Overview

A university student suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury after her car struck a transport truck and trailer positioned across both lanes of Gore Road in Caledon. A lawsuit was brought against the truck driver and settled before trial for $1,629,000.

Key Takeaways

  • Settlement: $1,629,000
  • Accident type: Car collision involving a transport truck
  • Primary injury: Incomplete spinal cord injury
  • Additional injuries: Reduced neck range of motion, constant back and neck pain, and headaches
  • Resolution method: Settlement prior to trial
  • Notable legal issues: The transport truck and trailer were positioned across both lanes, and salt and dirt obscured the retro-reflective strips
  • Medical treatment: Vertebrae were fused
  • Long-term impact: Significantly reduced neck mobility and constant back pain, neck pain, and headaches

The Case

Our client was a university student driving south on Gore Road in Caledon on her way to see a movie with her boyfriend. A transport truck driver was backing his truck and trailer into his driveway, leaving the vehicle positioned across both the northbound and southbound lanes. Salt and dirt covering the truck and trailer obscured its retro-reflective strips.

The young woman had no warning of the transport truck’s presence and no time to react. Her vehicle struck the side of the trailer at 70 km/h, destroying her car and leaving her trapped. She suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury, and her vertebrae were fused.

As a result, she experienced significantly reduced range of motion in her neck and had to turn her entire body to look in a particular direction. She also experienced constant back pain, neck pain, and headaches. A lawsuit was brought against the transport truck driver, and the case settled prior to trial for $1,629,000.

Why It Matters

This case reflects the serious consequences of a collision involving a transport truck that obstructed both directions of a roadway. The client had no warning of the trailer’s presence before the impact and suffered injuries that significantly affected her mobility.

The $1,629,000 settlement resolved the claim before trial and compensated the client following an incomplete spinal cord injury and ongoing pain.