Fowler et al. v. Schneider National Carriers Ltd. et al., 2001 NSCA 55

• Judge: Freeman, Roscoe and Bateman, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: January 11, 2001
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: 2001 NSCA 55;(2001), 193 N.S.R.(2d) 206 (CA)

Fowler v. Schneider Nat. Carriers (2001), 193 N.S.R.(2d) 206 (CA);

 602 A.P.R. 206

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2001] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. AP.001

Schneider National Carriers Limited, a body corporate, and Michael Magoon (appellants) v. Robert Lloyd Fowler, Kim Fowler and Central Equipment Limited, a body corporate (respondents)

Robert Lloyd Fowler and Kim Fowler (appellants) v. Schneider National Carriers Limited, a body corporate, and Michael Magoon (respondents)

(CA 162820; 164324; 2001 NSCA 55)

Indexed As: Fowler et al. v. Schneider National Carriers Ltd. et al.

Nova Scotia Court of Appeal

Freeman, Roscoe and Bateman, JJ.A.

April 3, 2001.

Summary:

Fowler was seriously injured when the tractor-trailer he was driving collided with an oncoming tractor-trailer on the Trans-Canada Highway. A civil jury found the other driver solely responsible for the accident, but found Fowler 42.5% responsible for his own dam­ages for failing to wear his seat belt. Fowler appealed the apportionment of fault.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal allowed the appeal. Canadian caselaw recognized a maximum apportionment of fault of 25% for failing to wear a seat belt, and the trial judge had failed to so instruct the jury. The court reduced Fowler's apportionment of responsi­bility to 15%.

Torts - Topic 346

Negligence - Motor vehicle - Passengers - General - Contributory negligence of driver or passenger - Failure to use safety equip­ment (incl. seat belts) - [See Torts - Topic 6630 ].

Torts - Topic 6630

Defences - Contributory negligence - Par­ticular cases - Failure to use safety equip­ment (incl. seat belts) - Fowler was seriously injured when the tractor-trailer he was driving collided with an oncoming tractor-trailer on the Trans-Canada High­way - A civil jury found the other driver solely responsible for the accident, but found Fowler 42.5% responsible for his own damages for failing to wear his seat belt - Fowler appealed the apportionment of fault - The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal allowed the appeal - Canadian caselaw recognized a maximum apportionment of fault of 25% for failing to wear a seat belt, and the trial judge had failed to so instruct the jury - The court reduced Fowler's apportionment of responsibility to 15%.

Cases Noticed:

Eng v. Chahoud et al. (1999), 180 N.S.R.(2d) 274; 557 A.P.R. 274 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 25].

Froom v. Butcher, [1975] 3 All E.R. 520 (C.A.), folld. [para. 31].

Galaske v. O'Donnell et al., [1994] 1 S.C.R. 670; 166 N.R. 5; 43 B.C.A.C. 37; 69 W.A.C. 37, refd to. [para. 41].

Jackson v. Millar, [1972] 2 O.R. 197 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Dodgson v. Topolinsky (1980), 125 D.L.R.(3d) 177 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Pugliese v. Macrillo Estate (1988), 67 O.R. 641 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Thurmeier v. Bray (1990), 83 Sask.R. 183 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 44].

Ohlheiser and Ohlheiser v. Cummings, [1979] 6 W.W.R. 282; 4 Sask.R. 402 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 44].

Keller v. Kautz (1982), 20 Sask.R. 420 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 44].

Rinas v. Regina (City) and Bidochka Estate (1983), 26 Sask.R. 132 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 44].

Berube v. Vanest, [1991] O.J. No. 1633 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 44].

Schon v. Hodgins, [1988] O.J. No. 743 (Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 44].

Gervais v. Richard et al. (1984), 48 O.R.(2d) 191 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Stamp v. Ontario et al. (1984), 47 O.R.(2d) 214 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 44].

Beaver et al. v. Crowe et al. (1974), 18 N.S.R.(2d) 562; 20 A.P.R. 562 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 44].

Wallace v. Berrigan (1988), 82 N.S.R.(2d) 395; 207 A.P.R. 395; 47 D.L.R.(4th) 752 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 44].

Holstein v. Berzolla, [1981] 4 W.W.R. 159; 10 Sask.R. 242 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 44].

Ducharme and Holben v. Davies and Rogoschewsky (1981), 12 Sask.R. 137 (Q.B.), affd. [1984] 1 W.W.R. 699; 29 Sask.R. 54 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 44].

Shaw Estate and Shaw v. Roemer and Smith Transport Co. (1982), 51 N.S.R.(2d) 229; 102 A.P.R. 229 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 44].

Earl v. Bourdon et al. (1975), 65 D.L.R.(3d) 646 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Gagnon v. Beaulieu, [1977] 1 W.W.R. 702 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Aujla v. Christensen, [1992] B.C.J. No. 860 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Pharness v. Wallace, [1987] B.C.J. No. 2393 (S.C.), affd. [1989] B.C.J. No. 2112 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 44].

Yuan et al. v. Farstad et al. (1967), 66 D.L.R.(2d) 295 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 55].

Ingles v. Tutkaluk Construction Ltd. et al., [2000] 1 S.C.R. 298; 251 N.R. 63; 130 O.A.C. 201, refd to. [para. 58].

Authors and Works Noticed:

British Columbia, Continuing Legal Edu­cation Society, Civil Jury Instructions, p. 6.02 [para. 36].

Griffiths, W.D., Civil Jury Charges (1995), generally [para. 35].

Linden, Allen M., Canadian Tort Law (5th Ed. 1993), p. 447 [para. 54].

Counsel:

Scott C. Norton, for Schneider National Carriers Ltd. and Michael Magoon;

W. Dale Dunlop, for Robert Lloyd Fowler, Kim Fowler and Central Equipment Ltd.

This appeal was heard on January 11, 2001, by Freeman, Roscoe and Bateman, JJ.A., of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. Freeman, J.A., delivered the following de­cision for the court on April 3, 2001.