Appeals court upholds liable suit against Sudbury in catastrophic crash
Lisa Marie Belanger suffered severe injuries after head-on collision on MR35 in November 2000
Ontario's top court says a judge was correct in ruling that a devastating car crash occurred only because a municipality negligently failed to ensure the road was snow-free.
The Court of Appeal upheld a $12 million award for Lisa Marie Belanger, saying it found no reason to interfere with an earlier decision that Sudbury was liable for her catastrophic injuries.
Belanger and her family sued the city and regional municipality for negligence following her November 2000 crash.
They argued that local authorities had failed to keep the road in a reasonable state of repair.
Superior Court Justice Robbie Gordon found the region 100 per cent liable for Belanger's injuries, after deciding the crash occurred only because the road was snow-covered and slippery due to improper maintenance.