Compensation for overpass orphan will be limited: lawyer

A boy who was orphaned when a Laval overpass collapsed on his parents and uncle would be eligible for no more than $285,000 in compensation because of Quebec's no-fault insurance laws, a lawyer says.

Tonnes of concrete and steel from an overpass on Highway 19 collapsed on Saturday, killing the boy's relatives and two others as well as injuring six.

But Janick Perreault, a Montreal lawyer who specializes in highway accident compensation, said the families of the victims will not be able to sue the government for any damages.

"The laws on automobile insurance that are actually in effect in Quebec right now prevent any civil lawsuit," Perreault told the CBC.

That means the eight-year-old boy, who was an only child and has no other immediate relatives, will receive government compensation prescribed within the limits set by Quebec's auto insurance board, the Socit de l'assurance automobile du Qubec (SAAQ).

Victims of road accidents causing death can claim between $57,000 and $285,000 from the SAAQ, Perreault said.

No family members have come forward yet to seek compensation, the provincial board said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the eight-year-old has been slowly returning to his regular routine and spent a half-day in school on Tuesday, where a psychologist is monitoring him.

The boy is living temporarily with his mother's best friend.

On Tuesday, Premier Jean Charest's government appointed former premier Pierre Marc Johnson to head an inquiry into the fatal collapse.