March 7, 2022

Flurries with a Chance of Slip and Falls: Best Practices...

The presence of ice during the winter in New Brunswick is not unusual. Neither are slip and falls. Every year, business owners run the risk that an individual might slip and fall on their property, suffer an injury, and bring a legal action against them, as the owner of the property, for damages. These damages […]

Damages Arising From Future Loss of Income Determined on Gross,...

MacDonald v MacVicar, 2018 NSSC 272 provides judicial guidance on s. 113BA(1) of the Insurance Act, RSNS 1989, c 231 (“Act”), holding that future loss of income damages for plaintiffs injured in motor vehicle accidents should be calculated on a gross, rather than net basis. Background In MacDonald v MacVicar, 2018 NSSC 271, the court […]

April 18, 2019

Seasonal Worker Did Not Qualify as “Employed” for Purposes of...

In Temple v. Aviva Insurance Company of Canada,1 the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador determined that the plaintiff, a seasonal worker, was not employed at the date of the motor vehicle accident. As a result, he did not qualify for loss of income payments under Section B of Newfoundland and Labrador’s standard automobile insurance […]

New Brunswick Court of Appeal Rejects Loss of Inheritance Claim...

The recent decision of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal in Higgins v. Arseneau, 2019 NBCA 21, will be of interest for anyone involved with fatality claims in New Brunswick. The Court upheld the trial decision dismissing a claim brought on behalf of siblings for loss of inheritance arising out of the accidental death of […]

April 2, 2019

Court Denies Plaintiff’s Application for an Advance or Periodic Payment

In White v. Meiting,1 the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador denied a plaintiff’s application for an advance or periodic payment. In doing so, the court clarified the criteria which must be satisfied by a plaintiff who seeks an advance payment of special damages pursuant to Rule 44A of the Rules of the Supreme Court, […]

Rule 22 Motions: No Discovery? No Problem!

In Linda Trevors v. Anne Doucet, Lea Allard, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Canada Company, and Co-operators General Insurance,1  (hereinafter “Trevors v. Doucet”) the moving party applied for summary judgment early in the proceeding.  Discovery had not yet occurred.  The applicants were successful on the motion despite allegations it was premature. Background On May 16, 2015, a head […]

The Importance of Plaintiff Credibility in Determining Causation

A recent Nova Scotia Supreme Court case, Gale v Purcell, 2018 NSSC 319, demonstrates how the credibility of a plaintiff can play a central role in assessing causation in a motor vehicle accident. Background On September 19, 2006, the Plaintiff, Angela Marie Gale (“Gale”) sustained injuries in a motor vehicle accident (“2006 MVA”). On March […]

Mitigation, Credibility and Deductions: A Case Comment on Ryan v....

In Ryan v. Curlew, 2018 NLSC 72, the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador assessed damages in the context of a personal injury claim.

“Irreconcilable incongruity” in Plaintiff’s reporting disallows claim for loss of...

In Bent v. MacFarlane, contradictions in Bent’s self-reporting and her lack of attempt to seek a medical resolution to an alleged chronic pain syndrome proved extremely limiting to her claim for damages.

Legislation Protecting Innocent Co-Insureds Is Now a Reality in New...

Bill 30 – An Act to Amend the Insurance Act (the “Bill”) was introduced to the New Brunswick Legislature by the Honourable Cathy Rogers on December 16, 2017. The amendments were proposed in order to prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to innocent co-insureds for property damage caused by an abusive partner and to enhance the protection of assets for victims of intimate partner violence.