There is a truly shocking lawsuit that has been filed in Toronto in which Sharlene Simon, 42, is suing Brandon Majewski, 17, (left) despite the fact that he died in a terrible accident that also seriously injured his friend, Richard McLean, 16, and hurt Jake Roberts, 16. Simon struck the boys from behind in her SUV and she is now claiming emotional damages stemming from the fact that the boys were “incompetent bicyclists.” She is suing the boys, their families, the city, and even the brother of one of the boys in seeking $1.35 million. While we have seen a couple of truly despicable lawsuits, this one just may set a new low among bottom feeders.
The boys had set out late a night for hot dogs along a country road some 90 miles outside of Toronto. Simon hit Brandon at 90 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the two-lane road. McLean suffered a broken pelvis and other bones and Roberts was knocked off his bike. Simon’s husband, a police officer, was following behind her car.
Simon is the mother of three and claims that she suffers from epression, anxiety, irritability and post-traumatic stress. It appears that the death of this boy was not enough. She is suing him, his family, and his friends.
She says that she did not see their reflectors and that they were negligent in peddling their bikes.
The family of Brandon are not only dealing with his death but his brother Devon, 23, who had just graduated as a paralegal, died in the aftermath o the accident. The family said that he was dealing with overwhelming grief and accidentally overdosed on pills mixed with alcohol in his bedroom.
The families are suing Simon for allegedly speeding and causing the accidents. They also suggest that she had been drinking but that police did not require that she take a breathalyzer and her officer husband drove her home. I could well understand this accident not being due to negligence by Simon. Indeed, police seemed to attribute the claim on the bicyclists.
What I cannot understand is how she could sue these families which are still struggling with such a devastating loss. Even if this was a move to force the dropping of any claim by Simon, I cannot imagine filing such a claim. None of the reports indicate the name of the lawyer who filed against these families, but things must be pretty tight for cases to justify this lawsuit. It is not a frivolous lawsuit in the sense such a claim is recognized in the context of an accident. It is heartless however and likely to produce many pain for the families than damages for Simon. Even if the boys were at fault, she appears to have been reportedly speeding and failed to see the reflectors. That does not make for a good case for recovery.
Source: Toronto Sun
The killer was driving the SUV with her police officer husband following behind. No drug testing was done and her husband took her home from the scene. She professionally knows how to work the system.
Tis enough to make me wish I believed in hell. What a horrible, awful, selfish person.
Raff,
As I respect your view, why wow?
All I can say is Wow over the lawsuit and Wow over the comments thus far.
Kraaken,
This is Canadian law.
Kraaken w/ thread winner!!
How could she sue, J.T.? Don’t you teach tort law? This is the kind of society ready made for lawyers.
Just because Simon ran into the kid, does not mean she is at fault. It was unclear from the description in the post who was actually cited, if anyone. “Even if the boys were at fault, she appears to have been reportedly speeding and failed to see the reflectors. That does not make for a good case for recovery.”
Maybe Mrs. Simon is trying to earn the “Most Shocking Case of Chutzpah” 2014.
Might want to change this story to Canada, Toronto. Lake simicoe or something like that.
So this really is a suet counter suet. That is par for our professional course.
Perhaps an investigation of local Police procedure’s by the state’s Attorney Generals Office will uncover a cover-up?
Far too many of these crashes occur with the cyclist being legally required to drive on the right side of the road and be a “sitting duck” for weaving vehicles that will unawares hit and kill them. Like pedestrians, for safety’s sake cyclists need to be facing the traffic they encounter. A case where they need to break the law to be safe.
Paul Schulte
Dredd – the only person I know that suffers from symbolic racism is you.
==================
And the only person I know who would believe that is you.
I suffer from seeing indoctrinated people like you clueless about what is happening in the brain engine down under your hood.
It is fascination though, proving many social science hypotheses.
Even Sterling, another great specimen, understands that:
(Jonathan Turley Blog, emphasis added)
issac,
A little OT… but, in the same vein:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27166848
(“Punishment or Witness Elimination?” is the question in this case.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/04/28/confessed-brazilian-torturer-found-murdered/ )
Growing up, I had a friend who’s older brother was exactly like this. He hit an old man who was jaywalking. The old man broke his hip and other bones. The driver of the Jaguar XKE sued the old man for dents to his car. My friend’s older brother was notorious for this sort of attitude. He absconded with proceeds from charity events, dodged taxes constantly by manipulation of ownership and earning sources, etc. Eventually he was found dead, naked in the snow outside of a cabin in a ski resort. Perhaps the same will happen to Simon and her husband. Live by the attitude, die by the attitude.
Reminds me of those who suffer from symbolic racism.
Both are forms of victim bashing.
Dredd – the only person I know that suffers from symbolic racism is you.
Jonathan, I have heard the phrase you just used, “How could she sue” thousands of times from people when discussing cases. In this case my answer is she does not have a soul, and she obviously called Saul.
Disgusting, Sociopath’s in action!
You put the pressure on the other side to settle or back off. If Simon’s husband were not a police officer, this probably would not happen.
Tie her to some Railroad tracks…. and then let her sue the Engineer, from ‘Hell’!
This is Toronto, anything can happen. Cop husband following behind her.