- Date: June 13th, 2008
- Victim’s age: 28
- Victim’s Sex: Male
- Occupation:
- Place: Orillia, Ontario
- Circumstances: dark intersection
- Injuries sustained: a nose, foot, finger, and spine fracture
- Settlement Amount: $3,131,370
The Bike Accident
A 28-year-old man was hit by a police cruiser on June 13th, 2008, in downtown Orillia and suffered serious injuries. The man was biking at night and used a pedestrian crosswalk to cross the intersection when he was hit by a police cruiser.
The police officer was attending a non-emergency call and was operating his car without emergency lights. He was approaching the intersection on a green light and was making a right turn at 50kph.
The judge determined that the police officer was partially liable due to the speed and lack of caution when he entered the intersection. The cyclist was also found partially liable since he was biking at night with known lights or reflectors and his clothes were all black. He was also using a pedestrian crosswalk while biking which is against the law.
Victim injuries from the bike accident
Upon impact, the man was thrown over the hood of the car and smashed his face off the car. An ambulance was called, and he was transported to the hospital for trauma care.
His injuries consisted of a nose, foot, finger, and spine fracture. His nose fracture was the worst and required immediate surgery to reconstruct.
After the accident due to his facial injuries, he felt self-conscious and wouldn’t hang out with friends. His facial injuries resulted in permanent facial disfigurement. He has chronic pain in his neck, back, and his right foot that inhibits his mobility.
The pain affects his ability to work and his everyday life. He also suffers from chronic major depression PTSD and anxiety.
Compensation for victim
The judge awarded him $5,218,950 in damages. Since he was found 40% liable for his injuries, he only received 60% of the $5,218,950. In total, he received $3,131,370.