep my shop open it costs about $25,000 a month. For the last six months, we (haven’t) worked,” he said. “All losing money.”

Global News contacted ICBC, who did provide an interview for the situation.

“As I understand it, Mr. Yanagitani has received nearly $25,000 in income replacement benefits and will continue to receive this benefit for as long as he is unable to work,” Brent Sherer, an ICBC spokesperson said.

ICBC does not cover business losses without business insurance, but that is sold by other insurers.

“He received $0 for income replacement benefit as well as the permanent impairment benefit until I stepped in,” said Ryan Kusuhara, Yanagitani’s lawyer. “(When it comes to business insurance for losses) … that was never advertised by the government nor ICBC, which I think is very irresponsible.”

Yanagitani’s online fundraiser has a goal of $20,000 and has raised nearly $7,000 so far.

Yanagitani’s lawyer said he and his client are considering going to the B.C. Supreme Court to challenge the existing policies.

The shop has since reopened in Oct. but is only open for two days a week and has one part time employee that handles existing customers.