Month: May 2014

Ontario Highway 401 crash kills 2, injures 1

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Truck Accidents on Wednesday, May 14, 2014.

Chatham-Kent Ontario Provincial Police say that one person was injured and two people were killed in a head-on collision on Highway 401. Authorities say that the accident happened at around 2:30 p.m. on May 10.

According to a preliminary investigation, a tractor-trailer was heading west when it crossed the median for an unknown reason and crashed head-on into an eastbound car. The 35-year-old male driver and 13-year-old female passenger in the car died at the scene; both were Windsor residents. The 57-year-old London truck driver received treatment at the scene and was then taken to hospital by ambulance. His injuries were not disclosed, but he was released from hospital by May 11.

Authorities had to close both the westbound and eastbound lanes of the highway for some time, and the westbound lanes were reopened before the eastbound lanes were cleared. The Technical Traffic Collision Investigation team was on the scene to gather evidence. The accident has raised questions about the safety of the Windsor-London corridor because only a bevelled strip of grass divides the opposite lanes of traffic.

Ontario law allows the family of deceased truck accident victims to recover the cost of damages. This may include funeral costs and the loss of household income. In an effort to collect that compensation, the families of the deceased individuals in this case may work with a personal injury lawyer. That lawyer may be able to help the plaintiffs build a case that demonstrates the truck driver’s negligence in the accident. After presenting that case in court, the defendant might then be ordered to pay that compensation to the plaintiffs.

Source: Chatham Daily News, ‘Deadly cross-over crash prompts focus on median on Hwy. 401 in Chatham-Kent,” Vicki Gough, May 11, 2014

Source: Sun News Network, “Two dead, one injured following Ontario highway collision”, Vicki Gough, May 11, 2014

1.37 million GM vehicles recalled in Canada, U.S. for bad switch

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Product Liability on Thursday, March 6, 2014.

General Motors vehicle owners in Ontario may be among those being notified under a recall announcement if they have one of the following models in their garage: a 2006-07 model year Chevrolet HHR, a 2006-07 Saturn Sky, a 2007 Pontiac Solstice or a 2003-07 Saturn Ion. GM has been under fire lately from product liability and safety advocates because it admitted it had known as far back as 2004 that an ignition switch malfunction in certain vehicles could slip from “run” to “accessory” mode while the car was in motion, exposing drivers and passengers to serious injury or death in an accident.

The U.S. National Highway Safety Administration linked the switch problem to 31 crashes and 13 deaths involving drivers and front-seat passengers. The malfunction was believed to be especially deadly because the ignition switch moving into a mode other than “run” while the vehicle is in operation would shut off the engine as well as the cars’ electrical system. Without an operational electrical system, cars’ front airbags will not deploy in an accident. It would also be more likely for motorists to get into a crash when the engine shut off in traffic since the auto would stop, and other drivers might run into it at full speed.

The four models above were added to an earlier announcement from the automaker that covered 780,000 Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s manufactured and sold for the 2005-07 model years. With the additions, the total of vehicles being recalled was last counted at 1.37 million, with 235,855 of those reportedly in Canada.

An automobile with faulty parts is not the only dangerous product threatening lives in Canada. Everything from dangerous children’s toys to defective industrial equipment might expose their manufacturers to product liability lawsuits from injured parties. A personal injury lawyer may be able to evaluate the case of someone seriously injured by such a device to look for a pattern of negligent manufacturing on the part of the manufacturer. If one exists, the lawyer may recommend a personal injury claim or class action.

Source: CBC News, “GM adds 4 models to ignition switch recall”, February 26, 2014