The Court of Appeal grappled with the definition of “person under disability” under the court rules finding that the Rule 20-2 is a “complete code” and does not permit persons under legal disability to bring or defend proceedings in Supreme Court except through a litigation guardian. This claimant raised an “issue of discrimination” referring to the fact that…
The Court of Appeal has effectively eliminated the ability to strike a jury on the grounds of complexity, length and multiple conflicting medical opinion (Rados v. Pannu,2015 BCCA 459). The claimant was injured in a car accident and applied unsuccessfully to strike a Jury Notice filed by the defendants insurance company for a complicated 2…
In this twisted car accident injury case the ICBC claimant asked for $3 million and received only $62,900 for his injury after a Supreme Cour trial. He was also denied his legal costs. The claimant lost his appeal on the issue of quantum but the Court of Appeal found that as the successful party he was entitled to…
In a dramatic admission of medical illiteracy the Court of Appeal conceded that absent expert medical opinion evidence, a judge is not qualified to say what is, or is not, an illness (Saadati v. Moorhead,2015 BCCA 393). The trial judge refused to accept the claimant had suffered a brain injury but found that he had…
ICBC has lost this important injury insurance law appeal, the court concluding that the word “use” includes the grabbing of a the steering wheel by a passenger(Felix v. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia,2015 BCCA 394). This bold decision by Madam Justice Bennett brings insurance coverage to all British Columbia passengers that take control of a vehicle, when it…
A stunning win by this injured cyclist is unanimously upheld against a quick turning driver which caused him to hit a parked car. This personal injury case concerned determination of blame in a car accident involving a cyclist. The claimant suffered injury when bicycling southbound on Blanshard Street in Victoria, B.C. and a vehicle suddenly pulled out into traffic from a nearby…
The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal of a police offer found 20% at fault for injury and death caused by a suicidal individual who drove his vehicle into oncoming traffic killing himself and the other driver (Bergen v. Guliker, 2015 BCCA 283). This case establishes that there is currently no recognized duty of care owned to the…
The Court of Appeal ordered a new trial for this 15 year old car accident personal injury claim involving soft tissue injury, mild traumatic brain injury and unaccepted ICBC offers of $50,000, $110,00 and $120,000 (Han v. Park, 2015 BCCA 324). A documents binder allowed to be given to the jury included: a police accident report; the…
The claimant suffered injuries in a car accident, alleged loss of earnings but failed to disclose court ordered work calendars, personal loan documents, and income tax returns. The Master ordered a harsh sanction of $25,000 against the claimant for failure to disclose the documents. The Supreme Court ,on Appeal, however disagreed with this harsh and punitive sanction (Badreldin v.…
when negligent driving puts another person in peril, rescuers are given special treatment and are allowed to claim damages for injuries resulting from the rescue. However, the claimant in this personal injury appeal case was not able to prove that there was a true peril and therefore was not considered a rescuer ( Ray v.…