Category Archives: Evidence

Developments in the law of evidence.

Court Accepts Expert Testimony, Reduces Rule 53.09 Discount Rates for Future Health Care Expenses

In Gordon v. Greig, Justice Bruce A. Glass has assessed damages arising out of catastrophic injuries to two young men who were involved in the same motor vehicle accident. Both were awarded general non-pecuniary damages of $310,000, the maximum available … Continue reading

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Dangerous Driving Conviction Precludes Driver from Contesting Liability in Civil Action

The decision of Mr. Justice David M. Brown in Caci v. MacArthur raises some interesting questions relating to apportionment of fault. It also applied to this MVA action a line of decisions in sexual abuse cases, where defendants had not been … Continue reading

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Third Party Action Against Plaintiff’s Expert Dismissed on Basis of No Duty of Care and “Witness Immunity”

In an interesting decision, just released, Mr. Justice De Lotbinière Panet dismissed a third party claim brought by a defendant against an engineering firm which had provided a report to the plaintiff. Vie Holdings Inc. v. Imperial Oil Limited was … Continue reading

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U.S. Engineer’s Testimony in Ontario Trial Not “Practice of Professional Engineering” Under s. 12 of PEA

quattrocchi-v-chiquita An interesting issue arose last month at a trial in which our office was involved. The action, Quattrocchi v. Chiquita et al. (link to decision appears above), was a subrogated claim arising out of a fire at a Smiths Falls … Continue reading

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C.A. Dismisses Appeal in Tiger Mauling Case

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the defendant’s appeal in Cowles v. Balac, the case in which Justice Jean MacFarland of the Ontario Superior Court found The African Lion Safari & Game Farm Ltd. liable to a couple mauled by … Continue reading

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C.A. Clarifies Causation Rules in Negligence Cases

In a 2-1 decision, the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal in a medical malpractice case, finding in favour of the defendants. The decision hinged on what evidence a plaintiff must lead in order to show that the defendant’s negligence … Continue reading

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C.A. Reverses Colleague, Holds that Counsel’s Memorandum of Discussion with Expert Not Producible

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal today reversed a July decision of a single judge of that court. The earlier decision of Gillese J.A. was the subject of a previous posting in our blawg (“C.A. Takes Expansive View … Continue reading

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Surveillance Ruled Inadmissible

   Lis v. Lombard Insurance illustrates a common difficulty with surveillance videotape. Under Rule 30.09 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, a “document” (which would include a videotape) on which privilege has been claimed, cannot be used at trial without … Continue reading

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Summary Judgment Granted on Basis of Conflicting Opinions on Quebec Law

Usually, the law of a “foreign” jurisdiction (which, in this context, includes that of the other Canadian provinces) has to be proved at an Ontario trial through expert testimony. If the foreign law is not proved, the general rule is that … Continue reading

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Divisional Court Says Mediator Can’t Be Forced to Testify

In Rudd v. Trossacs Investments Inc., the Divisional Court has ruled that a party to a settlement reached at a mandatory mediation could not examine the mediator as a witness on a subsequent motion seeking rectification of the settlement. Justices … Continue reading

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