Shaw v. Standard Life Assurance Co., 2006 ABQB 156

• Judge: Rooke, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: January 26, 2005
• Citations: 2006 ABQB 156;(2005), 398 A.R. 181 (QB)

Shaw v. Standard Life (2005), 398 A.R. 181 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2006] A.R. TBEd. MR.079

Elizabeth Barbara Shaw (plaintiff) v. The Standard Life Assurance Company (defendant)

(0101 01891)

Elizabeth Barbara Shaw and William Frank Shaw (plaintiffs) v. William J. Zarn (defendant) and Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (third party)

(0101 01892; 2006 ABQB 156)

Indexed As: Shaw v. Standard Life Assurance Co.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Calgary

Rooke, J.

March 22, 2005.

Summary:

Zarn lost control of his vehicle and struck the Shaw vehicle. The Shaws sued Zarn in negligence and sued Mrs. Shaw's insurer, Standard Life Assurance Co., regarding a disability claim. Zarn's insurer was added as a party to the tort claim. The actions were joined. Zarn applied for a civil jury.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the application. Although the actions were settled subsequent to the hearing, the court issued reasons indicating that Zarn should not have brought the application for a civil jury.

Practice - Topic 5100

Juries and jury trials - Right to a jury - General (incl. when jury trial appropriate) - Several actions resulting from a motor vehicle accident, including tort claims and contract/insurance claims, were joined - The defendant applied for a civil jury - In dismissing the application, the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench summarized the principles and trends applicable to routine civil jury applications from the last ten years - While each application depended on its own facts, in determining the complexity of a case, the court had to consider a number of factors, including the number of issues and experts, the need for an interpreter, the legal issues to be put to the jury, conflicts of expert opinions, causation and other factors - In most cases, it was a combination of factors that made the case too complex and, therefore, inconvenient for a jury to hear - Inconvenience was defined not as personal inconvenience to an individual juror, but the ability of jurors to record, comprehend and collate evidence, and to recall/recollect, assess and analyze the information - See paragraphs 5 to 57.

Practice - Topic 5105

Juries and jury trials - Right to a jury - When available - Zarn lost control of his vehicle and struck the Shaw vehicle - The Shaws sued Zarn in negligence and sued Mrs. Shaw's insurer, Standard Life Assurance Co., regarding a disability claim - Zarn's insurer was added as a party to the tort claim - The actions were joined - Zarn applied for a civil jury - Although the actions were settled subsequent to the hearing, the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench issued reasons indicating that Zarn should not have brought the application - The trial was estimated to require 25 days with up to 28 expert witnesses thus constituting a very complex trial that was prima facie inconvenient to a jury - There would have been conflicting expert opinions and issues regarding causation - The complexity was further exacerbated by claims for punitive, aggregated and exemplary damages - Finally, equitable and other related legal issues made the matter entirely inappropriate for a jury - The court indicated that future applications for a civil jury that would inconvenience a jury in so many ways should not only be denied but the applicant might also face elevated costs - See paragraphs 58 to 92.

Cases Noticed:

Williams-Baker et al. v. Russell et al. (2004), 360 A.R. 181; 2004 ABQB 250, refd to. [para. 3].

Fahie v. Rubin (2006), 392 A.R. 365; 2006 ABQB 81, refd to. [para. 3].

Reid v. Clyde et al. (2002), 316 A.R. 309; 2002 ABQB 33, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Szczerba (K.M.) et al. (2002), 314 A.R. 110; 8 Alta. L.R.(4th) 172; 2002 ABQB 513, refd to. [para. 3].

Smith v. Williams, [2003] A.R. Uned. 748; 128 A.C.W.S.(3d) 264; 2003 ABQB 981, refd to. [para. 3].

Hantzinikolas v. Guest et al., [2006] A.R. Uned. 258; 2006 ABQB 157, refd to. [para. 4].

Ralph v. Robertson (1995), 173 A.R. 146 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 7].

Greenwood v. Syncrude Canada Ltd. (1998), 240 A.R. 130 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 7].

Govias v. Tempo School et al. (1999), 248 A.R. 189; 1999 ABQB 571, refd to. [para. 8].

Nichiporuk v. McVean (2005), 383 A.R. 222; 2005 ABQB 647, refd to. [para. 8].

Lee v. Giuffre, [1996] A.J. No. 825 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 10].

Sandhawalia v. McGurk (1997), 215 A.R. 138 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 10].

Freund v. Garner et al. (1999), 257 A.R. 397; 1999 ABQB 967, refd to. [para. 10].

Voskoboinikova et al. v. Calgary Herald et al., [2000] A.R. Uned. 66; 5 C.P.C.(5th) 396; 2000 ABQB 50, refd to. [para. 10].

Murdoch v. Balfour et al., [2002] A.R. Uned. 506; 2002 ABQB 1082, refd to. [para. 10].

Sinclair v. Stehr, [2002] A.R. Uned. 203; 2002 ABQB 374, refd to. [paras. 10, 46].

Nathoo v. Mack et al., [2003] A.R. Uned. 756; 2003 ABQB 1022, refd to. [para. 10].

Danser v. Ekeroth et al., [2004] A.R. Uned. 296; 2004 ABQB 147, refd to. [para. 10].

Johnman v. Baldson, [2004] A.R. Uned. 719; 2004 ABQB 848, refd to. [para. 10].

Cheema v. Delo, [2005] A.R. Uned. 211; 2005 ABQB 152, refd to. [para. 10].

Woodcock v. 518022 Alberta Ltd. et al., [2005] A.R. Uned. 250;  2005 ABQB 177, refd to. [para. 10].

381916 Alberta Ltd. et al. v. Royal Insurance Co. of Canada et al. (1997), 197 A.R. 228 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 15].

Alberta Laser Alignment Services Ltd. v. Scandinavian Grinding Mills Systems Inc. et al. (1998), 222 A.R. 108; 1998 ABQB 257, refd to. [para. 15].

Reid v. Graybriar Industries Ltd., [2003] A.R. Uned. 761; 48 C.B.R.(4th) 125; 2003 ABQB 1033, refd to. [para. 16].

Music v. Irvin (1996), 192 A.R. 79; 44 Alta. L.R.(3d) 82 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 16].

Cook v. Stephan, [2004] A.R. Uned. 435 ; 2004 ABQB 441, refd to. [para. 17].

Barry v. Phillips et al., [1998] A.R. Uned. 663; 1998 ABQB 1055, refd to. [para. 18].

Shilmover v. Schubert (2000), 273 A.R. 359; 2000 ABQB 782, refd to. [para. 18].

Hanak v. Kirkpatrick et al., [2000] A.R. Uned. 568; 2000 ABQB 445, refd to. [para. 18].

Olson v. General Accident Assurance Co. of Canada, [1997] A.J. No. 260 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 18].

Von Hagen v. Gidosh, 1999 ABQB 1070, refd to. [para. 18].

Lo et al. v. Gerlock, [2004] A.R. Uned. 671; 2004 ABQB 751, refd to. [para. 18].

Goddard v. Day et al. (2000), 276 A.R. 180; 200 D.L.R.(4th) 752; 2000 ABQB 735, refd to. [para. 19].

McVey v. Petruk et al. (1990), 111 A.R. 36 (Q.B.), refd to. [paras. 20, 25].

Hamblin et al. v. Markowski et al., [2004] A.R. Uned. 718; 2004 ABQB 846, refd to. [para. 20].

Favel et al. v. Shepherd et al. (1997), 202 A.R. 220 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 21].

Dietz v. Ramsey (1999), 247 A.R. 18; 1999 ABQB 292, refd to. [para. 21].

Flaviano v. Moghaddami (2000), 263 A.R. 340; 2000 ABQB 428, refd to. [para. 21].

Waddell v. Stratulak, [2001] A.R. Uned. 458; 2001 ABQB 828, refd to. [para. 21].

Kipling v. Wollenberg et al. (2003), 342 A.R. 395; 2003 ABQB 784, refd to. [para. 21].

Seifried v. Range (1997), 199 A.R. 79 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 22].

Wiredu-Danquah v. Leck (1999), 258 A.R. 1; 1999 ABQB 952, refd to. [para. 22].

Babyn v. Patel (1997), 48 C.P.C.(4th) 122 (Alta. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 23].

Sharma v. Smook (1996), 177 A.R. 353 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 24].

Gorzko v. Hager (2000), 12 M.V.R.(4th) 41; 2000 ABQB 266, refd to. [para. 25].

Robinson Estate et al. v. Doolittle Estate (1988), 90 A.R. 376 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Teichgraber v. Gallant (2001), 290 A.R. 338; 2001 ABQB 265, refd to. [para. 36].

Thongdee v. Moulton, 2001 ABQB 563, refd to. [para. 38].

Chan v. Smith, [2005] A.R. Uned. 322; 2005 ABQB 263, refd to. [para. 38].

Singh v. Malhi, [1999] A.R. Uned. 27; 1999 ABQB 87, refd to. [para. 38].

Al-Rekabi et al. v. Guinn et al. (2002), 323 A.R. 24; 22 C.P.C.(5th) 298; 2002 ABQB 617, refd to. [para. 38].

Shannon v. McCullough, [1996] A.J. No. 405 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 39].

Alberta (Provincial Treasurer) v. Gordey Construction Ltd. et al. (1991), 120 A.R. 282; 8 W.A.C. 282 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 40].

Dreisig v. Kowalchuk (1991), 126 A.R. 78 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 40].

Monette v. Nieuwenburg et al. (2003), 345 A.R. 102; 2003 ABQB 411, refd to. [para. 41].

Lodhar v. Victor, [2000] A.R. Uned. 549; 2000 ABQB 835, refd to. [para. 45].

Aujla v. Zuberbuhler, 2001 ABQB 999, refd to. [para. 45].

Green v. Lloyd (2001), 322 A.R. 197; 2001 ABQB 557, refd to. [para. 45].

Uglanica v. Coombes, [2003] A.R. Uned. 541; 2003 ABQB 785, refd to. [para. 45].

Hennawi v. Zinger (2005), 396 A.R. 398  (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 45].

Speirs v. Royal Alexandra Hospitals, 2003 ABQB 528, refd to. [para. 47].

Mpagi v. Benz-Godoy (2000), 262 A.R. 389; 2000 ABQB 220, refd to. [para. 47].

Peterson v. Bischoff, [1998] A.R. Uned. 112; 1998 ABQB 119, refd to. [para. 47].

Ali v. Murdoch et al., [2004] A.R. Uned. 669; 2004 ABQB 720, refd to. [para. 49].

Worton v. Black  (2004), 369 A.R. 311; 13 C.P.C.96th) 246; 2004 ABQB 690, refd to. [para. 50].

Worton v. Black, [2005] A.R. Uned. 893; 2005 ABQB 804, refd to. [para. 50].

Montague v. Wilson (2002), 319 A.R. 398; 2002 ABQB 649, refd to. [para. 50].

Chaba v. Greschuk et al. (1992), 127 A.R. 133; 20 W.A.C. 133 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 51].

Florek v. Appleton (2001), 284 A.R. 366; 2001 ABQB 127, refd to. [para. 55].

Gennaro v. Lawrick (2001), 283 A.R. 78; 2001 ABQB 128, refd to. [para. 56].

Correia v. Jaycock et al. (2001), 295 A.R. 276; 2001 ABQB 503, refd to. [para. 77].

Bowhey v. Theakson, [1951] 4 D.L.R. 150 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 77].

Hamstra et al. v. British Columbia Rugby Union et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1092; 211 N.R. 89; 89 B.C.A.C. 161; 145 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 77].

Brown v. Thunder Bay (City) Police, [1986] O.J. No. 2570 (Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 79].

Forrest v. Ostrovsky et al., [2002] A.R. Uned. 515; 2002 ABQB 1115, refd to. [para. 88].

Counsel:

Ronald J. Everard, Q.C., ( Everard & Kubitz), for the plaintiffs, Elizabeth Barbara Shaw and William Frank Shaw;

David Wachowich (Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP), for the defendant, William J. Zarn;

Peter Cline (Parlee McLaws), for the defendant, The Standard Life Assurance Company;

Daniel A. Downe (Field LLP), for the defendant, Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company.

This application was heard on January 26, 2005, by Rooke, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, who delivered the following decision on March 22, 2005, and filed written reasons on February 24, 2006.