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Common Causes of Car Accidents
There are many potential causes of Toronto car accidents that can result in serious injuries. Many accidents are caused by negligent, inexperienced, or impaired drivers. If you have been involved in an accident due to an impaired or inexperienced driver, you may be eligible for compensation through the form of damages. Contact a car accident lawyer in Toronto to help you file a claim following your accident.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Cases involving drunk drivers often include high rates of speed, increased property damage, serious injuries, and sometimes death. This common cause of a car accident in Toronto can include situations where the at-fault driver attempts to flee the scene.
In Ontario, a person or individual does not personally determine whether criminal charges are brought against the drunk driver. The police will do that. The criminal aspect of the case is separate and very different than the civil aspect, in which Toronto car accident lawyers help with. In the end, the criminal case can have little or no effect on the civil case. This is because the burden of proof is much lower in a civil action.
Negligence Considerations
A plaintiff seeks the same damages as in other accidents, such as general damages for pain and suffering, loss of income, out of pocket expenses, and the cost of future treatment.
Ontario is a no-fault province, which means regardless of who caused the Toronto car accident, there could be coverage under the insurance policy, called Accident Benefits, of the driver that caused the accident. This depends on the circumstances. There are cases where liability is split any number of ways. It could be 25% one person’s fault and 75% another, or there could be 8 cars involved, all bearing some responsibility. Each case is specific to its own set of facts and should be assessed by a skilled lawyer.
Teen Driving Accidents
Teen driving is an unfortunate cause of many Toronto car accidents, due to general inexperience driving on the road. Risks include alcohol use, inexperience, and the inability to follow the rules. Mixing inexperience in driving can result in terrible consequences. These accidents share many similarities with impaired driving accidents, i.e., involving high rates of speed, increased property damage claims and unfortunately, often very serious injuries.
Novice Driving Limitations
In Ontario, if a person is 16 years old, they can get their G2 license or their learner’s permit. A person can be 15 to do the written and classroom parts of the requirements, but cannot do the driving test until they turn 16. An individual must have a G2 license for two years, within the two years they must pass a written test to move up to a G1 license.
During that time period, there are restrictions on the driving privileges. A person can not drive past curfew, there are limits on numbers of individuals that can be in the car and what type of license the passengers or at least one passenger must possess.
There is a two-year limitation period for car accidents for people over the age of 18. If a person is younger than 18 when the car accident occurs, a person’s limitation period changes to two years from the date of their 18th birthday. Further, Individuals that are under the age of 18 also require a litigation guardian to bring a claim for damages.
Avoiding Accidents
Parents should have candid conversations with their children about driving with other teenagers, the use of cell phones, alcohol, and just general driving safety.
Contacting a Lawyer
Collecting as much information as possible at the scene is important for both drunk driving and teen driving accidents. Individuals involved in these common causes of Toronto car accidents should call an experienced lawyer immediately after the accident. Individuals should contact a skilled lawyer that they trust to deal with their complex case.
