Santi v. Pacific National Exhibition, 2000 BCSC 716

• Judge: Allan, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
• Case Date: April 26, 2000
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: 2000 BCSC 716;[2000] B.C.T.C. 292 (SC)

Santi v. Pacific Nat. Exhibition, [2000] B.C.T.C. 292 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2000] B.C.T.C. TBEd. MY.062

Nadia Delli Santi (plaintiff) v. Pacific National Exhibition and City of Vancouver (defendants)

(C966748; 2000 BCSC 716)

Indexed As: Santi v. Pacific National Exhibition

British Columbia Supreme Court

Vancouver

Allan, J.

May 2, 2000.

Summary:

In 1996, the now 41 year old female plaintiff was injured when a wooden room divider on the defendant's premises fell and hit her on the head. The plaintiff continued to suffer from chronic disabling pain. The defendant admitted liability. At issue was the quantum of damages for nonpecuniary loss, past lost income, loss of future earning capacity, special damages and the cost of future care. Also at issue was whether the plaintiff failed to mitigate her loss by not following medical advice. The chronic pain had adverse psychological effects, causing the plaintiff stress, depression and anxiety. The most affected areas of her body were her left arm and shoulder.

The British Columbia Supreme Court held that the defendant failed to prove that the plaintiff failed to mitigate her loss by not following recommended medical treatment and counselling. The court awarded $150,000 general damages for nonpecuniary loss, $80,000 for loss of past income, $650,000 for loss of future earning capacity, $8,000 special damages for the cost of the plaintiff's mother providing household and child assistance services and $120,000 for future care and treatment.

Damage Awards - Topic 11

Injury and death - Continuing pain (incl. fibromyalgia, myofascial and chronic pain syndrome) - See paragraphs 1 to 46.

Damage Awards - Topic 460

Injury and death - Special damage awards - Loss of housekeeping capacity - See paragraphs 87 to 90.

Damage Awards - Topic 489

Injury and death - General damage awards - Cost of future care and treatment - See paragraphs 91 to 94.

Damage Awards - Topic 492

Injury and death - General damage awards - Loss of earning capacity - See paragraphs 68 to 86.

Damage Awards - Topic 492.1

Injury and death - General damage awards - Pre-trial income loss - See paragraphs 47 to 67.

Damages - Topic 1011

Mitigation - In tort - Personal injuries - Treatment for - See paragraphs 34 to 45.

Cases Noticed:

Janiak v. Ippolito (1985), 57 N.R. 241; 9 O.A.C. 1; 16 D.L.R.(4th) 1 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 35].

Klonarakis v. Gregg, [1999] B.C.T.C. Uned. 350 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 36].

Fennell-Baker v. Baker et al., [1997] B.C.T.C. Uned. 471 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 36].

Gutoski v. Hammett, [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. 150 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 36].

Schmitt v. Thomson, [1992] B.C.J. No. 1993 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 64].

Inannone v. Hoogenraad (1992), 66 B.C.L.R.(2d) 106 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 64].

Roy v. Connor, [1992] B.C.J. No. 2307 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 64].

Steenblok v. Funk (1990), 46 B.C.L.R.(2d) 393 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 70].

Kwei et al. v. Bosclair et al. (1991), 6 B.C.A.C. 314; 13 W.A.C. 314; 60 B.C.L.R.(2d) 393 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 70].

Palmer v. Goodall (1991), 53 B.C.L.R.(2d) 44 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 70].

Kumlea v. Chaytors (1993), 25 B.C.A.C. 6; 43 W.A.C. 6; 76 B.C.L.R.(2d) 337 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 70].

Kovats v. Ogilvie (1971), 17 D.L.R.(3d) 343 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 70].

Thornton v. Board of School Trustees of District No. 57 (Prince George) et al., [1978] 2 S.C.R. 267; 19 N.R. 552, refd to. [para. 70].

Hudson v. Von-Niessen, [1991] B.C.J. No. 164 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 70].

D'Amato et al. v. Badger et al., [1996] 2 S.C.R. 1071; 199 N.R. 341; 79 B.C.A.C. 110; 129 W.A.C. 110, refd to. [para. 70].

McTavish v. MacGillivray et al. (2000), 136 B.C.A.C. 43; 222 W.A.C. 43 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 91].

Counsel:

M.L. Pohorecky, for the plaintiff;

E.E. Vanderburgh and S. Sangha, for the defendant, Pacific National Exhibition.

This action was heard on March 13-17, 20-24 and April 26, 2000, at Vancouver, B.C., before Allan, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following judgment on May 2, 2000.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.