In 2004, sisters Shannon and Erica Deering were in a car accident while traveling along Coates Road to Whitby. While driving their vehicle, Shannon believed she saw an oncoming vehicle approaching in their lane, and swerved off the road landing into a rocky culvert after rolling.
Both sisters experienced severe injuries to their spinal cords, and the other passengers in the car sustained injuries. Four of the five individuals that were injured as a result of the accident chose to sue The City of Oshawa and the Town of Scugog; both responsible for the care and maintenance of the road, claiming that the road conditions were unsafe.
Their basis for this claim was that the road was not suitably lit, that speed limit signs were not clearly posted, there was no center line, and the top of the hill made it hard to gauge where the oncoming vehicle was coming from.
The case was initially presented before Justice Peter Howden, who ruled that The City of Oshawa, The Town of Scugog, and driver Shannon Deering all shared equal responsibility for the accident. As the driver, Deering was held partially responsible for the accident as she was driving above the speed limit (90 km/hr through an 80 zone). The verdict was fought by the other parties, and ultimately went in front of the Appeal and was upheld.
This verdict was rendered in July 2012, and the rumoured settlement for the accident victims was $30 million in total. As the sisters have now been rendered paraplegic, they say they will use their settlement money (although they have not confirmed the amount) to cover their medical bills.