A principal issue in this car accident injury appeal was whether the trial judge erred in finding that the claimant had failed to mitigate. The symptoms of chronic pain having been conclusively established by the finding of causation, ICBC failed to prove that she had failed to mitigate her injuries (Park v. Targonski,2017 BCCA 134). The court…
There is no presumption of negligence in law simply because a vehicle hauling a trailer drives off the road. In a unanimous reversal this son’s negligence claim against his father has been sent back for a new trial.( click here to read Haynes v. Haynes, 2017 BCCA 131 ) A father and son were hauling a trailer loaded…
Medical malpractice claims are among the most complex, risky and unpredictable civil claims to bring before the British Columbia court. This Court of Appeal case reveals the extent to which timing a medical negligence claim with recovery can determine the successful outcome of the case (Bell v. Wigmore, 2017 BCCA 82). This claimant suffered tinnitus, dizziness and…
Canada Pension Plan (“CPP ”) disability benefits are not considered part of a “policy of insurance” says the Supreme Court of Canada ( click here for Sabean v. Portage La Prairie Mutual Insurance Co., 2017 SCC 7) as CPP is a mandatory government program. This is an important decision for injury claimants in Nova Scotia. However, this decision…
The B.C. Women’s Hospital and one of it’s nurses successfully appealed this $1.7 million personal injury award in which they were found to have negligently injured a patient ( 2015 BCSC 1941 ). The trial judge found the Nurse to have breached her duty of care owed to the patient, when placing the claimant’s left foot on…
In a case of bus driver negligence causing injury, the Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of ICBC and Translink, finding the circumstantial evidence adequate to infer negligence (click here for Benavides v. ICBC, 2017 BCCA 15). However, the Court of Appeal sidestepped the real underlying issue: should public carriers be under a stricter test of…
How many of these cases have you read? Personal Injury law evolves through changes in the common law application of accepted legal principles as well as legislative change and interpretation. This article focuses on changes in the common law and legislative interpretation in BC, not new legislation, of which there was very little in 2016…
Helping understand loss of earning capacity claims in BC in today’s personal injury case the claimant was a passenger when a row of cars stopped at a red traffic light. The light turned green and the defendant lifted his foot from the brake of his car, and his car began to roll forward. He did not…
The trial judge found the jury’s conclusions in this personal injury case to be conflicting and dismissed the appellant’s application to enter judgment on the terms of the jury verdict. He ordered a retrial to take place before him, without a jury. This is an appeal from those orders. The claimant was injured in a…
This Court of Appeal decision assists appellants by not requiring leave for dismissal of juries in ICBC personal injury cases. The lawyer representing ICBC in his closing argument in front of a jury alleged that the claimant told half truths in her testimony about the car accidents and her injuries. This was in itself…