A 35-year-old man was sentenced to a prison term of three-and-a-half years after he admitted his role in a hit-and-run accident. The accident left a 10-year-old boy in a coma with severe brain injuries. The man’s wife is also facing an accessory after the fact charge in connection with the collision. She has also entered a guilty plea and was scheduled to be sentenced in March.
The boy was riding a bicycle on the sidewalk on Wexford Avenue in London in October 2013 when he was struck by the man’s vehicle. The boy remained in a coma in a Toronto hospital until he awoke in December 2013, but his recovery is far from complete. His mother says that a once energetic and happy child is now unable to move or feed himself. The head injuries that the boy suffered have also affected his awareness, and he does not understand what has happened to him.
The judge told the man that he had shown a total disregard for humanity when he fled the scene, and he was unmoved by the defence lawyer’s claims that his client was troubled by feelings of guilt and remorse. In passing sentence, the judge said that he hoped that the man would spend the rest of his life haunted by memories of what he had done.
Traumatic brain injuries can be among the most debilitating effects of an auto accident, and they can impact a victim’s quality of life for years afterwards. A personal injury lawyer may bring legal actions on behalf of accident victims or their families when their injuries are caused by the negligent actions of others. Such lawsuits could seek compensation for ongoing rehabilitation expenses, lost income and any potential long-term care costs.
Source: CTV London, “Guilty plea, sentencing in hit-and-run case of Tyler Brooks “, January 31, 2014
