- Date: November 22, 2015
- Victim’s age: N/A
- Victim’s Sex: Female
- Occupation: N/A
- Place: Toronto, Ontario
- Circumstances: rear-ended at a stop
- Injuries sustained: pain in her neck and back
- Settlement Amount: $195,000
The car accident
On November 22, 2015, a woman was a passenger in a vehicle driving in downtown Toronto. The vehicle came to a stop at a red light when it was struck from the rear by another vehicle.
The victim’s injuries from the car accident
After the accident, she developed pain in her neck and back. She now suffers chronic pain in her neck, back, and right shoulder. The pain is so severe that it interferes with her sleep, and she is continuously fatigued. Following the accident, a psychologist diagnosed her with adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood and symptoms of PTSD.
Despite her injuries, she has continued to remain active, travel, and advance in her employment. However, her employers testified that she is no longer the happy person they knew. She has low energy and is often irritable which affects her relationships with co-workers. They also testified that she is now often late to meetings and can’t complete many physical tasks required for her job. Her injuries seriously interfere with her daily activities and work life.
The judge concluded that her injuries meet the threshold for a lawsuit as they are permanent and seriously affect her ability to function.
Compensation for victim
The judge awarded her $80,000 in general damages and $100,000 for loss of competitive advantage. She received an additional $15,000 for past loss of housekeeping and maintenance. The judge also awarded $2,500 per year till age 70 for future loss of housekeeping and maintenance and $3,000 per year till the age of 70 for costs of future care.