Higgins Estate v. Arseneau, 2014 NBCA 65

• Judge: Drapeau, C.J.N.B., Larlee and Deschênes, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: June 16, 2014
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: 2014 NBCA 65;(2014), 425 N.B.R.(2d) 109 (CA)

Higgins Estate v. Arseneau (2014), 425 N.B.R.(2d) 109 (CA);

    425 R.N.-B.(2e) 109; 1107 A.P.R. 109

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[French language version follows English language version]

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

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Temp. Cite: [2014] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. NO.007

Renvoi temp.: [2014] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. NO.007

The Estate of Caroline Higgins (appellant) v. David A. Arseneau (respondent)

(102-13-CA; 2014 NBCA 65)

Indexed As: Higgins Estate v. Arseneau

Répertorié: Higgins Estate v. Arseneau

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Drapeau, C.J.N.B., Larlee and Deschênes, JJ.A.

June 16, 2014.

Summary:

Résumé:

A pedestrian (Higgins) was struck and killed by a motorcyclist (Arseneau). A negligence action was brought against Arseneau. Arseneau moved under rule 23.01(1)(a) for the pre-trial determination of the following question of law: "Is the [estate] entitled to recover damages for loss of future or prospective earnings, or loss of earning capacity, as a result of the death of [Higgins] pursuant to the Survival of Actions Act, R.S.N.B. 2011, c. 227, or otherwise?". At issue was whether it was appropriate to determine the issue pre-trial under rule 23.01(1)(a) and, if so, whether such a claim could be maintained, particularly in light of a negative response to the identical issue in another Queen's Bench case approximately one year earlier.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, in a judgment reported (2013), 410 N.B.R.(2d) 354; 1065 A.P.R. 354, answered the question in the negative. The pre-trial determination of this question of law was appropriate under rule 23.01(1)(a) and the court felt bound by stare decisis to follow the earlier Queen's Bench decision resolving the very issue raised. The estate applied for leave to appeal.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal, per Richard, J.A., in a judgment reported (2014), 414 N.B.R.(2d) 397; 1075 A.P.R. 397, granted leave to appeal.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The court stated that "the 'loss' of the income a person could have earned had he or she not died is not an 'actual pecuniary loss' within the meaning of s. 5(1), the recovery-enabling provision of the Survival of Actions Act ; (2) the opposite view is disharmonious with and makes redundant the word 'actual', which means 'existing in fact' and is the opposite of 'possible' and 'contingent'; and (3) the opposite view, if accepted, would bring about a result at odds with the Legislature's stated intention at the time of s. 5(1)'s adoption, which was to exclude recovery of damages for 'loss of expectancy of earnings subsequent to death'. In the result, the appellant estate may not recover damages for that 'loss' during the 'lost years' pursuant to the Survival of Actions Act ".

Damages - Topic 2104

Torts causing death - General - Damages recoverable - Section 6(1) of the Survival of Actions Act provided, in part, that "Where a cause of action survives for the benefit of the estate of a deceased person, only damages that have resulted in actual pecuniary loss to the deceased person or the estate are recoverable ..." - The trial judge ruled that a deceased's estate could not recover damages for loss of future earning capacity or prospective earnings because it did not constitute an "actual pecuniary loss to the estate" - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal agreed, stating that "the 'loss' of the income a person could have earned had he or she not died is not an 'actual pecuniary loss' within the meaning of s. 5(1), the recovery-enabling provision of the Survival of Actions Act ; (2) the opposite view is disharmonious with and makes redundant the word 'actual', which means 'existing in fact' and is the opposite of 'possible' and 'contingent'; and (3) the opposite view, if accepted, would bring about a result at odds with the Legislature's stated intention at the time of s. 5(1)'s adoption, which was to exclude recovery of damages for 'loss of expectancy of earnings subsequent to death'. In the result, the appellant estate may not recover damages for that 'loss' during the 'lost years' pursuant to the Survival of Actions Act. " - See paragraphs 42 to 68.

Damages - Topic 2384

Torts causing death - Particular damage claims - Loss of future income - [See Damages - Topic 2104 ].

Practice - Topic 5261

Trials - General - Trial of preliminary issues - Issues of law - A pedestrian (Higgins) was struck and killed by a motorcyclist (Arseneau) - A negligence action was brought against Arseneau - Arseneau moved under rule 23.01(1)(a) for the pre-trial determination of the following question of law: "Is the [estate] entitled to recover damages for loss of future or prospective earnings, or loss of earning capacity, as a result of the death of [Higgins] pursuant to the Survival of Actions Act, R.S.N.B. 2011, c. 227, or otherwise?" - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal agreed that "pre-trial determination of the legal question arising from the pleadings is the most just and most expeditious manner to proceed. ... there was a real and substantial possibility that to answer the question raised might shorten the trial or result in a substantial saving of costs." - See paragraphs 36, 42.

Torts - Topic 7905

Survival of actions - General - Injuries resulting in death - [See Damages - Topic 2104 ].

Délits civils - Cote 7905

Survie des actions - Généralités - Blessures mortelles - [Voir Torts - Topic 7905 ].

Dommages-intérêts - Cote 2104

Délits civils causant la mort - Généralités - Dommages-intérêts recouvrables - [Voir Damages - Topic 2104 ].

Dommages-intérêts - Cote 2384

Réclamations particulières - Perte de revenus futurs (y compris réclamation pour années perdues) - [Voir Damages - Topic 2384 ].

Procédure - Cote 5261

Procès - Généralités - Instruction de questions préjudicielles - Questions de droit - [Voir Practice - Topic 5261 ].

Cases Noticed:

Duncan Estate v. Baddeley et al. (1997), 196 A.R. 161; 141 W.A.C. 161; 1997 ABCA 100 (C.A.), dist. [para. 3].

Hogan v. Doiron et al. (2001), 243 N.B.R.(2d) 263; 631 A.P.R. 263; 2001 NBCA 97, refd to. [para. 8].

Fermes Dionne ltée/Dionne Farms Ltd. v. Fermes Gervais ltée et al. (2002), 255 N.B.R.(2d) 6; 668 A.P.R. 6; 2002 NBCA 98, refd to. [para. 8].

Boisvert v. LeBlanc (2005), 294 N.B.R.(2d) 325; 765 A.P.R. 325; 2005 NBCA 115, dist. [para. 9].

Adams Estate et al. v. McKiel et al. (2012), 387 N.B.R.(2d) 140; 1001 A.P.R. 140; 2012 NBQB 108, refd to. [para. 26].

MacLean et al. v. MacDonald (2002), 201 N.S.R.(2d) 237; 629 A.P.R. 237; 2002 NSCA 30, refd to. [para. 30].

Patterson v. Canadian Pacific Railway, [1917] A.J. No. 75 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 36].

Turner v. Surrey, [1911] B.C.J. No. 10 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 36].

Walsh v. Nicholls et al. (2004), 273 N.B.R.(2d) 203; 717 A.P.R. 203; 2004 NBCA 59, refd to. [para. 39].

Jean v. Pêcheries Roger L. ltée et al. (2010), 354 N.B.R.(2d) 300; 913 A.P.R. 300; 2010 NBCA 10, refd to. [para. 39].

Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation v. Beaverbrook Art Gallery (2006), 302 N.B.R.(2d) 161; 784 A.P.R. 161; 2006 NBCA 75, refd to. [para. 40].

Trifidus Inc. v. Samgo Innovations Inc. et al. (2011), 375 N.B.R.(2d) 141; 969 A.P.R. 141; 2011 NBCA 59, refd to. [para. 41].

Beaverbrook Art Gallery v. Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation (2013), 403 N.B.R.(2d) 161; 1045 A.P.R. 161; 2013 NBCA 17, refd to. [para. 41].

Baker v. Bolton et al., [1808] EWHC KB J92, refd to. [para. 43].

MacKay Estate v. Smith (2003), 230 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 178; 682 A.P.R. 178; 2003 PESCAD 27, refd to. [para. 44].

St. Onge v. Bel Air Rental Service Ltd. (1972), 7 N.B.R.(2d) 543 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 44].

Gammell v. Wiggins, [1981] 1 All E.R. 578 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 45].

Fitch v. Hyde-Cates, [1982] H.C.A. 11, refd to. [para. 45].

Galand Estate v. Stewart (1993), 135 A.R. 129; 33 W.A.C. 129; 1992 ABCA 334, refd to. [para. 45].

Miles v. Apex Marine Corp. (1990), 498 U.S. 19, refd to. [para. 52].

Atlantic Sounding Co. et al. v. Townsend (2009), 557 U.S. 404, refd to. [para. 52].

Flowers (Administratix) v. Marshall (Administrator) (1972), 208 Kan. 900, refd to. [para. 53].

Harris v. Empress Motors Ltd., [1983] 3 All E.R. 561, refd to. [para. 54].

Anthony v. Fleming, [1962] N.J. No. 4 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 60].

James Estate v. Rentz (1986), 69 A.R. 198 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

Canada (Attorney General) v. Mowat, [2011] 3 S.C.R. 471; 422 N.R. 248; 2011 SCC 53, refd to. [para. 63].

Statutes Noticed:

Fatal Accidents Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. F-7, sect. 3(1), sect. 3(2), sect. 3(3) [para. 12].

Survival of Actions Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. S-18, sect. 2(1), sect. 2(2) [para. 14]; sect. 5(1), sect. 5(2) [para. 13].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Alberta, Law Reform Institute, Report No. 76, Should a Claim for the Loss of a Chance of Future Earnings Survive Death?, generally [paras. 50, 51].

Cooper-Stephenson, Ken, Personal Injury Damages in Canada (2nd Ed. 1996), pp. 448, 449 [para. 34].

Côté, Pierre-André, Beaulac, Stéphane, and Devinat, Mathieu, The Interpretation of Legislation in Canada (4th Ed. 2011), p. 295 [para. 63].

Dobbs, Don B., Law of Remedies: Damages, Equity, Restitution (2nd Ed. 1993), p. 673 [para. 52].

Sullivan, Ruth, Statutory Interpretation (2nd Ed. 2007), pp. 34, 35 [para. 50].

Vanderlinden, Jacques, Snow, Gérard, and Poirier, Donald, La Common Law de A à Z (2010), generally [para. 60].

Waddams, S.M., The Law of Damages (2013) (looseleaf release 22), ch. 12, pp. 6, 11 [para. 34].

Counsel:

Avocats:

George A. McAllister, Q.C., for the appellant;

David G. O'Brien, Q.C., and Patrick J.O. Dunn, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on June 16, 2014, before Drapeau, C.J.N.B., Larlee and Deschênes, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal. The judgment of the Court was delivered orally by Drapeau, C.J.N.B., on June 16, 2014, with written reasons in both official languages delivered on November 6, 2014.