CAR ACCIDENT ON BRITISH COLUMBIA HIGHWAY RELATED TO HOLIDAY RUSH

After Canada Day on July 1, the next statutory holiday in British Columbia is Labour Day weekend. It always seems a long way off because it’s one of the best times to visit friends or family or finally take that road trip with the kids in tow. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when a car accident is more likely, throwing a wrench in carefully made plans and possibly giving cause for a personal injury lawsuit.

As rush hour was in full swing along the Trans Canada Highway, a driver came to a stop so unexpectedly at the Vicar’s Road intersection that the five cars following him collided with each other, accordion fashion. At the scene, five victims required medical attention and were transported to a nearby hospital. Kamloops RCMP are familiar with the seasonal spike in car accidents during holiday periods.

Among the many causes of collisions, following too closely behind the vehicle ahead is recognized as a hazard prevalent during holidays. When the volume of cars on the road increases, the need to keep a safe distance becomes even more important than usual. In this case, however, driver inattention was cited as the cause of the six-vehicle car accident.

Authorities stated that of those sent to hospital, none had life-threatening injuries. The challenge for medical caregivers, however, is to assess the nature and expected duration of an ostensibly minor injury. Injuries from a car accident can range from minor to serious and can have significant impacts on the ability to work or resuming a familiar lifestyle. An experienced British Columbia personal injury lawyer could assist in assessing fault and the potential for a claim that could conceivably include salary and work time losses, medical and follow-up health care expenses and other financial damages accrued due to a holiday weekend gone awry.

Source: cfjctoday.com, “Driver inattention cause of six-car pileup in Valleyview“, Vanessa Ybarra, Sept. 2, 2017