McIllwraith and Shipley v. Melles, (1979) 27 N.B.R.(2d) 388 (TD)

• Judge: Stratton, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: September 12, 1979
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (1979), 27 N.B.R.(2d) 388 (TD)

McIllwraith v. Melles (1979), 27 N.B.R.(2d) 388 (TD);

    27 R.N.-B.(2e) 388; 60 A.P.R. 388

MLB headnote and full text

Sommaire et texte intégral

McIllwraith and Shipley v. Melles

Indexed As: McIllwraith and Shipley v. Melles

Répertorié: McIllwraith and Shipley v. Melles

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Stratton, J.

September 12, 1979.

Summary:

Résumé:

This headnote contains no summary.

Damage Awards - Topic 203

Personal injuries and death - Psychological injuries - Personality change - A 52 year old married woman, who worked as a waitress, suffered extensive bruising, undisplaced fracture of nose, fracture of rib and knee abrasions - Hospitalization not required - Traumatic arthritis of knees - Resulting psychotic depressive reaction for a time - Residual personality change from being happy and outgoing to being depressed, nervous and withdrawn - Moderate permanent disability - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, assessed $45,000 general damages for personal injuries - See paragraphs 1 to 9 and 13 to 18.

Damage Awards - Topic 150

Personal injuries and death - Multiple injuries - Facial injuries, cut under tongue, extensive leg laceration and loosened teeth - Hospitalization not required - Severe scar on leg, which could be substantially corrected by two surgical operations - Repair to four teeth required - 26 year old married woman - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, assessed $5,000 general damages for personal injuries - See paragraphs 4, 10 to 12 and 19.

Torts - Topic 346

Negligence - Motor vehicle - Passengers - Contributory negligence of passenger - Failure to use safety equipment - The driver and passenger of a car, who were not wearing available shoulder and lap belts, were injured in a collision - It was proved that their injuries would have been less severe, if they had used the safety equipment - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, reduced their nonpecuniary damages by 15% because of their contributory negligence in failing to use the safety equipment - The Court of Queen's Bench discussed contributory negligence for failure to use safety equipment - The Court of Queen's Bench approved a judgment of Lord Denning in Froom v. Butcher, [1975] 3 All E.R. 520, in which he held that the failure to use safety equipment should reduce a passenger's damages from 0% to 25%, depending upon the effect which wearing the safety equipment would have had on injuries - See paragraphs 20 to 26.

Cases Noticed:

Andrews et al. v. Grand & Toy Alberta Ltd. et al. (1978), 19 N.R. 50; 8 A.R. 182; [1978] 1 W.W.R. 577; 83 D.L.R.(3d) 452; [1978] 2 S.C.R. 229, dist. [para. 15].

Thornton v. School District No. 57 (Prince George) et al. (1978), 19 N.R. 552; [1978] 1 W.W.R. 607; 83 D.L.R.(3d) 480; [1978] 2 S.C.R. 267, dist. [para. 15].

Teno v. Arnold et al. (1978), 19 N.R. 1; 83 D.L.R.(3d) 609; [1978] 2 S.C.R. 287, dist. [para. 15].

Pasqualetto v. Head (1979), 24 N.B.R.(2d) 570; 48 A.P.R. 570, appld. [para. 16].

MacDonald v. Mitchell (1975), 9 N.B.R.(2d) 91; 1 A.P.R. 91, consd. [para. 17].

Sleep v. Kerrigan (1976), 16 N.B.R.(2d) 634; 21 A.P.R. 634, consd. [para. 17].

Sullivan v. Riverside Rentals Ltd. (1973), 6 N.B.R.(2d) 642, consd. [para. 17].

McLaughlin v. Powell (1973), 8 N.B.R.(2d) 166, consd. [para. 17].

Gibeault v. Schultz (1978), 11 A.R. 584, consd. [para. 17].

Caissie v. Cormier (1977), 19 N.B.R.(2d) 287; 30 A.P.R. 287, consd. [para. 17].

Cameron v. Marcacinni (1978), 87 D.L.R.(3d) 442, consd. [para. 17].

Desroches v. Mazerolle (1978), 23 N.B.R.(2d) 361; 44 A.P.R. 361, consd. [para. 17].

Fenwick v. Staples (1977), 18 O.R.(2d) 128, consd. [para. 17].

Heppell v. Irving Oil Co. Ltd. (1973), 6 N.B.R.(2d) 327, appld. [para. 20].

Haley v. Richardson et al. (1975), 10 N.B.R.(2d) 653; 4 A.P.R. 653, appld. [para. 20].

MacDonald v. Hub Meat Packers Ltd. (1977), 18 N.B.R.(2d) 123; 26 A.P.R. 123, consd. [para. 21].

LeLange et al. v. Blakney et al. (1978), 21 N.B.R.(2d) 100; 37 A.P.R. 100, consd. [para. 21].

Froom v. Butcher, [1975] 3 All E.R. 520, appld. [para. 21].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Linden, Canadian Tort Law, pp. 416-423 [para. 21].

Counsel:

John P. Barry, Q.C., and Thomas G. O'Neil, for the plaintiffs;

A.G. Warwick Gilbert, for the defendant.

This case was heard on June 20 and 21, 1979, at Saint John, N.B., before STRATTON, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, who delivered the following judgment on September 12, 1979: