Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has filed a lawsuit against the province, a local construction company and its employee after claiming that defective construction work on a Winnipeg roadway resulted in damage to 12 insured vehicles.
A statement of claim was filed on May 8, according to a report by CBC News, with MPI alleging that the damage occurred between October 11-13, 2021, on a section of the Perimeter Highway under the Roblin Boulevard overpass.
Specifically, the lawsuit argued that the damage to the vehicles were caused by defects in repairs made by local construction company Winitec, which the provincial government had contracted to mill down the roadway and resurface it with new concrete and/or asphalt.
The milling process resulted in an uneven surface, the suit claimed, where the new and existing roadways merged without adequate signage to warn drivers.
This uneven section allegedly damaged the tires and/or rims of the affected vehicles, which include two Kias, two BMWs, two Hondas, an Infiniti, a Tesla, a Jaguar, a Lincoln, a Ford, and a Volkswagen.
According to the lawsuit, the province of Manitoba holds responsibility for the construction, maintenance, and repair of the roadway under the overpass.
Furthermore, it claimed that Wintec is indirectly responsible for the damages caused as the milling work was performed by one of its employees.
Manitoba, Wintec, and the employee failed to adhere to general construction industry standards, infrastructure policies, and work zone regulations in their handling of the roadway, the lawsuit stated.
They also failed to close the milled down roadway to traffic, neglected to ensure driver safety, and did not provide a ramp for drivers crossing the uneven section, the suit added.
MPI is seeking approximately $32,000 plus interest to cover the costs of repairing the damages to the vehicles and refunding deductibles, according to CBC News, in addition to court fees and any additional expenses deemed justifiable by the court.
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