Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, [2004] B.C.T.C. 945 (SC)

JudgeGroberman, J.
CourtSupreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
Case DateJuly 14, 2004
JurisdictionBritish Columbia
Citations[2004] B.C.T.C. 945 (SC);2004 BCSC 945

Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, [2004] B.C.T.C. 945 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2004] B.C.T.C. TBEd. AU.014

Barry James Bevilacqua and Rhonda Judith Bevilacqua (plaintiffs) v. Dr. Brian Altenkirk (defendant)

(S6006; 2004 BCSC 945)

Indexed As: Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk

British Columbia Supreme Court

Courtenay

Groberman, J.

July 14, 2004.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Damage Awards - Topic 645

Torts/Quebec responsibility - Injury to the person - Wrongful pregnancy, birth or life - See paragraphs 48 to 225.

Damages - Topic 531

Limits of compensatory damages - Remoteness - Torts - Recoverable damages - Purely economic loss - See paragraphs 96 to 105.

Damages - Topic 2543

Torts affecting the person - Particular damage claims - Wrongful pregnancy, birth or life - See paragraphs 48 to 225.

Medicine - Topic 4259

Liability of practitioners - Negligence or fault - Residents or interns - See paragraphs 30 to 47.

Torts - Topic 6608

Defences - Contributory negligence - General - Requirement of causal connection - See paragraphs 39 to 47.

Torts - Topic 6624

Defences - Contributory negligence - Particular cases - Medical malpractice - See paragraphs 30 to 47.

Cases Noticed:

McLaughlin v. Long, [1927] S.C.R. 303; [1927] 2 D.L.R. 186, consd. [para. 42].

Smithwick v. Hall & Upson Co. (1890), 21 Atl. 924 (Conn. S.C.), consd. [para. 43].

Fredette v. Wiebe (1986), 29 D.L.R.(4th) 534; 4 B.C.L.R.(2d) 184 (S.C.), consd. [para. 55].

Cherry v. Borsman (1990), 75 D.L.R.(4th) 668; 5 C.C.L.T.(2d) 243 (S.C.), varied (1992), 16 B.C.A.C. 93; 28 W.A.C. 93; 94 D.L.R.(4th) 487 (C.A.), consd. [para. 55].

Joshi v. Woolley (1995), 4 B.C.L.R.(3d) 208 (S.C.), consd. [para. 55].

Kealey v. Berezowski (1996), 9 O.T.C. 1; 136 D.L.R.(4th) 708 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 66, footnote 1].

Colp v. Ringrose (1976), 3 L.M.Q. 72 (Alta. T.D.), refd to. [para. 66].

Doiron et al. v. Orr et al. (1978), 86 D.L.R.(3d) 719 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 67].

Cataford v. Moreau (1978), 114 D.L.R.(3d) 585 (Que. S.C.), consd. [para. 68].

Keats v. Pearce (1984), 48 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 102; 142 A.P.R. 102 (Nfld. T.D.), consd. [para. 70].

Cooke v. Suite, [1993] R.J.Q. 514; 15 C.C.L.T.(2d) 15 (S.C.), affd. [1995] R.J.Q. 2765 (C.A.), consd. [para. 72].

Mummery v. Olsson, [2001] O.T.C. 43 (Sup. Ct.), consd. [para. 75].

McFarlane et al. v. Tayside Health Board, [2000] 2 A.C. 59; 250 N.R. 252 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 75].

M.S. et al. v. Baker, [2002] 4 W.W.R. 487; 309 A.R. 1; 2001 ABQB 1032, consd. [para. 76].

M.Y. v. Boutros et al. (2002), 313 A.R. 1; 11 C.C.L.T.(3d) 271; 2002 ABQB 362, consd. [para. 76].

Cattanach v. Melchior (2003), 77 A.L.J.R. 1312 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 77].

Rees v. Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust, [2004] 1 A.C. 309; 313 N.R. 135; 2003 UKHL 52, consd. [para. 81].

Szekeres v. Robinson (1986), 715 P.2d 1076 (Nev. Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 90].

Greco v. United States (1995), 111 Nev. 405; 893 P.2d 345 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 91].

Emeh v. Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Area Health Authority, [1985] Q.B. 1012 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 94].

Custodio v. Bauer (1967), 251 Cal. App.2d 303; 59 Cal. Rptr. 463 (Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 94].

Canadian National Railway Co. et al. v. Norsk Pacific Steamship Co. and Tug Jervis Crown et al., [1992] 1 S.C.R. 1021; 137 N.R. 241; 91 D.L.R.(4th) 289; 11 C.C.L.T.(2d) 1, refd to. [para. 100].

Ultramares Corp. v. Touche (1932), 255 N.Y. 170; 174 N.E. 441 (Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 101].

Hercules Management Ltd. et al. v. Ernst & Young et al., [1997] 2 S.C.R. 165; 211 N.R. 352; 115 Man.R.(2d) 241; 139 W.A.C. 241; 146 D.L.R.(4th) 577, refd to. [para. 101].

Livingstone v. Rawyards Coal Co. (1880), 5 App. Cas. 25 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 106].

Marciniak v. Lundborg (1990), 153 Wis.2d 59; 450 N.W.2d 243 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 112].

Troppi v. Scarf (1971), 31 Mich. App. 240; 187 N.W.2d 511 (Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 157].

Suite v. Cooke, [1995] R.J.Q. 2765 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 157].

Rinard v. Biczak (1989), 177 Mich. App. 287; 441 N.W.2d 441 (Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 157].

Rouse v. Wesley (1992), 196 Mich. App. 624; 494 N.W.2d 7 (Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 157].

Parkinson v. St. James and Seacroft University Hospital NHS Trust, [2002] Q.B. 266; 2001 EWCA Civ 530, consd. [para. 167].

Emeh v. Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Area Health Authority, [1984] 3 All E.R. 1044 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 190].

Zhang et al. v. Kan, [2003] B.C.T.C. 5; 15 C.C.L.T.(3d) 1; 2003 BCSC 5, refd to. [para. 192].

Krangle v. Brisco et al., [1997] B.C.T.C. Uned. H14; 154 D.L.R.(4th) 707 (S.C.), varied (2000), 135 B.C.A.C. 106; 221 W.A.C. 106; 184 D.L.R.(4th) 251; 2000 BCCA 147, revd. [2002] 1 S.C.R. 205; 281 N.R. 88; 161 B.C.A.C. 283; 263 W.A.C. 283; 2002 SCC 9, refd to. [para. 192].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Hart and Honore, Tony, Causation in the Law (2nd Ed. 1985), p. 208 [para. 40].

Linden, Allen M., Canadian Tort Law (7th Ed. 2001), p. 450 [para. 41].

Counsel:

Brian E. Hutcheson, for the plaintiffs;

Barbara J. Norell and Shanti M. Davies, for the defendant.

This case was heard on February 17-19, 23 and 24, 2004, before Groberman, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following decision on July 14, 2004.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.

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    ...Bettel v Yim (1978), 20 OR (2d) 617, 88 DLR (3d) 543 (Co Ct) ......................... 270 Bevilacqua v Altenkirk, [2004] BCJ No 1473, 2004 BCSC 945 ......................... 168 BG Checo International Ltd v British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority, [1993] 1 SCR 12, 99 DLR (4th) 577, [1993]......
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    ...as “wrongful birth” and “wrongful life” claims are not always distinguished from one another. See discussion in Bevilacqua v Altenkirk , 2004 BCSC 945, at n 1 [ Bevilacqua ]. 112 Cattapan, Mykitiuk & Pioro, Notions of Reproductive Harm within each. For heuristic purposes we divide birth tor......
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    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
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    ...cause" of the loss in that the loss results from the type of risk to which the appellant exposed herself: Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, 2004 BCSC 945 at paras. 39–43 (per Groberman J., as he then was). In other words, the plaintiff’s carelessness must relate to the risk that made the actual harm......
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    ...cause" of the loss in that the loss results from the type of risk to which the appellant exposed herself: Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, 2004 BCSC 945 at paras. 39–43 (per Groberman J., as he then was). In other words, the plaintiff’s carelessness must relate to the risk that made the actual harm......
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    ...of the loss: McLaughlin v. Long , [1927] S.C.R. 303 (S.C.C.). In the words of Groberman J. (as he then was) in Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk , 2004 BCSC 945 at ¶ 38: ... It is not enough for the defendant to demonstrate that the plaintiff failed to take reasonable care for his own well-being; the......
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    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • 13 Octubre 2021
    ...of the loss in that the loss results from the type of risk to which the appellant exposed herself:  Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, 2004 BCSC 945 at paras. 39-43 (per Groberman J., as he then was). In other words, the plaintiff’s carelessness must relate to the risk that made the ......
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    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • 21 Abril 2020
    ...cause” of the loss in that the loss results from the type of risk to which the appellant exposed herself: Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, 2004 BCSC 945 at paras. 39–43 (per Groberman J., as he then was). In other words, the plaintiff’s carelessness must relate to the risk that made the actual harm......
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    ...cause" of the loss in that the loss results from the type of risk to which the appellant exposed herself: Bevilaqua v. Altenkirk, 2004 BCSC 945 at paras. 39 - 43 (per Groberman J., as he then was). In other words, the plaintiff's carelessness must relate to the risk that made the actual har......
6 books & journal articles
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    • Canada
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    • 25 Junio 2020
    ...Bettel v Yim (1978), 20 OR (2d) 617, 88 DLR (3d) 543 (Co Ct) ......................... 270 Bevilacqua v Altenkirk, [2004] BCJ No 1473, 2004 BCSC 945 ......................... 168 BG Checo International Ltd v British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority, [1993] 1 SCR 12, 99 DLR (4th) 577, [1993]......
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    ...v. Yim (1978), 20 O.R. (2d) 617, 88 D.L.R. (3d) 543 (Co. Ct.) ................. 268 Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, [2004] B.C.J. No. 1473, 2004 BCSC 945 ...................... 167 BG Checo International Ltd. v. British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 12, 99 D.L.R. (4th) 577, [19......
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    ...v. Yim (1978), 20 O.R. (2d) 617, 88 D.L.R. (3d) 543 (Co. Ct.) ................. 255 Bevilacqua v. Altenkirk, [2004] B.C.J. No. 1473, 2004 BCSC 945 ...................... 161 BG Checo International Ltd. v. British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 12, 99 D.L.R. (4th) 577 ..........
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    • Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law No. 1-1, January 2015
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    ...as “wrongful birth” and “wrongful life” claims are not always distinguished from one another. See discussion in Bevilacqua v Altenkirk , 2004 BCSC 945, at n 1 [ Bevilacqua ]. 112 Cattapan, Mykitiuk & Pioro, Notions of Reproductive Harm within each. For heuristic purposes we divide birth tor......
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