Two separate law firms have filed documents asking the court to authorize a class-action lawsuit for people caught in the mess on Highway 13 last week.
The first collective action was filed last Thursday for all those who were stuck overnight on the highway, some without food or access to a washroom.
At that time, lawyers said they were seeking $ 2,000 for victims, but that was amended Monday to add a claim of $500 per person for exemplary and punitive damages. This means each victim will now claim $2,500.
Physical damages are also being sought, but it varies according to what each person has undergone: this includes wasted gasoline, breakage of automobiles, loss of wages or cargo, among other things.
Complainant Marlene Berman told CTV on Thursday she spent 10 hours trapped in her vehicle and despite repeated calls to emergency services, no one came to help. She said she feared for safety.
"We have charter rights that guarantee our security of our person, and this wasn't there that night," said her lawyer, Joey Zukran.
A second lawsuit is seeking $2,500 per person who was stranded on the highway.
Gilles Beauchamp is now a named complainant. Beauchamp said he was trying to go home on March 14 following a sports injury.
He was not able to go home until around 3 a.m., leading him to suffer because he had no painkillers with him, he alleged in the proceedings.
As many as 1000 people could be involved in the claims.
With files from La Presse Canadienne
