Month: June 2014

Driver may have been impaired in fatal Ontario accident

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Wednesday, June 25, 2014.

A fatal auto-pedestrian accident may have been the result of impaired driving, according to Ontario Provincial Police. The accident happened in Alliston around 3 a.m. June 20 on Victoria Street between King and Church streets. Reports say a 32-year-old man was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck in a westerly direction on Victoria Street in the vicinity of where a New Tecumseh public works crew was painting lines on the shoulder of the road.

According to police, the driver of the pickup failed to maintain his lane, crossed over into a lane reserved for parked vehicles and struck a male and female member of the road crew. He then left the scene of the accident. A 41-year-old male member of the road crew suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken by air to a Toronto hospital, but he later succumbed to his injuries. The female road crew member suffered injuries described as serious but non-life-threatening, and she was transported to a local hospital.

OPP found a vehicle nearby and took the driver into custody on suspicion of impaired driving and leaving the scene. He was taken to a nearby station where he was tested. OPP officials issued a statement asking anyone who witnesses a person driving or about to drive while impaired to report the situation by calling 911.

Because of their lack of protection, victims of auto-pedestrian accidents often suffer severe injuries or can even die. A person injured in an auto-pedestrian accident may be left with long-term, chronic pain. Physical therapy is often required, and long-term care is sometimes needed. In order to seek compensation for injuries, a victim could file a personal injury claim if the accident resulted from another’s negligence.

Source: CTV News, “One dead, one injured after being hit by truck “, Kendra Mangione, June 20, 2014

2 hospitalised after car hits pedestrian, house

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Thursday, June 19, 2014.

An accident in Toronto involving a car, a pedestrian and a Scarborough house ended with two people going to hospital on June 15. Officials say that a driver hit a female pedestrian around 9:40 p.m. near the intersection of Lawrence Avenue East and Midland Avenue before the car crashed into a house.

Toronto EMS responded to the scene and transported the driver of the car and the pedestrian to hospitals for treatment of minor injuries. Due to the car accident, TTC buses were detoured north via Lawrence Avenue East and Marcos Boulevard while police investigated in the crash site. Authorities did not say whether anyone was inside the home at the time. They did not say whether the pedestrian was using a crosswalk, nor did they speculate as to what caused the accident.

There are many causes of traffic accidents, including distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving and carelessness. When pedestrians are involved in road crashes, they are at a higher risk of suffering serious injury than the occupants of a vehicle because they do not have the protection that air bags and seatbelts provide. For this reason, both motorists and pedestrians are obligated to exhibit reasonable care to prevent accidents. When one party does not do this and causes a crash, the other party could be entitled to compensation.

In Ontario, car accident victims may be able to recover compensation from the at-fault party. This could help them recover the cost of financial losses, including the loss of opportunity, earning capacity and income. The victims may also receive reparation for directly related out-of-pocket expenses and for pain and suffering. If the victims’ family members are affected as well, they could receive compensation.

Source: CTV News Toronto, “Car strikes pedestrian, crashes into home in Scarborough”, June 15, 2014