Ontario residents may have heard about a single-vehicle crash that took place near the Progress Campus of Toronto’s Centennial College. At around 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 22, police responded to a call about an incident at the intersection of Markham Road and Progress Avenue. Upon arriving, they found that a vehicle had hit three pedestrians.
The three were international students at Centennial College. Two men, both 19 years old, suffered life-threatening injuries, were taken to the hospital and died there. The third, 21 years old, suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries. The 21-year-old was the brother of one of the 19-year-old victims.
The driver, a 40-year-old man from Pickering, is said to have been speeding east on Progress Avenue when he lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle went onto the sidewalk, hit a guard rail and struck the three pedestrians, who were walking back to their campus.
Police arrested the driver at the scene. During a court appearance, the driver was denied bail. He faces a total of nine charges related to impaired driving, including two counts of impaired driving causing death.
Accidents involving drivers and pedestrians can often form the basis for a lawsuit. In this case, the 21-year-old who survived may be able to file a personal injury claim and, if successful, receive compensatory damages. His family might also be eligible to file a wrongful death suit over the death of his brother. This suit may cover losses like funeral and burial expenses. Since driving while impaired is an especially harmful act, victims or their families may even sue for punitive damages.
In this case, complications might arise because the victims were international students. This is where legal representation might become necessary. A lawyer may evaluate the case and, if retained, handle every step from the gathering of evidence to the negotiating of a settlement.
