Fischer v. Johnston, (1998) 215 A.R. 395 (QB)

• Judge: Sanderman, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: January 07, 1998
• Citations: (1998), 215 A.R. 395 (QB)

Fischer v. Johnston (1998), 215 A.R. 395 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1998] A.R. TBEd. JN.003

Richard Fischer (plaintiff) v. Dr. D. Cooper Johnston, D. Cooper Johnston Professional Corporation, Dr. D. William C. Johnston, Dr. A.A. Fitzgerald, A.A. Fitzgerald Pro- fessional Corporation, Dr. Richard Turner, Dr. G.D. Arnett, G.D. Arnett Professional Corporation, Dr. K.W. James, University Hospitals Board and Royal Alexandria Hospitals (defendants)

(Action No. 9603-05083)

Indexed As: Fischer v. Johnston et al.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Sanderman, J.

January 7, 1998.

Summary:

The plaintiff sued several physicians for negligence concerning corticosteroid therapy treatment. Five of the physicians applied to have the claim dismissed against them as being outside the one year limitation period in s. 55 of the Limitation of Actions Act. The issue was whether the discoverability rule applied to s. 55.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that the discoverability rule applied to s. 55 and dismissed the application.

Limitation of Actions - Topic 15

General principles - Discoverability rule - Application of - Section 55 of the Limita­tion of Actions Act provided that an action against a physician for negligence or mal­practice "... may be commenced within one year from the date when the professional services terminated in respect of the matter that is the subject of the complaint, and not afterwards." - Five physicians argued that this wording was a clear indication that the discoverability rule should not apply to s. 55 as time ran from an event which was clearly outside the injured parties' knowledge - Therefore, the discoverability rule could not extend the period prescribed by the legislature - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench rejected the argument and held that the discoverability rule applied to s. 55.

Limitation of Actions - Topic 3103

Actions in tort - Negligence - When time begins to run - [See Limitation of Actions - Topic 15 ].

Limitation of Actions - Topic 9305

Postponement or suspension of statute -General - Discoverability rule - [See Limi­tation of Actions - Topic 15 ].

Medicine - Topic 4324

Liability of practitioners - Bars to actions -Limitation periods - [See Limitation of Actions - Topic 15 ].

Cases Noticed:

Kamloops (City) v. Nielsen and Hughes, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 2; 54 N.R. 1; [1984] 5 W.W.R. 1; 29 C.C.L.T. 97; 8 C.L.R. 1; 10 D.L.R.(4th) 641, refd to. [para. 6].

Central Trust Co. v. Ra­fuse and Cor­don, [1986] 2 S.C.R. 147; 69 N.R. 321; 75 N.S.R.(2d) 109; 186 A.P.R. 109; 37 C.C.L.T. 117; 31 D.L.R.(4th) 481, refd to. [para. 6].

Scott v. Birdsell (1993), 143 A.R. 254; 12 Alta. L.R.(3d) 347 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 8].

Hygaard v. Gailiunas (1997), 202 A.R. 161 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 8].

Brown et al. v. University of Alberta Hos­pital et al. (1995), 172 A.R. 221 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 8].

Peizeiro v. Haberman (1997), 217 N.R. 371; 103 O.A.C. 161 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 9].

Fehr v. Jacob and Bethel Hospital (1993), 85 Man.R.(2d) 63; 41 W.A.C. 63 (C.A.), dist. [para. 9].

Statutes Noticed:

Limitation of Actions Act, R.S.A. 1980, c. L-15, sect. 55 [para. 5].

Limitation of Actions Act, R.S.M. 1987, c. L-150; C.C.S.M., L-150, sect. 14(1) [para. 16].

Medical Act, R.S.M. 1987, c. M-90; C.C.S.M., M-90, sect. 61 [para. 14].

Counsel:

Richard B. Hajduk (Hajduk & Gibbs), for the plaintiff;

E. Bruce Mellett (Bennett Jones Verchere), for the defendants.

This action was heard before Sanderman, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following memorandum of decision on January 7, 1998.