Litwinenko v. Beaver Lumber Co., (2008) 237 O.A.C. 237 (DC)

• Judge: Greer, Crane and Gans, JJ.
• Court: Superior Court of Justice of Ontario (Canada)
• Case Date: December 04, 2007
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (2008), 237 O.A.C. 237 (DC)

Litwinenko v. Beaver Lumber Co. (2008), 237 O.A.C. 237 (DC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2008] O.A.C. TBEd. JN.034

Slavka Litwinenko (plaintiff/appellant) v. Beaver Lumber Company Ltd. (defendant/respondent)

(DC-06-20)

Indexed As: Litwinenko v. Beaver Lumber Co.

Court of Ontario

Superior Court of Justice

Divisional Court

Greer, Crane and Gans, JJ.

May 8, 2008.

Summary:

The plaintiff tripped and fell on a ramp in a plaza where the Beaver Lumber Co. had a store. The plaintiff sued Beaver Lumber for damages for personal injuries.

The Ontario Superior Court, in a decision reported [2006] O.T.C. 764, allowed the action and awarded damages accordingly. The damage award was reduced by 50% for contributory negligence. The plaintiff appealed.

The Ontario Divisional Court, Crane, J., dissenting, allowed the appeal. The court increased the damage award accordingly and held that the award should be reduced only 15% for contributory negligence.

Damage Awards - Topic 57

Injury and death - Body injuries - Shoulder (incl. rotator cuff) - The 69 year old plaintiff tripped and fell on a "lip" on a cement ramp at a Beaver Lumber Co. store - She injured her head, face, ribs and shoulder - The plaintiff was in good health and active at the time of the accident - Most of her injuries resolved in a couple of months, however she had ongoing shoulder problems eight years after the fall - The plaintiff sued Beaver Lumber for damages for personal injuries - The trial judge allowed the action and awarded general damages of $15,000, which were reduced by 50% for contributory negligence (i.e., because the plaintiff should have avoided the "lip" when descending the ramp) - The plaintiff appealed the damage award - The Ontario Divisional Court allowed the appeal, finding that the trial judge's assessment of general damages was so inordinately low that it had to be varied - The court increased general damages to $45,000 - Further, the finding of contributory negligence was unreasonable and an error in law - The trial judge ignored the duty of the defendant store to repair the ramp in a timely manner - However, this was not a case for zero contributory negligence, where the plaintiff knew of the problem with the ramp and had historically tried to avoid it - The court held that the plaintiff was 15% responsible for the mishap.

Torts - Topic 6611

Defences - Contributory negligence - Particular cases - Knowledge of premises or dangerous premises - [See Damage Awards - Topic 57 ].

Cases Noticed:

Athey v. Leonati et al., [1996] 3 S.C.R. 458; 203 N.R. 36; 81 B.C.A.C. 243; 132 W.A.C. 243, refd to. [paras. 5, 84].

Bakhtiari et al. v. Axes Investments Inc. et al. (2000), 182 O.A.C. 185; 69 O.R.(3d) 671 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 8].

Eichmanis v. Prystay et al. (2004), 185 O.A.C. 97 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 8, 97].

Housen v. Nikolaisen et al., [2002] 2 S.C.R. 235; 286 N.R. 1; 219 Sask.R. 1; 272 W.A.C. 1; 211 D.L.R.(4th) 577, refd to. [paras. 9, 66].

Stein Estate v. Ship Kathy K, [1976] 2 S.C.R. 802; 6 N.R. 359, refd to. [para. 10].

Cempel v. Harrison Hot Springs Hotel Ltd. (1997), 100 B.C.A.C. 212; 163 W.A.C. 212; 43 B.C.L.R.(3d) 219 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 54].

Baker v. York (Regional Municipality) (2006), 84 O.R.(3d) 279 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 55].

Barniske v. Mohamed, [2003] O.T.C. 165 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 59].

Anderson v. Mill Town Trucking Ltd. et al., [2001] B.C.A.C. Uned. 75 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 60].

H.L. v. Canada (Attorney General) et al., [2005] 1 S.C.R. 401; 333 N.R. 1; 262 Sask.R. 1; 347 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 67].

Waxman et al. v. Waxman et al. (2004), 186 O.A.C. 201; 44 B.L.R.(3d) 165 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused (2005), 339 N.R. 200; 207 O.A.C. 400 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 69].

JB Printing Ltd. v. 829085 Ontario Ltd. et al. (2004), 192 O.A.C. 313 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 70].

Amertek Inc. et al. v. Canadian Commercial Corp. et al. (2005), 200 O.A.C. 38 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused (2005), 352 N.R. 193; 219 O.A.C. 400 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 71].

Young v. Ontario (Minister of Finance) (2003), 179 O.A.C. 383 (C.A.), leave to appeal dismissed (2004), 330 N.R. 398 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 74].

Mercier v. Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Co. of Canada (2004), 189 O.A.C. 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 74].

Algoma Steel Inc. v. Union Gas Ltd. - see Algoma Steel Inc., Re.

Algoma Steel Inc., Re (2003), 168 O.A.C. 89 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 75].

Taylor v. Ankenman and Jaegli Enterprises Ltd., [1981] 2 S.C.R. 2; 40 N.R. 4, refd to. [para. 78].

Ayers v. Singh (1997), 85 B.C.A.C. 307; 138 W.A.C. 307 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 79].

Hanke v. Resurfice Corp. et al., [2007] 1 S.C.R. 333; 357 N.R. 175; 404 A.R. 333; 394 W.A.C. 333, refd to. [para. 82].

Penny v. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada, [2006] O.T.C. 662 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 88].

T.W.N.A. et al. v. Clarke et al. (2003), 190 B.C.A.C. 250; 311 W.A.C. 250 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 89].

Waldick et al. v. Malcolm et al. (1991), 125 N.R. 372; 47 O.A.C. 241; 83 D.L.R.(4th) 114 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 90].

Crocker v. Sundance Northwest Resorts Ltd. (1988), 86 N.R. 241; 29 O.A.C. 1; 51 D.L.R.(4th) 321 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 90].

Sparks v. Thompson, [1975] 1 S.C.R. 618; 1 N.R. 387; 6 N.S.R.(2d) 481, refd to. [para. 97].

Latta v. Ontario, [2005] O.A.C. Uned. 485 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 97].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Cheifetz, David, Apportionment of Fault in Tort (1981), pp. 99 to 102 [para. 54].

Counsel:

Christopher D.J. Hacio, counsel for the appellant;

Alexander W. Demeo, counsel for the respondent.

This appeal was heard at Thunder Bay, Ontario, on December 4, 2007, by Greer, Crane and Gans, JJ., of the Ontario Divisional Court. The decision of the court was delivered on May 8, 2008, when the following opinions were filed:

Greer, J. (Gans, J., concurring) - see paragraphs 1 to 64;

Crane, J., dissenting - see paragraphs 65 to 104.