De Meyer v. National Trust Co. et al., (1995) 104 Man.R.(2d) 170 (QB)

• Judge: Clearwater, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba (Canada)
• Case Date: August 02, 1995
• Jurisdiction: Manitoba
• Citations: (1995), 104 Man.R.(2d) 170 (QB)

De Meyer v. Nat. Trust (1995), 104 Man.R.(2d) 170 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Kathleen De Meyer (plaintiff) v. National Trust Company, Prudential Assurance Company Limited, The Toronto-Dominion Bank, John A. Flanders Limited (defendants)

(File No. CI 90-01-50551)

Indexed As: De Meyer v. National Trust Co. et al.

Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench

Winnipeg Centre

Clearwater, J.

August 2, 1995.

Summary:

The plaintiff suffered personal injuries when she slipped and fell in a mall parking lot. She sued the owners, the property man­ager and the tenant of the mall premises. The action against the tenant was discon­tinued before trial.

The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench allowed the plaintiff's claim and assessed damages accordingly.

Damage Awards - Topic 125

Injury and death - Leg injuries - Ankle - The 48 year old plaintiff slipped and fell in a mall parking lot and suffered a tri­malleolar fracture dislocation of the right ankle - She required surgery and under­went approximately 24 physiotherapy treatments - Left with a significant per­manent disability caused by post traumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle joint - Might need ankle fusion if pain persisted - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench assessed nonpecuniary general damages at $40,000 - See paragraphs 31 to 38 - The court deducted 10% for the plaintiff's failure to mitigate - See paragraph 45.

Damages - Topic 1022

Mitigation - In tort - What constitutes reasonable remedial measures - The 48 year old plaintiff slipped and fell in a mall parking lot and suffered a trimalleolar fracture of the right ankle - She required surgery and physiotherapy treatments - She was left permanently disabled - She was heavy for her height and gained weight after the accident - Doctors rec­ommended losing weight so that future fusion surgery of the ankle could be avoided - She tried to lose weight, but could not do so other than for short periods - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench held that the plaintiff failed, to some extent, to mitigate her damages for pain and suffering - The court deducted 10% from the nonpecuniary damage award - See paragraph 45.

Torts - Topic 3613

Occupiers' liability for dangerous premises - Negligence of particular occupiers - Parking lots - The plaintiff sued the owners of a mall and the property manager (the defendants) after she slipped in an icy parking lot and injured her ankle - The defendants had a reasonable system of maintenance and inspection, but failed to inspect on the day of the accident - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench held that the defendants were negligent and liable for the plaintiff's injuries - The court stated that the reasonable system of maintenance and inspections must also be reasonably implemented - See paragraphs 1 to 30.

Cases Noticed:

Sandberg v. Steer Holdings Ltd. (1987), 45 Man.R.(2d) 264 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 26].

Qually v. Pace Homes Ltd. and Westfair Foods Ltd. (1993), 84 Man.R.(2d) 262 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 28].

Andrews et al. v. Grand & Toy (Alberta) Ltd. et al., [1978] 2 S.C.R. 229; 19 N.R. 50; 8 A.R. 182; 83 D.L.R.(3d) 452; [1978] 1 W.W.R. 577; 3 C.C.L.T. 225, refd to. [para. 37].

Mumford v. Health Sciences Centre et al. (1991), 77 Man.R.(2d) 1 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 37].

Ratych v. Bloomer, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 940; 107 N.R. 335; 39 O.A.C. 103; 69 D.L.R.(4th) 25; 30 C.C.E.L. 161; 3 C.C.L.T.(2d) 1, refd to. [para. 41].

Cooper v. Miller (No. 1), [1994] 1 S.C.R. 359; 164 N.R. 81; 41 B.C.A.C. 1; 66 W.A.C. 1; 113 D.L.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [para. 41].

Cunningham v. Wheeler - see Cooper v. Miller (No. 1).

Finch v. Herzberger, [1993] 4 W.W.R. 179; 107 Sask.R. 230 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 43].

Klyne v. Gossen (1986), 49 Sask.R. 75 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 45].

Carstensen v. F.J.R. & Associates Real Estate Co. et al. (1981), 29 A.R. 411 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Preston v. Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League, Kingsway Branch No. 175 and Edmonton (City) (1981), 29 A.R. 532; 123 D.L.R.(3d) 645 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Stevenson v. Winnipeg Housing Co. (1988), 55 Man.R.(2d) 137 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Waldick et al. v. Malcolm et al., [1991] 2 S.C.R. 456; 125 N.R. 372; 47 O.A.C. 241, refd to. [Schedule A].

Kopen v. 61345 Manitoba Ltd. et al. (1992), 79 Man.R.(2d) 250 (Q.B.), affd. (1993), 83 Man.R.(2d) 239; 36 W.A.C. 239 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Francis v. IPCF Properties Inc. et al. (1993), 136 N.B.R.(2d) 215; 347 A.P.R. 215 (T.D.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Shewfelt v. Robin's Supermarket et al. (1994), 97 Man.R.(2d) 228; 79 W.A.C. 228 (C.A.), affing. (1994), 91 Man.R.(2d) 46 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

White v. Sheaves (1987), 63 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 290; 194 A.P.R. 290 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Poitras v. Goulet and Haynes (1987), 46 Man.R.(2d) 87 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Savignac v. Canada (1989), 30 F.T.R. 76 (T.D.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Marchand v. Heil et al. (1990), 38 O.A.C. 212 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Hannah v. Pollard (1991), 91 Sask.R. 67 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Ismaily v. Dartmouth Surplus Ltd. and Burns (1992), 111 N.S.R.(2d) 221; 303 A.P.R. 221 (T.D.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Blatz v. Wong (1989), 60 Man.R.(2d) 287 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Logozar v. Golder (1992), 136 A.R. 363; 7 Alta. L.R.(3d) 44 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Knoblauch v. Biwer Estate, [1992] 5 W.W.R. 725; 104 Sask.R. 31 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Hunter v. Manning, [1993] 5 W.W.R. 738; 108 Sask.R. 26 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Acheson v. Dory (1993), 138 A.R. 241; 8 Alta. L.R.(3d) 128 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Steenblok v. Funk (1990), 46 B.C.L.R.(2d) 133 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

McDonald v. Nguyen (1991), 138 A.R. 81; 3 Alta. L.R.(3d) 27 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Nanji v. Habib (1990), 51 B.C.L.R.(2d) 116 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Bruch v. Gregg and Gregg (1990), 86 Sask.R. 294 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Smith v. Millington (1991), 2 O.R.(3d) 545 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Statutes Noticed:

Court of Queen's Bench Act, S.M. 1988-89, c. 4; C.C.S.M., c. C-280, sect. 80, sect. 80(1)(b), sect. 81(1)(b) [para. 47].

Occupiers' Liability Act, R.S.M. 1987, c. O-8; C.C.S.M., c. O-8, sect. 3(1) [para. 27].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Canadian Encylcopedic Digest (West.) (Aug. 1988), vol. 11, Damages, ss. 189, 321 [Schedule A].

Canadian Encyclopedic Digest (West.) (Jan. 1994), vol. 11, Damages, ss. 189, 194.2 [Schedule A].

Canadian Encyclopedic Digest (West.) (July 1994), vol. 11, Damages, s. 323 [Schedule A].

Counsel:

M. Finlayson and R.J. Van Walleghem, for the plaintiff;

D. Hill and J. Holmstrom, for the defen­dants, National Trust Co., Prudential Assurance Co. and John A. Flanders Ltd.;

No one appeared on behalf of the Toronto-Dominion Bank.

This case was heard before Clearwater, J., of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, Winnipeg Centre, who delivered the follow­ing judgment on August 2, 1995.