Kealey v. Berezowski et al., (1996) 9 O.T.C. 1 (GD)

• Judge: Lax, J.
• Court: Ontario Court of Justice General Division (Canada)
• Case Date: July 04, 1996
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (1996), 9 O.T.C. 1 (GD)

Kealey v. Berezowski (1996), 9 O.T.C. 1 (GD)

MLB headnote and full text

Kimberley Dawn Kealey and William Kevin Kealey (plaintiffs) v. Reva Berezowski and The Grey Bruce Regional Health Centre (defendants)

(93-CQ-64495)

Indexed As: Kealey v. Berezowski et al.

Ontario Court of Justice

General Division

Lax, J.

July 4, 1996.

Summary:

After undergoing a tubal ligation, Mrs. Kealey gave birth to a third healthy daughter. Mrs. and Mr. Kealey sued the doctor who performed the tubal ligation for negligence.

The Ontario Court (General Division) held that the doctor was negligent. The court awarded Mrs. Kealey $30,000 general damages for the pregnancy, labour and delivery and the necessity to undergo a second tubal ligation. The court awarded Mrs. and Mr. Kealey damages for loss of income and agreed special damages. The court declined, in the circumstances, to award damages for the costs of raising the child.

Damage Awards - Topic 634

Torts - Injury to the person - Medical malpractice - See paragraphs 35 to 113.

Damage Awards - Topic 645

Torts - Injury to the person - Wrongful pregnancy, birth or life - See paragraphs 35 to 113.

Damages - Topic 1002

Mitigation - General principles - Duty to mitigate - See paragraph 87.

Damages - Topic 2543

Torts affecting the person - Particular damage claims - Wrongful pregnancy, birth or life - See paragraphs 35 to 113.

Medicine - Topic 4245

Liability of practitioners - Negligence or fault - Surgical operations by doctors - See paragraphs 3 to 34.

Words and Phrases

Wrongful birth - The Ontario Court (General Division) provided a definitional framework for the phrase "wrongful birth" - See paragraph 36.

Words and Phrases

Wrongful life - The Ontario Court (General Division) provided a definitional framework for the phrase "wrongful life" - See paragraph 37.

Words and Phrases

Wrongful pregnancy - The Ontario Court (General Division) provided a definitional framework for the phrase "wrongful pregnancy" - See paragraph 38.

Cases Noticed:

Doiron et al. v. Orr et al. (1978), 20 O.R.(2d) 71; 86 D.L.R.(3d) 719 (H.C.), refd to. [paras. 2, 54, 83].

Arndt et al. v. Smith (1994), 93 B.C.L.R.(2d) 220 (S.C.), affd. (1995), 61 B.C.A.C. 57; 100 W.A.C. 57; 6 B.C.L.R.(3d) 201 (C.A.), folld. [paras. 37, 98].

Emeh v. Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Area Health Authority, [1984] 3 All E.R. 1044 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 40 et seq.].

Thake v. Maurice, [1984] 2 All E.R. 513 (Q.B.), affd. [1986] 1 All E.R. 497 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 40 et seq.].

Custodio v. Bauer (1967), 251 Cal. App.2d 303; 59 Cal. Rptr. 463 (Cal. Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 41 et seq.].

Stills v. Gratton (1976), 55 Cal. App.3d 698; 127 Cal. Rptr. 652, refd to. [paras. 41, 49].

Turpin v. Sortini (1981), 119 Cal. App.3d 690; 174 Cal. Rptr. 128, revd. (1982), 31 Cal.3d 220; 643 P.2d 954; 182 Cal. Rptr. 337, refd to. [para. 41].

Shaheen v. Knight (1957), 6 Lycoming R. 19; 11 Pa. D. & C.2d 41, refd to. [para. 42].

Christensen v. Thornby (1934), 192 Minn. 123; 255 N.W. 620, refd to. [para. 42].

Lovelace Medical Center v. Mendez (1991), 805 P.2d 603 (N.M. Sup. Ct.), refd to. [paras. 42, 74].

Sherlock v. Stillwater Clinic (1977), 260 N.W.2d 169 (Minn.), refd to. [paras. 45, 49].

Allen v. Bloomsbury Health Authority, [1993] 1 All E.R. 651 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 47].

Walkin v. South Manchester Health Authority, [1995] 4 All E.R. 132 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 47].

Troppi v. Scarf (1971), 31 Mich. App. 240; 187 N.W.2d 511 (Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 48].

Ochs v. Borrelli (1982), 187 Conn. 253; 445 A.2d 883 (Conn.), refd to. [para. 49].

Hartke v. McKelway (1983), 707 F.2d 1544 (D.C. Cir.), refd to. [paras. 49, 73].

Burke v. Rivo (1990), 406 Mass. 764; 551 N.E.2d 1, refd to. [para. 49].

Udale v. Bloomsbury Area Health Authority, [1983] 2 All E.R. 522 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 50].

Wilczynski v. Goodman (1979), 73 Ill. App.3d 51; 391 N.E.2d 479, refd to. [para. 51].

Mason v. Western Pennsylvania Hospital (1982), 499 Pa. 484; 453 A.2d 974 (Super. Ct.), refd to. [para. 51].

Terrell v. Garcia (1973), 496 S.W.2d 124 (Tex. Ct. App.), refd to. [para. 51].

Rinard v. Biczak (1989), 177 Mich. App. 287; 441 N.W.2d 441, refd to. [para. 51].

Beardsley v. Wierdsma (1982), 650 P.2d 288 (Wyo.), refd to. [para. 51].

Wilber v. Kerr (1982), 275 Ark. 239; 628 S.W.2d 568, refd to. [para. 51].

McKernan v. Aasheim (1984), 102 Wash.2d 411; 687 P.2d 850, refd to. [para. 51].

Rieck v. Medical Protective Co. of Fort Wayne, Ind. (1974), 64 Wis.2d 514; 219 N.W.2d 242, refd to. [para. 51].

Girdley v. Coats (1992), 825 S.W.2d 295 (Mo.), refd to. [para. 51].

Cockrum v. Baumgartner (1983), 95 Ill.2d 193; 447 N.E.2d 385 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [paras. 52, 80].

Cryderman v. Ringrose, [1978] 3 W.W.R. 481; 6 A.R. 21 (Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 53].

Keats v. Pearce (1984), 48 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 102; 142 A.P.R. 102 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 53].

Grey v. Webster (1984), 57 N.B.R.(2d) 396; 148 A.P.R. 396; 14 D.L.R.(4th) 706 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 53].

Cherry v. Borsman (1990), 75 D.L.R.(4th) 668; 5 C.C.L.T.(2d) 243, additional reasons (1991), 5 C.C.L.T.(2d) 298 (S.C.), varied (1992), 16 B.C.A.C. 93; 28 W.A.C. 93; 94 D.L.R.(4th) 487; 12 C.C.L.T.(2d) 137 (C.A.), dist. [para. 55 et seq.].

Cataford v. Moreau (1978), 114 D.L.R.(3d) 585 (Que. S.C.), refd to. [paras. 56, 71].

Suite v. Cooke, [1995] A.Q. No. 696 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 57, 71, 75].

R. v. Morgentaler, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 30; 82 N.R. 1; 26 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 59].

Daigle v. Tremblay, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 530; 102 N.R. 81; 27 Q.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 59].

Mason v. Peters (1982), 39 O.R.(2d) 27; 139 D.L.R.(3d) 104 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 62].

Caparo Industries v. Dickman et al., [1990] 1 All E.R. 568; 108 N.R. 81 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 68 et seq.].

Burke v. Rivo, 406 Mass. 773; 551 N.E.2d 6, refd to. [para. 73].

University of Arizona v. Superior Court (1983), 136 Ariz. 579; 667 P.2d 1294, refd to. [para. 73].

Jones v. Malinowski (1984), 299 Md. 257; 473 A.2d 429, refd to. [para. 73].

Godwin v. Bolcso et al. (1993), 45 R.F.L.(3d) 310 (Ont. C.J. Prov. Div.), affd. (1995), 84 O.A.C. 395; 16 R.F.L.(4th) 419 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 84].

Ratych v. Bloomer, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 940; 107 N.R. 335; 39 O.A.C. 103, refd to. [para. 85].

Paling v. Mander, [1993] O.J. No. 1205 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 91].

Booker v. Harper, [1996] O.J. No. 955 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 92].

Freeman v. Sutter and Whittle, [1996] 4 W.W.R. 748; 110 Man.R.(2d) 23; 118 W.A.C. 23 (C.A.), dist. [para. 98].

Fenn et al. v. Peterborough (City), Peterborough Utilities Commission and Consumers' Gas Co. (1979), 25 O.R.(2d) 399 (C.A.), affd. [1981] 2 S.C.R. 613; 40 N.R. 425, refd to. [para. 108].

Watkins v. Olafson et al., [1989] 2 S.C.R. 750; 100 N.R. 161; 61 Man.R.(2d) 81, refd to. [para. 108].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Bickenbach, J.E., Damages for Wrongful Conception: Doiron v. Orr (1979-80), 17 U.W.O.L. Rev. 493, generally [para. 83].

Chapman, B., Limited Auditor's Liability: Economic Analysis and The Theory of Tort Law (1992), 20 Can. Bus. L.J. 180, pp. 208 to 214 [para. 67]; 211 [para. 69].

Douthitt, Robin A., and Fedyk, Joanne, The Cost of Raising Children in Canada (1990), generally [para. 100].

Metropolitan Toronto Social Planning Council, Social Infopac Study (April 1992), vol. 11, No. 2, generally [para. 100].

Scheid, J.D., Benefits vs. Burdens: The Limitations of Damages in Wrongful Birth (1984-85), 23 J. Fam. Law 57, pp. 59 to 60 [para. 43].

Waddams, Steven M., The Law of Damages (Rev. 2nd Ed. 1995), para. 14.420 [para. 63].

Counsel:

Roderick M. Mcleod, Q.C., and Michael Kerr, for the plaintiffs;

Sheena I. MacAskill and Karen F. Douglas, for the defendants.

This action was heard on April 9 to 12 and 15 to 17, 1996, by Lax, J., of the Ontario Court (General Division), who released the following decision on July 4, 1996.