If a drunk driver veered onto a sidewalk, killing 10 people and injuring 16, his auto insurance policy would typically pay damages awarded to the injured parties in a lawsuit.But if the driver was found to have driven into the pedestrians intentionally — as Alek Minassian is alleged to have done with a rented van in April 2018 — the insurance providers could argue that no payout is required. Alternatively, they might offer a reduced payout of as little as $200,000 — the statutory minimum for coverage — no matter how much the driver was insured for, and that amount would be shared among the many victims. With the first of several expected lawsuits against Minassian and the van rental company now filed with the court, experts say the victims of the Yonge St. rampage may be denied the benefits they would have received in a typical collision case. “While insurance policies cover most vehicular conduct, if you intentionally injure someone with your car it does not provide coverage because insurance is not intended to cover intentional criminal wrongdoing,” said personal injury lawyer Darcy Merkur.Merkur has filed a $6-million dollar lawsuit against Minassian and the rental van company on behalf of Amir Kiumarsi, who was severely and permanently injured in the incident. The lawsuit alleges Minassian deliberately drove into Kiumarsi and the other pedestrians, or that his negligence resulted in him driving into the pedestrians. It also alleges the rental company, Ryder Rental Truck Canada Ltd., was negligent in allowing Minassian to rent and drive the van. Read more:Case of Yonge St. van attack suspect Alek Minassian heads straight to Superior CourtWho is Alek Minassian, the man accused in the van rampage?‘I was like, how did he get a van?’ Inside the life of Alek Minassian, the Toronto van rampage suspect no one thought capable of murderNone of the allegations in the statement of claim have been tested in court and no sta ...
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