A class-action lawsuit for more than $250 million has been filed against the city on behalf of victims who crashed on the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

The lawsuit alleges city negligence in the design, construction and maintenance of the seven-kilometre creek valley parkway. The statement of claim served Thursday also alleges the city "hid" a 2013 report about poor roadway friction.

"Despite having that report in their possession, the City of Hamilton took no remedial measures and as a result, parties were injured and some lost their life," said the plaintiffs' legal team Thursday.

None of the claims have been proven in court and the lawsuit has not been certified.

Spokesperson John Hertel said city lawyers were still reviewing the statement of claim late Thursday.

Representative plaintiffs include Corinne Klassen, a 54-year-old mother of three from London who survived a single-vehicle crash on the parkway in October 2016, and the family of Michael Sholer, who died in a crash in January 2017.

Sholer's sister, Missie Sholer, said via email that she wants the class action to give other Red Hill victims "the opportunity to be heard."

"I want the city to be held accountable for their mistakes," she said Thursday. "I want the road to be brought up to code and safe for all drivers. ... I want to know why the report was hidden for so many years and who found it in 2018."

Around 25 crash victims have joined the class action — so far, said lawyer Rob Hooper. He estimated close to 2,000 vehicles have lost control on the parkway since it opened in 2007. "We think there are many more victims out there."

The class action seeks around $250 million in general, aggravated and punitive damages on behalf of all prospective plaintiffs, and a further $17 million on behalf of the representative families.

Lawyers from Grosso Hooper and Scarfone Hawkins are seeking damages because of buried 2013 test results that showed overall lower friction on the roadway.

That report inexplicably remained secret until it was rediscovered last year and revealed publicly in February. The report had called for further investigation and possible remedial action that never happened.

During the time that the report remained buried, there were more than 200 serious collisions — including four fatal crashes — on the parkway.

A 2017 award-winning investigation by The Spectator found the Red Hill Valley Parkway had more than double the amount of crashes as the connecting Lincoln Alexander Parkway.

Most crashes happen in curvy parts of the road.

Klassen suffered significant musculoskeletal injuries and a concussion in the crash and remains "totally disabled," says the statement of claim. She was charged with careless driving and paid a $400 ticket.

She alleges her vehicle was between Greenhill Avenue and King Street when "without warning or any logical reason" her vehicle slipped, spun three times and hit the guardrail three times.

The suit says Sholer died after his vehicle began "slipping," went through the median and collided with a transport truck in oncoming traffic.

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The city has appointed Justice Herman Wilton-Siegel to head a judicial investigation into the circumstances behind the discovery of the troubling safety report. An $8.5-million repaving of the parkway is slated for later this month.

Hooper said his clients support and will seek standing in the inquiry, but added the legal team still plans to move forward with a certification motion before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Hamilton.

The legal team is interested in hearing from other individuals involved in crashes on the parkway at redhill@grossohooperlaw.ca or 905-522-8002, ext. 105.

mvandongen@thespec.com

905-526-3241 | @Mattatthespec

noreilly@thespec.com

905-526-3199 | @NicoleatTheSpec

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