Lowry v. Cram et al., (1999) 249 A.R. 157 (QB)

• Judge: Moore, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: July 22, 1999
• Citations: (1999), 249 A.R. 157 (QB)

Lowry v. Cram (1999), 249 A.R. 157 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1999] A.R. TBEd. AU.058

Bernice Iris Lowry and William Bryan Lowry (plaintiffs) v. Timothy Boyd Cram, E. Kathleen Cram and The Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act (defendants) and Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation (third party)

(Action No. 9308-00898)

Indexed As: Lowry v. Cram et al.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Medicine Hat

Moore, J.

July 22, 1999.

Summary:

The plaintiff was injured in a motor vehicle accident. She sued the defendant. The defendant admitted liability.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench assessed damages accordingly.

Damage Awards - Topic 11

Injury and death - Body injuries - Fibro­myalgia - The plaintiff, aged 42 at trial, was injured in a motor vehicle accident in December 1993 - She experienced immedi­ate pain in her neck, elbow and knee - For a long time she had constant headaches, neck pain, elbow pain, low back pain, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, mental sluggishness, sleep disturbances, irritability, chronic fatigue and marital disharmony - She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in April 1994 - She had physiotherapy, massage therapy and chiropractic treatments - The plaintiff joined a fibromyalgia support group - She made a remarkable recovery - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench assessed her general damages at $45,000, reduced by 35% to $29,250 because of a pre-existing low-back condition and injuries suffered in a 1992 motor vehicle accident - See para­graphs 41 to 53.

Damage Awards - Topic 70

Injury and death - Body injuries - Back - Aggravation of pre-existing condition - [See Damage Awards - Topic 11 ].

Damage Awards - Topic 108

Injury and death - Head injuries - Head­aches - [See Damage Awards - Topic 11 ].

Damage Awards - Topic 174

Injury and death - Neck injuries - General - [See Damage Awards - Topic 11 ].

Cases Noticed:

Snell v. Farrell, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 311; 110 N.R. 200; 107 N.B.R.(2d) 94; 267 A.P.R. 94; 72 D.L.R.(4th) 289; 4 C.C.L.T.(2d) 229, refd to. [para. 46].

Pryor v. Bains and Johal (1986), 69 B.C.L.R. 395 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 51, Schedule B].

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. [Schedule B].

Brouwer v. Grewal and Edmonton (City) (1995), 168 A.R. 342 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Versfelt v. Semler (1996), 192 A.R. 161 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Lowe v. Larue, [1998] A.R. Uned. 9; 58 Alta. L.R.(3d) 142 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Korpela v. March (1993), 138 A.R. 179; 9 Alta. L.R.(3d) 117 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Quinton v. DeBoice (1997), 204 A.R. 60 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Acheson v. Dory (1993), 138 A.R. 241 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Conklin v. Smith et al., [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1107; 22 N.R. 140; 5 C.C.L.T. 113; 88 D.L.R.(3d) 317; 6 B.C.L.R. 362, refd to. [Schedule B].

Wolf-Watkins v. Scott (1990), 106 A.R. 384; 74 Alta. L.R.(2d) 292 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Chambers v. Miles, [1978] 3 W.W.R. 188 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Hearndon v. Rondeau (1984), 29 C.C.L.T. 149 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Alberta Caterers v. Vollan (R.) (Alta.) Ltd., Western Arch Rib Structures Ltd., Strzelecki (M.) Consulting Engineers Ltd. and Strzelecki (1977), 10 A.R. 501 (T.D.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Mosher v. Ferrari et al., [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. 134 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Bischoff et al. v. Sams et al. (1965), 50 D.L.R.(2d) 179 (Alta. T.D.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Brookes v. Thomson, [1991] A.J. No. 1243 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Milton-Coates v. Wolfe et al. (1992), 132 A.R. 241 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Simmie v. Parker and Unger (1994), 164 A.R. 178; (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Grivicic v. Doyle (1990), 121 A.R. 137 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Bourque v. Wells (1991), 118 N.B.R.(2d) 394; 296 A.P.R. 394; 82 D.L.R.(4th) 574 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Boen et al. v. Galea et al., [1997] B.C.T.C. Uned. C06 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Rilkoff v. Gauthier, [1995] B.C.J. No. 1897; DRS 95-19233 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Paine v. Donovan et al. (1984), 118 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 91; 369 A.P.R. 91 (P.E.I.T.D.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Logozar v. Golder (1994), 157 A.R. 102; 77 W.A.C. 102 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Mackie v. Wolfe (1994), 153 A.R. 81 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Mackie v. Wolfe (1996), 184 A.R. 339; 122 W.A.C. 339 (C.A.), refd to. [Sched­ule B].

Taguchi Estate et al. v. Stuparyk (1995), 169 A.R. 8; 97 W.A.C. 8 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Ball v. Insurance Corp. of British Colum­bia (1996), 37 C.C.L.I.(2d) 246 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Bourassa v. Ryan, [1997] A.R. Uned. 201 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Buchanan v. Wassef (1996), 191 A.R. 89 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Blewett v. Kavanagh (1981), 13 Sask.R. 72 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Gilchrist v. Oatway (1995), 168 A.R. 56 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Hiniuk v. Campbell and Denbok (1991), 119 A.R. 147; 82 Alta. L.R.(2d) 135 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Kay v. Paquette (1996), 186 A.R. 236 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Kinsella v. McLean (1991), 122 A.R. 55; 82 Alta. L.R.(2d) 216 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Maligmat v. Ross (1995), 10 B.C.L.R.(3d) 318 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Masson v. Rowan et al. (1988), 52 Man.R.(2d) 107 (Q.B.), refd to. [Sched­ule B].

Morris et al. v. Budnarchuk (1997), 204 A.R. 197 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Mulner v. Tillotson (1992), 16 Alta. L.R.(3d) 145 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Phillips v. Rost (1996), 185 A.R. 241; 40 Alta. L.R.(3d) 246 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Sczebel v. Silvertson; Sczebel v. Mel's Blasting & Painting Ltd. and Massie (1988), 85 A.R. 293 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Youssef v. Pickerl (1996), 190 A.R. 241; 43 Alta. L.R.(3d) 413 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Woodman v. Masters and Stickel (1988), 71 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 285; 220 A.P.R. 285 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [Schedule B].

Counsel:

Diana Rutschmann, for the plaintiff, Bernice Iris Lowry;

T.T. Mudry, for the third party.

This case was heard by Moore, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Medicine Hat, who delivered the following judgment on July 22, 1999.