The Innisfail women killed in a bombing in 2011 was involved in three motor vehicle collisions between 2004 and 2011, and she received more than $750,000 in injury settlements.
Victoria Shachtay, 23, was killed while opening a Christmas present disguising a bomb on Nov. 25, 2011.
Her financial advisor, Brian Malley, 57, is charged with first-degree murder and is on trial in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench.
Personal injury lawyer Janice Chapman, who represented Shachtay, testified in court on Wednesday.
Shachtay was paralyzed in a 2004 crash that left her a quadriplegic.
Chapman said that in 2007, Shachtay received $681,705 in a settlement from the 2004 crash. She also received a $33,000 advance during court proceedings.
Two years later, Shachtay was involved in another crash. The settlement from this collision, which was awarded on Aug. 12, 2011, totaled $20,000.
Over the seven years between the first collision and her death, Shachtay slowly regained some strength and feeling in her arms and was able to drive.
In 2011, she was involved in a third collision. This time, she was the driver and her vehicle was severely damaged. The vehicle had been heavily modified to allow her to drive it, since she did not have the use of her feet.
Shachtay contacted Chapman about a settlement to cover the damage costs to the vehicle, but had not pursued it further.
The Crown alleges that Malley killed Shachtay to cut his financial losses.
Court heard earlier that Shachtay was a client of his, and he managed $575,000 from the settlement she received in 2007.
By 2011, the Crown says the money was gone and Malley paid Shachtay out of his pocket, to a total of about $44,000.
The trial continues today in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench with testimony expected from Sarah Shachtay, the victim’s sister.