Month: September 2014

Ontario pedestrian accident kills 1

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Tuesday, July 8, 2014.

An Ontario accident resulted in the death of one pedestrian on July 5. Police suspected the driver involved was impaired at the time of the auto-pedestrian accident. They arrested the man and charged him with impaired driving causing death, criminal negligence causing death, flight from police and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

The accident occurred at about 4:10 a.m. in St. Catharines. Police responded to a call describing a pickup truck driving erratically and travelling at a very high rate of speed on the Queen Elizabeth Way highway. The pursuing officer suspected the driver was impaired but stopped chasing the truck when it sped away and exited the highway onto eastbound Welland Ave. for safety reasons.

Police said that the driver of the truck apparently lost control of the vehicle at the intersection of Welland Ave. and Queen St. while attempting a right turn. The truck struck a 67-year-old woman, seriously injuring her. The man drove off and struck a tree before fleeing on foot. An emergency crew transported the woman to a St. Catharines hospital. She later needed to be airlifted to Hamilton Health Sciences General Hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries. Officers later found the driver hiding in a nearby backyard. The 30-year-old Brampton man was arrested and charged.

Many families lose loved ones in impaired driving accidents each year, forcing them to cope with funerary expenses and other damages while grieving their losses. Personal injury lawyers could provide help to families who might be considering filing for compensation from impaired drivers through legal action.

Source: The Toronto Star, ‘Brampton man charged in death of woman killed by pickup truck in St. Catharines,” Katelyn Verstraten, July 5, 2014

Source: Black Burn News, “Man charged after pedestrian killed in Niagara”, July 05, 2014

Roadway design measures to improve pedestrian safety

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Friday, January 2, 2015.

Ontario pedestrian accident cases can be especially catastrophic, as pedestrians are unprotected and thus not easily able to avoid serious injury. There are several different engineering applications that can be implemented in order to lessen the risk to pedestrians with the design of roadways.

Roadway design measures can be as simple as installing improved lighting so pedestrians are easier to see and establishing signs that alert drivers to upcoming crosswalks. Other measures may be implemented to separate pedestrians and traffic, to reduce simultaneous movements of people and vehicles and to lower speed limits through known pedestrian areas.

Roundabouts can help reduce vehicle speeds and thus help lower the risk of pedestrian-involved injury accidents. Studies in Europe have demonstrated a reduction of between 73 to 75 percent of pedestrian accidents following the installation of roundabouts. Installation of raised medians and crossing islands have been demonstrated to significantly lower the risk of pedestrian accidents. A common problem causing pedestrian accidents is obstructed views of drivers due to parked cars. For this reason, vehicle parking near intersections should be restricted to improve visibility. Signalized crosswalks may be helpful as well.

The implementation of engineering-informed roadway design measures is expensive, but the resultant savings in terms of cost of life and other financial losses may far outweigh the initial expense. Even with improved roadway design features, however, it is impossible to avoid all auto-pedestrian accidents. In some instances, a pedestrian will dart across a road. In others, a motorist will be at fault due to negligence, distracted driving or another problem. When a pedestrian has been seriously injured in an accident, he or she may want to have the facts of his or her case evaluated by a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer can provide a fair assessment and may then help file a personal injury lawsuit if warranted.

Source: Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, “Countermeasures to Improve Pedestrian Safetyin Canada”, December 30, 2014

Man charged after hit-and-run accident in Toronto

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Auto-Pedestrian Accidents on Thursday, September 11, 2014.

A 33-year-old man appeared in an Ontario court on Sept. 2 after he was accused of striking and killing a Toronto pedestrian and then fleeing the scene in the early morning hours of Aug. 30. The auto-pedestrian accident took place on St. Clair Avenue West in the vicinity of Weston Road at approximately 5 a.m. Prior to taking the man into custody, Toronto police had been confident of making an arrest. They had recovered debris from the minivan involved, and they had publically called for the hit-and-run driver to come forward. The man has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death.

According to a Toronto police report, a 31-year-old man was walking on St. Clair Avenue West when he was struck by a vehicle in the westbound lane. Witnesses told responding police officers that a gray minivan had struck the man and then left the scene.

Responding emergency medical services personnel initially pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene, but he was revived on three occasions while being transported to an area hospital. However, the man subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

To suddenly lose a loved one in a motor vehicle accident can sometimes lead to serious financial challenges in addition to the grief and anguish associated with the loss. In many cases, monthly bills can become unmanageable when a relied upon source of income is no longer coming in. Additional expenses, such a funeral bills and burial costs, can compound this situation. A personal injury lawyer may seek to assist families in this position by bringing a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf when their suffering and loss is due to the negligent actions of others.

Source: Global Toronto, “Man charged after fatal hit and run on St. Clair Avenue”, James Armstrong, Sept. 2, 2014

Source: Global Toronto, “Toronto police anticipate arrest in hit and run that killed 31-year-old man”, August 31, 2014

HP power cords recalled due to possible fire hazard

On behalf of Rooz Law posted in Product Liability on Wednesday, September 3, 2014.

Ontario residents may be interested to know about a recall issued by Hewlett Packard Aug. 26 for certain notebook power cords that could potentially overheat and cause a fire. Hewlett Packard has received 29 reports of cords overheating and two reports of minor burns. They also have received 13 reports of minor property damage associated with use of the cords. One confirmed and one unconfirmed report of overheating has been received in Canada. However, no injuries have been reported to Health Canada related to use of the cords.