We calculated that what with motels, unexpected restaurant meals, car rentals, wheelchair services at airports, taxis, flight rescheduling, and so forth, getting hit by the truck added $5,000 of expenses to our trip. The medical expenses - for about four hours in the hospital were $25,000. Fortunately, British Columbia vehicle insurance put the medical money up front, just because we hold BC drivers' licenses. That speaks very well for BC public insurance (ICBC). Similarly, the ICBC insurance picked up half the physiotherapy costs, and for the rest there was other insurance.

So we personally were left just $5,000 out of pocket. Of course there is the lost year of activity, the work of the rehabilitation appointments and exercises, the pain, suffering, and so forth.

Looking at this, and being Canadian, we just asked the truck driver's insurance company to reimburse the out of pocket expenses, for which we provided a detailed spreadsheet.

They came back and offered half that. Now even Canadians can get crabby at times, and we felt this response to our minimal request was insulting. So we told them we would look for a lawyer. Then they came back with the full $5,000 - but it was too late, we had already got the legal ball rolling.