Warns Public Against Drunk Drivers as the Summer Driving Season Heats Up

A personal injury law firm serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), warns the driving public and pedestrians against drunk drivers after an infant and adult male were killed in two separate motor vehicle accidents in Ontario.

Peel Regional Police charged a 32-year-old man with impaired driving-related offences after a man was killed in Mississauga. Two other people were injured in the crash. In a separate incident, charges have been laid against an alleged drunk driver following the death of a 17-month-old girl in a collision; the 36-year old mother was airlifted to hospital in critical condition, while the 38-year old father received minor injuries. (Sources: Kitching, C., “Impaired charges laid in fatal crash in Mississauga,” June 1, 2013, 

http://www.cp24.com/news/impaired-charges-laid-in-fatal-crash-in-mississauga-1.1307661#ixzz2VGRIlM00; Ritchie, D., “Drunk driving charges laid in crash that killed infant,” March 17, 2013, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2013/03/17/toronto-kitchener-fatal-collision-infant-girl-killed.html.)

“Every year, roughly 17,000 drivers are convicted of Criminal Code of Canada offences," says Spyros Bekiaris, a lawyer at Hanson Duby. "Drinking and driving offences are one of Ontario’s most significant road safety issues. Over the last 10 years, more than 2,000 people have died and more than 50,000 have been injured at the hands of a drunk driver.” (Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation, “Impaired Driving; Fact Sheets,” http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/fact-sheet.shtml, last accessed June 7, 2013.)

Bekiaris joined Hanson Duby Personal Injury Law as an associate in September 2010. He graduated from York University with an Honours BA in political science in 2006 and from the Queen’s University Faculty of Law with a JD in 2009. He formerly worked at a boutique insurance defence firm in Toronto, representing insurance companies.

Bekiaris has appeared before the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the Small Claims Court, the Superior Court of Justice, and the Divisional Court. Bekiaris represents clients in a variety of disputes, including motor vehicle accidents, accident benefits, slips and falls, property damage claims, and assault, representing the victims. Bekiaris is a member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and the Hellenic Canadian Lawyers’ Association.

“Every year, people are tragically and unnecessarily injured or killed in accidents on Ontario highways," Bekiaris adds. "Whether at the hands of a drunk driver or a reckless driver, or through other causes, these accidents can impact a victim's life in a flash.”

Drunk-driving accidents can be emotionally and physically traumatizing, leaving severely injured victims in their wake. In many cases, victims and family members are left with a lifetime of pain and costly treatment.

Victims involved in an alcohol-related crash need to consult with a personal injury lawyer in Toronto immediately after the accident occurs. They can provide useful advice relevant to your personal injury case and help victims receive all available compensation they deserve, from pain and suffering to missed salary earned, and accident-related expenses such as attendant care, rehabilitation, and medical services.

  

Hanson Duby Personal Injury Law is a personal injury law firm located in the Annex district of Toronto. The firm specializes in helping injured victims obtain compensation due to car accidents, long-term disability claims, life insurance claims, and product liability claims. The firm serves clients from across the Greater Toronto Area and provides service in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, Greek, and French. The site will soon evolve again and be updated to include pages in Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, and Greek to better serve those communities.

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.HansonDuby.com or by calling 416-588-9100.