A selfie of Elle and Jay Cassidy.

Image Credit: GoFundMe - Kaylee Gordon

An Osoyoos couple has had to turn to crowdfunding to make up for ICBC funding shortfalls after a terrible motorcycle accident and they are blaming the government's new no-fault insurance scheme.

A truck hit an Osoyoos couple while they were on a motorcycle ride on July 6 and their daughter had to set up an online fundraiser to help with expenses related to the crash. 

Jay and Elle Cassidy were severely injured when a truck hauling a trailer t-boned them while it was making an unsafe turn, according to the family's GoFundMe page.

Jay suffered several broken bones, had skin torn from his hands and has since spent several weeks in a wheelchair. Elle had severe head trauma and broke her left leg in multiple places, her leg had to be amputated above the knee.

Both of the Cassidys are out of the hospital and making a relatively smooth recovery but the injuries they suffered will change their lives indefinitely.

Their daughter, Kaylee Gordon, said the Insurance Corporation of B.C. gave them as much support as possible.

“My parents have told me ICBC has been as great as they can. They are getting support there but they are only covering certain things,” Gordon said.

Under no fault insurance, ICBC covers medical expenses, income replacement, and vehicle damage, but not the other costs which arise from an accident this severe.

Expenses for things like traveling to and from the hospital were not covered by ICBC so Gordon decided to set up a GoFundMe page to ask for support. Her initial goal was $5,000, and they reached it in 24 hours, she then changed it to $10,000 which they reached in another 48 hours. Currently, the GoFundMe has raised almost $12,000.

“It’s amazing getting so much support and so much love from everybody and its people that are kind of all over the place. It's people from all over B.C., it’s even people from Alberta,” Gordon said.

Gordon says even though people have been generous and supportive, it is frustrating being unable to pursue financial compensation through legal action in this situation because of the province’s no fault insurance legislation.

“That’s what’s frustrating, we’re all human, we all make mistakes. Accidents are inevitable, they are going to happen but I think that with this new legislation that was put in place they didn’t think about what happens to the victims,” she said.

“It’s not somebody who made a small error and it was a fender bender. This was a full blown accident that made such a huge impact on my parents’ lives, on my life, on my sister’s life, on our friends and family, even our community in Osoyoos,” Gordon said.

Gordon wants people who read her family’s story to be more cautious on the roads.

“We’ve all made those ‘oops I should have seen that stop sign’ but definitely be more vigilant. Look out for bikers, for pedestrians, look out for kids on bikes, moms with strollers. There’s other people out there, it’s not just you on the road,” she said.

Elle and Jay have a blog where you can learn more about them and follow their story.

Find out more about no fault insurance here.

Donate to the Cassidy's GoFundMe here.

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