Canadians Injured in the United States
Cross-border accident lawyers representing Canadian victims of US bus, truck, train, and aviation disasters for over 20 years.
If you are a Canadian citizen who was seriously injured in a bus accident, truck accident, train crash, aviation accident, or other mass transportation disaster that occurred on US soil — or in a cross-border accident involving a US-registered carrier — you have legal rights under American law that may entitle you to significantly more compensation than Canadian courts could award.
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki has represented Canadian victims of US accidents for over 20 years. We understand both the legal complexities of cross-border claims and the practical challenges of pursuing a case in another country. You do not need to travel to the United States to work with us.
Canadian injured in a US accident? Call (860) 589-8000 for a free case evaluation — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Why American Law May Be More Favourable Than Canadian Law
This is one of the most important things a Canadian accident victim needs to understand — and one of the most overlooked.
In Ontario, non-economic damages (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life) are capped at approximately $400,000. In most US states, there is no cap on non-economic damages at all. In a catastrophic injury case — paralysis, traumatic brain injury, or the loss of a family member — the difference between Canadian and American compensation can be millions of dollars.
When an accident occurs on US soil or involves a US-registered carrier, American law typically governs the liability claim. This means:
- •No cap on non-economic damages in most US states
- •Significantly higher compensation for pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and emotional distress
- •Access to punitive damages in cases involving gross negligence or reckless conduct
- •The right to sue in American courts regardless of your Canadian citizenship
Important for Quebec Residents: The SAAQ and Your US Claim
This section applies specifically to residents of Quebec. Residents of other Canadian provinces should refer to the general section above.
Quebec has a unique public automobile insurance system administered by the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ). Under Quebec law, the SAAQ provides no-fault bodily injury compensation to Quebec residents injured in traffic accidents anywhere in the world — including the United States.
However, the SAAQ coverage is limited, and there is a critical legal distinction that affects your rights:
- •If the party at fault is also a Quebec resident — SAAQ compensation stands in lieu of all legal rights. You cannot sue the other Quebec party in court, even if the accident occurred in the United States.
- •If the party at fault is a US company or US resident — such as an American bus company, trucking company, or railroad — you retain the right to pursue a US liability claim in addition to any SAAQ benefits you receive.
In most cross-border mass transportation accidents — bus crashes, truck accidents, and train disasters involving US carriers — the at-fault party is a US company. This means Quebec residents in these situations typically have the right to pursue both their SAAQ benefits AND a separate US liability claim.
The SAAQ benefit alone is unlikely to fully compensate a seriously injured victim. A US liability claim against the at-fault American carrier is where the significant compensation comes from — and where Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki can help.
No-Fault Insurance Coverage in New York
If you were injured in a bus, truck, or other vehicle accident in New York State, you may be entitled to no-fault insurance benefits — regardless of who was at fault and regardless of your Canadian citizenship.
New York's no-fault system (also called Personal Injury Protection or PIP) provides up to $50,000 in benefits covering:
- •Medical expenses — hospital, surgical, rehabilitation, and related treatment costs
- •Lost wages — up to 80% of your gross wages, capped at $2,000 per month
- •Funeral expenses — in the event of death
These benefits must be filed within 30 to 60 days of the accident against the bus or vehicle carrier's insurance. Missing this deadline can forfeit your right to no-fault coverage entirely.
Critically: no-fault benefits are completely separate from your liability claim (pain and suffering, permanent injury, wrongful death). Receiving no-fault benefits does not prevent you from pursuing a separate liability claim against the at-fault party. They are two independent sources of compensation.
Other states may have similar no-fault systems with different coverage amounts. Contact us to understand what coverage may be available in the state where your accident occurred.
Our Track Record in Cross-Border Cases
The Windsor Wildcats Bus Crash
In 2005, a bus carrying the Windsor Wildcats girls hockey team was involved in a catastrophic crash near Rochester, New York, killing four passengers and injuring nineteen. Edward Jazlowiecki represented a number of the victims and negotiated significant compensation on their behalf.
A key issue in the litigation was the attempt to apply Canadian damage caps to the claims of Canadian passengers. Our firm successfully argued against this — the accident occurred on US soil, the bus was operating under US carrier regulations, and American law governed the liability. The global settlement in this case totalled $36 million across all plaintiffs and attorneys involved.
The Lac-Mégantic Train Disaster — $72 Million
On July 6, 2013, a runaway train operated by Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway — a US-registered company based in Maine — derailed in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, killing 47 people. Because the railroad was a US company, American law applied to the cross-border liability claim. Edward Jazlowiecki was one of the American attorneys involved in the litigation from the beginning and was interviewed by CBC Radio within weeks of the disaster. The global settlement recovered $72 million for all the victims. This was a global settlement involving multiple law firms and plaintiffs across multiple jurisdictions.
Aviation — Airline Crash Wrongful Death
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki represented the estate of a pilot killed in an airliner crash. The airline initially blamed the pilot for the accident; however, the firm's investigation established that the crash resulted from defective maintenance that had not been disclosed to the crew. The firm successfully pursued a wrongful death claim on behalf of the pilot's estate. The six figure settlement amount is confidential.
How Cross-Border Accident Claims Work
When you are a Canadian injured in an accident on US soil, your claim may involve several layers of compensation:
- •Your Canadian insurance (SAAQ for Quebec residents, provincial coverage for others) — provides some accident benefits regardless of fault, but typically does not fully compensate serious injuries
- •Your US liability claim — the claim against the at-fault US carrier under American law — this is where the significant compensation typically comes from
- •New York no-fault benefits (if the accident occurred in New York) — up to $50,000 for medical expenses, lost wages, and funeral costs, filed separately and independently
- •Underinsured motorist coverage — if the at-fault party's US insurance is insufficient, your Canadian policy may provide additional coverage
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki handles the US liability claim. We work on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Types of Cross-Border Cases We Handle
- •Bus accidents — charter buses, commercial intercity buses, school buses, tour buses, cross-border carriers
- •Truck accidents — commercial 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, tanker trucks under US carrier licences
- •Train and rail accidents — Amtrak, freight railroads, cross-border rail operations
- •Aviation accidents — airplane crashes, airline incidents, and aviation disasters involving US-registered or FAA-regulated carriers
- •Mass disasters — explosions, chemical spills, building collapses on US soil
How Long Do You Have to File?
The statute of limitations for US personal injury claims varies by state — generally two to three years from the date of the accident. However:
- •Claims against government-operated transit systems may have notice deadlines as short as 90 days
- •New York no-fault insurance claims must be filed within 30 to 60 days of the accident
- •Evidence — surveillance footage, driver logs, black box data — can be destroyed within days
Contact an attorney as soon as possible after the accident. The earlier we are involved, the better positioned we are to preserve evidence and protect your rights.
Free Case Evaluation — No Fee Unless We Win
If you or a family member were injured in a US accident, contact Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki for a free, confidential case evaluation. We will explain your legal options, the likely value of your claim under American law, and how we can help — at no cost and with no obligation.
Call (860) 589-8000 — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or submit your case online at jazlowieckilaw.com/contact/free-case-evaluation
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki Law
We have been protecting the rights of the severely injured since 1974. We aggressively represent our clients!
Canadiens blessés aux États-Unis — Vos droits
Si vous êtes un citoyen canadien qui a été grièvement blessé dans un accident d'autobus, de camion, de train ou autre sinistre survenu sur le sol américain, vous avez des droits en vertu de la loi américaine qui peuvent vous donner droit à une indemnisation bien supérieure à ce que les tribunaux canadiens pourraient accorder.
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki représente des victimes canadiennes d'accidents aux États-Unis depuis plus de 20 ans.
Blessé dans un accident aux États-Unis? Appelez le (860) 589-8000 — disponible 24h/24, 7j/7.
Pourquoi la loi américaine peut être plus avantageuse
Au Québec et en Ontario, les dommages non économiques sont plafonnés. Aux États-Unis, la plupart des États n'ont pas de plafond. Dans un cas grave, la différence peut atteindre plusieurs millions de dollars.
La SAAQ et votre réclamation américaine
En tant que résident du Québec, vous êtes couvert par la SAAQ pour les blessures corporelles subies dans des accidents de la route partout dans le monde, y compris aux États-Unis. Cependant, cette couverture est limitée et une distinction juridique importante s'applique:
- •Si la partie responsable est également un résident du Québec — la couverture SAAQ remplace tous vos droits légaux. Vous ne pouvez pas poursuivre en justice.
- •Si la partie responsable est une entreprise ou un résident américain — comme une compagnie d'autobus, une entreprise de camionnage ou un chemin de fer américain — vous conservez le droit de poursuivre une réclamation de responsabilité civile aux États-Unis en plus de vos prestations SAAQ.
Dans la plupart des accidents de transport en commun transfrontaliers impliquant des transporteurs américains, la partie responsable est une entreprise américaine. Cela signifie que les résidents du Québec dans ces situations ont généralement le droit de poursuivre à la fois leurs prestations SAAQ ET une réclamation distincte aux États-Unis.
Couverture sans égard à la faute à New York
Si vous avez été blessé dans un accident à New York, vous pouvez avoir droit à des prestations d'assurance sans égard à la faute — jusqu'à 50 000 $ — couvrant:
- •Les frais médicaux
- •La perte de salaire — jusqu'à 80% du salaire brut, plafonné à 2 000 $ par mois
- •Les frais funéraires en cas de décès
Ces prestations doivent être réclamées dans les 30 à 60 jours suivant l'accident. Elles sont entièrement distinctes de votre réclamation en responsabilité civile pour douleur et souffrance.
Notre expérience — La catastrophe de Lac-Mégantic
Le 6 juillet 2013, un train de la Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway — une entreprise américaine basée dans le Maine — a déraillé à Lac-Mégantic, au Québec, tuant 47 personnes. Edward Jazlowiecki était l'un des avocats américains impliqués dans le litige depuis le début et a été interviewé par Radio-Canada dans les semaines suivant la catastrophe. Le règlement mondial a permis de récupérer 72 millions de dollars pour tous les clients. Il s'agissait d'un règlement mondial impliquant plusieurs cabinets d'avocats et plaignants de plusieurs juridictions.
Aviation — Mort wrongful suite à un accident d'avion
Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki a représenté la succession d'un pilote tué dans l'accident d'un avion de ligne. La compagnie aérienne a initialement attribué l'accident au pilote; toutefois, l'enquête du cabinet a établi que l'accident résultait d'un défaut d'entretien qui n'avait pas été divulgué à l'équipage. Le cabinet a obtenu avec succès une indemnisation pour décès injustifié au nom de la succession du pilote. Le montant du règlement, à six chiffres, est confidentiel.
Évaluation de cas gratuite — Aucun honoraire sauf si nous gagnons
Contactez Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki pour une évaluation gratuite et confidentielle de votre cas. Nous travaillons sur une base contingente — vous ne payez rien à moins que nous ne récupérions une indemnisation pour vous.
Appelez le (860) 589-8000 — disponible 24h/24, 7j/7. Ou soumettez votre cas en ligne à jazlowieckilaw.com/contact/free-case-evaluation
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This was a global settlement involving multiple law firms and plaintiffs across multiple jurisdictions.
This settlement involved multiple attorneys and plaintiffs across multiple jurisdictions.
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