TORONTO - Ontario's top court has upheld a jury award of more than 100-thousand dollars to each of two young children for the loss of their mother in a car crash.
The Appeal Court says the amounts may have been high but were still reasonable.
The case involved the death of 30-year-old Michelle Vokes, who was killed when her minivan was demolished by a car driven by Randy Palmer six years ago in Owen Sound, Ontario.
Palmer was driving as fast as 120 kilometres an hour in a 50 zone when he slammed into Vokes.
Last year, the jury awarded 117-thousand to her daughter who was five at the time of the crash, and 135-thousand to her daughter who was three for the loss of care, guidance and companionship.
Family lawyer Adam Little says the ruling is the first to put the non-economic loss of a parent on a footing with the loss of a child and could mean higher awards in the future.
