In a city such as Ottawa, pedestrian accidents are very common. Every 5 years, the City of Ottawa collects statistics on Ottawa pedestrian accidents. The last report we could find was in 2013 and it reported that in Ottawa, there were a total of 351 Ottawa pedestrian accidents, 5 of which resulted in death.
Depending on the severity of the injuries and the facts surrounding the accident, pedestrians who are hit by a motor vehicle are entitled to compensation. The Ontario insurance regime provides accident benefits to compensate for medical expenses and other treatments. Pain and suffering can also be compensated for, depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
What factors determine the amount of maximum compensation for an Ottawa pedestrian accident?
- Severity of injuries
- Liability? Who was at fault? Is the pedestrian partially responsible? Were they crossing at a crosswalk?
- What are the losses?
If a pedestrian is found to be partially responsible, they can still receive compensation, although the compensation amount may be reduced by a certain percentage. Contributory negligence can impact one’s pedestrian accident claim.
Accident Scenario:
Our team has built a reputation in Ottawa as being honest, hard-working lawyers who go above and beyond to help our clients. One day we met with “JE”. JE was a 25-year-old woman who was struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in Ottawa.
Injuries Resulting From Accident:
JE’s Ottawa pedestrian accident resulted in some injuries. Unfortunately, she sustained a partial tear of her ACL and continued to suffer from intermittent neck, back and hip pain. She also suffered from brief periods of anxiety.
Compensation for Injury:
Thankfully, JE started her rehabilitation quickly and she was able to go back to her employment full-time. This is not always the case with pedestrian accidents. Sometimes pedestrian accidents can result in injuries that change one’s quality of life and they aren’t able to return to work. Our client, JE was very fortunate in that her injuries were treated and healed and she was able to resume her life and occupation. The fact that she returned to full-time employment didn’t mean that she still didn’t need compensation for her accident. Our injury lawyers were able to negotiate a settlement at a private settlement conference in the amount of $40,000.00 for any future medical needs that may arise. Every pedestrian accident is different. *Please note: Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results and that the amount recovered and other litigation outcomes will vary according to the facts in individual cases.
