Moreau v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Edmundston, (2010) 373 N.B.R.(2d) 1 (TD)

• Judge: LaVigne, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: July 15, 2010
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (2010), 373 N.B.R.(2d) 1 (TD);2010 NBQB 239

Moreau v. R.C. Bishop (2010), 373 N.B.R.(2d) 1 (TD);

    373 R.N.-B.(2e) 1; 964 A.P.R. 1

MLB headnote and full text

Sommaire et texte intégral

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Temp. Cite: [2010] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. JL.021

Renvoi temp.: [2010] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. JL.021

Solange Moreau (demanderesse) v. L'Évêque Catholique Romain d'Edmundston, un corps constitué (défenderesse)

(E/C/85/06; 2010 NBBR 239; 2010 NBQB 239)

Indexed As: Moreau v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Edmundston

Répertorié: Moreau v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Edmundston

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Judicial District of Edmundston

LaVigne, J.

July 15, 2010.

Summary:

Résumé:

The plaintiff injured her left shoulder when she fell down steps at a church owned by the defendant. She sued for damages.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, allowed the action and assessed damages.

Damage Awards - Topic 57

Injury and death - Body injuries - Shoulder (incl. rotator cuff) - The plaintiff, a member of the volunteer choir, injured her left shoulder when she fell down steps at a church owned by the defendant - The plaintiff suffered a separated fractured shoulder - She sued for damages - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, allowed the action - Before the injury, the plaintiff was an active woman, participating in several activities such as dancing and going out for dinner - As a result of the injury, the plaintiff underwent surgery - She lost significant strength and motion in her shoulder - Everyday activities were limited - She needed assistance with personal hygiene and work around the house - What she could accomplish by herself, she did so with much pain and it took more time - She would likely need to undergo another surgery - The court assessed damages (and interest) as followed: $27,034 for loss of valuable services, $36,640 for loss of future services, $15,916 for cost of future care, $2,481.66 for miscellaneous costs, $21,794.73 for medical and hospital costs and $53,656.25 in general damages - See paragraphs 75 to 125.

Damage Awards - Topic 459

Injury and death - Special damage awards - Medical and hospital costs - [See Damage Awards - Topic 57 ].

Damage Awards - Topic 489

Injury and death - General damage awards - Cost of future care and treatment - [See Damage Awards - Topic 57 ].

Damage Awards - Topic 491

Injury and death - General damage awards - Loss of valuable services - [See Damage Awards - Topic 57 ].

Torts - Topic 77

Negligence - Duty of care - Relationship required to raise duty of care - The plaintiff, a member of the volunteer choir, injured her left shoulder when she fell down steps at a church owned by the defendant - She sued for damages - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, allowed the action - The defendant had a duty to provide reasonably safe premises for their expected use - The stairs had to be reasonably safe for the choir members who had to climb and go down them several times per year - The steps and landings were painted with a grey smooth paint - There were no markings indicating the stairs and no handrail - The court found that the defendant was negligent in not installing a suitable handrail - There was a reasonable expectation that a person would suffer injuries if they lost their footing in the stairs and fell - The stairs did not offer an opportunity to any persons using it a secure handrail to grab in case of a loss of footing - The defendant was negligent in this respect - If there had been a handrail, the plaintiff might have been able to stop her fall and prevent her injuries - Further, the plaintiff was not contributorily negligent - She was going down the stairs in a prudent manner - See paragraphs 11 to 74.

Torts - Topic 3572

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dangerous premises - Negligence of occupier - Duty of care - [See Torts - Topic 77 ].

Torts - Topic 3583

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dangerous premises - Negligence of occupier - Stairs, steps or landings - [See Torts - Topic 77 ].

Délits civils - Cote 77

Négligence - Devoir de diligence - Conditions d'existence - [Voir Torts - Topic 77 ].

Délits civils - Cote 3572

Responsabilité ou négligence de l'occupant pour des lieux dangereux - Négligence de l'occupant - Devoir de diligence - [Voir Torts - Topic 3572 ].

Délits civils - Cote 3583

Responsabilité ou négligence de l'occupant pour des lieux dangereux - Négligence de l'occupant - Escaliers, marches ou paliers - [Voir Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Évaluation des dommages-intérêts - Cote 57

Blessures et décès - Blessures au tronc - Épaule (y compris la coiffe des rotateurs) - [Voir Damage Awards - Topic 57 ].

Évaluation des dommages-intérêts - Cote 459

Blessures et décès - Évaluation des dommages-intérêts particuliers - Frais médicaux et hospitaliers - [Voir Damage Awards - Topic 459 ].

Évaluation des dommages-intérêts - Cote 489

Blessures et décès - Évaluation des dommages-intérêts généraux - Coût des soins futurs - [Voir Damage Awards - Topic 489 ].

Évaluation des dommages-intérêts - Cote 491

Blessures et décès - Évaluation des dommages-intérêts généraux - Perte de services utiles - [Voir Damage Awards - Topic 491 ].

Cases Noticed:

Donoghue v. Stevenson, [1932] A.C. 562 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 12].

Reid v. Hatty (2005), 279 N.B.R.(2d) 202; 732 A.P.R. 202; 2005 NBCA 5, refd to. [para. 14].

Ryan v. Victoria (City) et al., [1999] 1 S.C.R. 201; 234 N.R. 201; 117 B.C.A.C. 103; 191 W.A.C. 103, refd to. [para. 14].

McAllister v. Wal-Mart Canada Inc. (2000), 228 N.B.R.(2d) 230; 588 A.P.R. 230 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Morash v. McAllister Place Ltd., [1997] N.B.R.(2d) (Supp.) No. 17 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

Cahoon v. Wendy's Restaurant of Canada Inc. et al., [2000] B.C.T.C. 82; 2000 BCSC 629, refd to. [para. 48].

LaViolette v. Memiche (2008), 331 N.B.R.(2d) 76; 849 A.P.R. 76; 2008 NBQB 165, refd to. [para. 103].

Vienneau v. Lanteigne (1997), 189 N.B.R.(2d) 372; 482 A.P.R. 372 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 103].

Ares v. Venner, [1970] S.C.R. 608, refd to. [para. 103].

Guimond v. Guimond Estate (1996), 183 N.B.R.(2d) 125; 465 A.P.R. 125 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 112].

Scott v. Renton et al. (1999), 215 N.B.R.(2d) 263; 551 A.P.R. 263 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 114].

Basque v. Saint John (City) (2002), 250 N.B.R.(2d) 207; 650 A.P.R. 207; 2002 NBQB 131, refd to. [para. 120].

Davis v. LeBlanc et al. (2005), 288 N.B.R.(2d) 316; 751 A.P.R. 316; 2005 NBQB 193, refd to. [para. 123].

Parker v. Belzile (1993), 139 N.B.R.(2d) 381; 357 A.P.R. 381 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 123].

Counsel:

Avocats:

Bernard Valcourt, Q.C., for the plaintiff;

Steven R. Barnett and Tammy Moreau, for the defendant.

This action was heard from March 15 to 18, 2010, by LaVigne, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, Judicial District of Edmundston, who delivered the following decision on July 15, 2010.