Cycling accidents are common in any Canadian or US metropolis, and Toronto is no exception, as Toronto personal injury lawyers know. Toronto, in fact, has a dubious cycling record compared to other cities. For instance, Toronto has only 6 kilometers more on-street bike lanes compared to Montreal, even though Montreal’s downtown core is significantly smaller and, per 100,000 civilians, Toronto has 11kms of bike lane to Montreal’s 27kms. Toronto, though, has a very similar amount of total cyclists. With so many cyclists and so few bike lanes, car accidents are bound to accumulate. Fortunately, we can help you through your car accident personal injury claim if you’re an injured cyclist.
No-Fault Benefits and Claims in Auto Accidents
Ontario’s accident insurance runs on a modified no-fault system. In a pure no-fault system, the insurers for all the drivers involved essentially settle the allocation of payments amongst themselves, regardless of the driver who caused the accident. Under pure no-fault, drivers are not allowed to sue one another since the system assumes that the insurance companies will provide adequate coverage. Ontario’s system is modified in that, while insurers still provide coverage regardless of fault (i.e. no-fault benefits), if damages exceed certain levels then drivers are allowed to sue for damages.
Making a Car Accident Personal Injury Claim as a Cyclist
For cyclists, not much is different from the car accident scenario above. To make a car accident personal injury claim and begin the process of securing no-fault benefits, you can either notify your own auto insurer (if you have an insurance policy on a car) or make a claim through the other driver’s insurance policy. Make sure to contact the insurer within seven days of the accident. The insurer will then provide you with documents and put you in a position to claim benefits. If the benefits are inadequate, you can always contact a Toronto personal injury lawyer to get the compensation you deserve.
Sources:
https://www.cycleto.ca/sites/default/files/The%20Injured%20Cyclist_0.pdf
http://www.blogto.com/city/2012/09/how_does_the_toronto_bikeway_network_compare_with_other_cities/