Can You Sue for Car Accidents Caused by Faulty Traffic Signals in Alberta?

Yes, Alberta law lets you sue if a malfunctioning traffic signal caused your crash. The tricky part is proving the city or its contractors messed up and that their mistake led to your injuries. Winning these cases takes solid evidence, a clear link between the bad light and your injuries, and a plan for what comes next.

When faulty signals cause a collision, it’s not just another day of paperwork. The maze of insurance claims, city forms, and medical assessments gets complicated—fast. Alberta’s rules are strict. The province’s universal health coverage handles your hospital bills, so your claim focuses on pain and suffering, lost wages, and property damage. For minor injuries, there’s a cap. Catastrophic injuries—like brain or spinal cord trauma—demand a different strategy.

If you’re dealing with the fallout from a busted signal, you deserve to know your options. The Alberta car accident lawyers at MNH Injury Lawyers pick up the phone at (888) 664-5298, so you don’t have to figure this out alone.

GET YOUR FREE CONSULTATION NOW!

Broken Signals, Real Damage

Traffic signals aren’t decorative. When they go haywire, intersections turn into guessing games. 

Here’s what often goes wrong:

• Signals freeze on one light, so everyone thinks it’s their turn.
• Power surges knock out the lights entirely—no one knows who should stop.
• Two directions go green at once, and chaos erupts.
• Timers slip, and drivers misjudge the gap.

These glitches spark the classic intersection crashes: side-impacts at full speed, rear-ends when someone hesitates, and multi-car messes on busy city streets. When signals malfunction, injuries stack up fast. Traumatic brain injuries, herniated discs, and severe whiplash all show up in these files.

Alberta Law: Who Pays for the Chaos?

Alberta puts the burden on cities, towns, and their contractors to keep signals working. If someone ignored maintenance logs, skipped replacing a dead bulb, or didn’t fix known bugs in the light cycle, that’s a breach of duty. But here’s the catch: as mentioned above, you need to show a direct connection between the bad signal and the collision.

If the other driver ran a red because the light was out, or you treated a dark intersection like a green, courts look at who did what and how the malfunction tipped the scales. Alberta’s contributory negligence rules kick in. That means if you made a mistake too, your payout drops by your share of the blame.

To make your case, and reduce (or eliminate) your portion of fault, you need proof. Here’s what works:

• Intersection cameras and dashcam footage.
• 311 service reports about busted signals.
• Freedom of Information (FOIP) requests for city maintenance records.
• Police collision reconstruction reports.

Every bit of evidence strengthens your position and keeps insurers from brushing you off.

Who Gets Blamed (and Pays Up)

When a signal fails and someone gets hurt, the list of responsible parties isn’t short:

• The city or town that owns the signal.
• The maintenance company contracted to keep it running.
• The other driver, if they blew through a flashing red or ignored the rules.
• Utility companies, if their outage killed the lights.

Sometimes, everyone points fingers. Alberta’s joint and several liability rules mean you don’t have to chase each party separately. If one is at fault, you keep your claim alive while they sort it out between themselves. The important thing: the court looks for who had the duty to fix the problem and who dropped the ball. You focus on proving the link.

What You Can Claim: Real Compensation for Real Harm

You want compensation that makes a difference. Alberta’s personal injury laws carve out what you’re entitled to after a crash caused by a malfunctioning signal. 

Here’s what you can claim:

• Pain and suffering: Alberta’s Minor Injury Regulation limits payouts for sprains, strains, and “whiplash” injuries (about $6,182 in 2025 for strictly minor soft-tissue injuries). But if your injuries include a diagnosed concussion, psychological trauma, or chronic pain that won’t quit, you could break through the cap. Major injuries—like brain injuries or spinal cord trauma—face no such limit.
• Lost income: Couldn’t work? Missed shifts add up fast. Alberta law lets you recover actual lost wages. If you’re self-employed, you’ll need records—tax returns, bank statements, even gig apps. For serious injuries, claims can include lost future earning potential. For example: brain or spinal cord damage that makes returning to your trade impossible deserves more than a short-term payout.
• Out-of-pocket costs: Alberta Health covers hospital care, but you still pay for crutches, prescriptions, and physio after the coverage runs out. Every bus ride, taxi, or Uber to therapy matters, so keep your receipts. Big injuries sometimes demand home renovations, wheelchairs, or special equipment. Claim those costs.
• Property damage: Your car isn’t just metal—it’s transportation. If the crash totaled it, or your adaptive driving equipment got wrecked, add those losses to your claim. Electronics like phones or laptops that were damaged in the collision count, too.

You don’t chase ambulance bills or surgery costs here; Alberta’s health care pays those, of course. Your claim covers what’s left—real pain, real disruption, real losses.

Section B Accident Benefits: Immediate Support, No Waiting

You don’t have to wait for the city or insurance companies to argue before you get some help. Alberta’s Standard Automobile Policy, Section B, steps in right away—no need to prove fault. 

Here’s what you get:

• Up to $50,000 for medical and rehabilitation expenses over two years. This goes toward physio, chiropractors, dental work, and more—beyond what the public system covers.
• Disability income benefits up to $400 a week if your injuries keep you from working. For many, this means covering rent or mortgage until you can get back on your feet.
• Death benefits for families in the worst-case scenario.

You apply through your own auto insurer, even if the city’s faulty light triggered the crash. Section B benefits bridge the gap, so you get the care and cashflow you need while your main claim works its way through the system. This safety net matters—don’t skip it.

What to Do Next If You Want to Sue

You got through the hospital. Now you’re home, and you’ve made up your mind. Here’s what makes a difference:

• Keep a pain and symptom journal: Write down every symptom—headaches, neck pain, dizziness, ringing in your ears, tingling, weakness, numbness, trouble sleeping, nightmares. Just be honest and factual—don’t exaggerate or play them down. Note when the pain spikes, how it affects your mood, and every activity you miss because of it. If you miss work, write which days and why. Track all the ways your daily life changed, from needing help at home to missing out on hobbies or time with your kids.
• Save all evidence: Get serious about preserving proof. Download dashcam videos before they’re overwritten. Back up every photo from your phone—your injuries, the damage, the scene. Take screenshots of text messages you sent right after the crash, especially messages to friends, family, or your boss. If you described the accident or your injuries in a text, that timestamp shows what happened and when.
• Ask for video: Reach out to stores, restaurants, or homes near where the accident happened. Many have security cameras pointing at the street. Walk in or call and ask for footage from the day and time of your crash. Footage gets deleted fast, sometimes in 48 or 72 hours. Move quickly, and be polite but persistent. Written requests (by email or letter) work best—keep a copy for your records.
• Follow up on medical care: Book every follow-up appointment your doctor or therapist recommends. Don’t miss physiotherapy or specialist visits. Insurers look for “gaps in treatment” to argue your injuries weren’t serious. If you miss an appointment, write down the reason and try to reschedule as soon as possible. Bring up any new or worsening symptoms at each appointment and ask your provider to document everything.
• Keep receipts and track expenses: Any cost related to your injury matters. Save every taxi or rideshare receipt, parking stub, and public transit ticket for trips to medical appointments. Hang onto pharmacy receipts for pain medications, bandages, braces, or medical supplies. If you buy over-the-counter treatments or hire help around the house, keep those receipts too. Even small expenses add up—and you can claim them all.
• Document all communication: If you speak with your insurance company, employer, or anyone else involved in the case, keep a record. Write down the date, who you spoke to, and what you discussed. Save all letters, emails, and voicemails. This gives you a timeline and can help resolve any disputes later.
• Consider sending a “preservation letter”: If you believe another driver, business, or government is at fault, your lawyer can send a formal notice asking them to preserve evidence—like dashcam video, maintenance records, or incident reports.

FAQ for Can You Sue for Car Accidents Caused by Faulty Traffic Signals?

Get the Green Light on Your Claim

Call (888) 664-5298 now. If a faulty traffic signal has caused your injuries, you deserve compensation. The Alberta personal injury lawyers at MNH Injury Lawyers will handle the legal battles while you focus on your recovery.

GET YOUR FREE CONSULTATION NOW!