Francis v. IPCF Properties Inc. et al., (1993) 136 N.B.R.(2d) 215 (TD)

• Judge: McLellan, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: June 09, 1993
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (1993), 136 N.B.R.(2d) 215 (TD)

Francis v. IPCF Prop. Inc. (1993), 136 N.B.R.(2d) 215 (TD);

    136 R.N.-B.(2e) 215; 347 A.P.R. 215

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Jane Francis (plaintiff) v. IPCF Properties Inc., Loblaw's Inc. and Atlantic Wholesalers Ltd. (defendants)

(W/C/99/90)

Indexed As: Francis v. IPCF Properties Inc. et al.

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Judicial District of Woodstock

McLellan, J.

June 22, 1993.

Summary:

A 66 year old plaintiff slipped and fell on an icy slope adjacent to a light standard in a supermarket parking lot. The plaintiff sued for damages.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, dismissed the action. The ice did not constitute an unusual danger.

Damage Awards - Topic 59

Injury and death - Body injuries - Hip - A 66 year old woman fractured her left hip in a fall - The hip was replaced - Prob­lems developed, requiring a future hip replacement - The woman could walk only with the aid of a walker - Three years after the fall, she still had consider­able lack of mobility and discomfort - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, provisionally assessed $45,000 general damages for nonpecuniary loss - See paragraphs 7 to 10.

Torts - Topic 3714

Occupiers' liability for dangerous premises - Invitees - Standard of care of occupiers - Unusual danger - What constitutes - A supermarket parking lot was plowed, but snow accumulated at the base of a light standard had been compacted and formed an icy slope - An elderly woman slipped and fell - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, held that the supermarket was not liable, because the ice did not constitute an unusual danger - The court stated that "the nature of parking lots in the winter in this climate is such that it is inevitable that there will be vari­ous patches of ice, icy slopes of com­pacted snow and other similar hazards" - See paragraphs 11 to 20.

Cases Noticed:

Savoie v. K-Mart Canada Ltd. (1990), 110 N.B.R.(2d) 388; 276 A.P.R. 388 (T.D.), affd. 120 N.B.R.(2d) 171; 302 A.P.R. 171 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 9].

Indermaur v. Dames (1866), L.R. 1 C.P. 274, refd to. [para. 11].

Smith v. Provincial Motors Ltd. (1962), 32 D.L.R.(2d) 405 (N.S.T.D.), refd to. [para. 12].

Campbell v. K-Mart Canada Ltd. (1981), 44 N.S.R.(2d) 21; 83 A.P.R. 21 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 13].

Lingley v. Dominion Stores Ltd. (1978), 23 N.B.R.(2d) 546; 44 A.P.R. 546 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 13].

Mockler v. Acme Investments (1973) Ltd. (1978), 20 N.B.R.(2d) 435; 34 A.P.R. 435 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 15].

Morais v. Pepper's Drug Store Ltd. (1981), 33 N.B.R.(2d) 533; 80 A.P.R. 533 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

Garland v. Chappell's Grocery & Con­fectionery Ltd. (1983), 46 N.B.R.(2d) 444; 121 A.P.R. 444 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

Haché v. Centre de Loisirs de Paquetville (1984), 58 N.B.R.(2d) 262; 151 A.P.R. 262 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

Guitard v. Bon Ami Villa Inc. (1986), 77 N.B.R.(2d) 108; 195 A.P.R. 108 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

Counsel:

Hervé R. Depow, for the plaintiff;

Douglas A.M. Evans, Q.C., for the de­fen­dants.

This action was heard on June 9, 1993, before McLellan, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, who delivered the following judgment on June 22, 1993.