Tower v. Tower et al., 2010 NBCA 64

• Judge: Drapeau, C.J.N.B., Larlee and Quigg, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: June 30, 2010
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: 2010 NBCA 64;(2010), 363 N.B.R.(2d) 252 (CA)

Tower v. Tower (2010), 363 N.B.R.(2d) 252 (CA);

    363 R.N.-B.(2e) 252; 936 A.P.R. 252

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. SE.012

Renvoi temp.: [2010] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. SE.012

Éric Ouellette and Midland Transport Ltd., a body corporate operating under the business name and style of RST Industries (defendants/appellants) v. Nathan Tower (respondent)

(159-09-CA; 2010 NBCA 64)

Indexed As: Tower v. Tower et al.

Répertorié: Tower v. Tower et al.

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Drapeau, C.J.N.B., Larlee and Quigg, JJ.A.

September 2, 2010.

Summary:

Résumé:

The plaintiff sued the defendants for damages for personal injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident. The defendant transport driver attempted to pass the vehicle in which the plaintiff was a passenger during a snowstorm. Both vehicles were travelling in the same direction on a four-lane divided highway.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, in a decision reported at 351 N.B.R.(2d) 178; 904 A.P.R. 178, held that the defendant driver and defendant trucking company were liable for the accident. The defendant driver breached his duty to take reasonable care to insure he could pass safely. The defendants appealed.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The trial judge's finding that the defendant Ouellette was entirely at fault for the collision between his tractor-trailer and the plaintiff's vehicle was not the product of reversible error.

Torts - Topic 380

Negligence - Motor vehicle - Standard of care of driver - Dangerous highways or adverse driving conditions - The plaintiff sued the defendants for damages for personal injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident - The defendant tractor-trailer driver (Ouellette) unsuccessfully attempted to pass the vehicle in which the plaintiff was a passenger (Tower vehicle) during a snowstorm - Both vehicles were travelling in the same direction on a four-lane divided highway - They were proceeding in very poor conditions - The road was snow packed and slippery - No markings were visible to identify the lanes or the shoulders - The snow was heavy and consistent - Ouellette was attempting to follow another tractor-trailer which had just passed the Tower vehicle - Ouellette alleged that the accident was caused by the Tower vehicle moving into the left passing lane - The trial judge held that Ouellette and the trucking company that employed him were liable for the accident in attempting to pass when he did - Ouellette breached his duty to take reasonable care to insure that he could pass safely - The tractor-trailer was proceeding in dangerous driving conditions - Ouellette should have known that the driver of the Tower vehicle was likely to experience great difficulty in operating his vehicle during and immediately following being passed by the first tractor-trailer - Ouellette should have appreciated that the Tower vehicle could constitute a hazard to be avoided - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal dismissed the defendants' appeal - The trial judge was unable to attribute fault to the driver of the Tower vehicle on the basis of the position of the Tower vehicle on the highway - The trial judge's finding that Ouellette was entirely at fault for the collision was not the product of reversible error - See paragraphs 17 to 24.

Torts - Topic 405

Negligence - Motor vehicle - Rules of the road - Passing - General - [See Torts - Topic 380 ].

Torts - Topic 6610

Defences - Contributory negligence - Particular cases - Motor vehicle accidents - [See Torts - Topic 380 ].

Délits civils - Cote 380

Négligence - Véhicule à moteur - Norme de conduite du conducteur - Routes dangereuses ou mauvaises conditions - [Voir Torts - Topic 380 ].

Délits civils - Cote 405

Négligence - Véhicule à moteur - Règles de la route - Dépassement - Généralités - [Voir Torts - Topic 405 ].

Délits civils - Cote 6610

Défenses - Négligence contributive - Cas particuliers - Accidents de véhicule à moteur - [Voir Torts - Topic 6610 ].

Cases Noticed:

Fillier v. Whittom (1995), 171 N.B.R.(2d) 92; 437 A.P.R. 92 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 3].

Saulnier v. LeBlanc (2005), 288 N.B.R.(2d) 160; 751 A.P.R. 160; 2005 NBCA 79, refd to. [para. 4].

Caron v. Pelletier (1994), 149 N.B.R.(2d) 321; 381 A.P.R. 321 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 4].

Jones v. Richard (2000), 226 N.B.R.(2d) 207; 579 A.P.R. 207 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 6].

McLoughlin et al. v. Luff (Ray) Ltd. et al. (2003), 221 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 54; 661 A.P.R. 54; 2003 NLCA 3, refd to. [para. 7].

St-Jean v. Mercier, [2002] 1 S.C.R. 491; 282 N.R. 310; 2002 SCC 15, refd to. [para. 8].

McAdam et al. v. McIlveen et al. (2002), 252 N.B.R.(2d) 35; 658 A.P.R. 35; 2002 NBCA 55, refd to. [para. 8].

R. v. Black (D.M.) (2010), 360 N.B.R.(2d) 132; 930 A.P.R. 132; 2010 NBCA 36, refd to. [para. 13].

Roy v. Doucet (2005), 288 N.B.R.(2d) 12; 751 A.P.R. 12; 2005 NBCA 84, refd to. [para. 15].

Gallant v. Thibodeau (1998), 206 N.B.R.(2d) 336; 526 A.P.R. 336 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

St-Pierre v. LeQuang (2005), 291 N.B.R.(2d) 276; 758 A.P.R. 276; 2005 NBCA 102, refd to. [para. 15].

Easton v. Allaby (2006), 296 N.B.R.(2d) 157; 769 A.P.R. 157; 2006 NBCA 21, refd to. [para. 15].

Godin v. Star-Key Enterprises Ltd. (2006), 305 N.B.R.(2d) 180; 791 A.P.R. 180; 2006 NBCA 91, refd to. [para. 15].

Haché v. Chiasson (2007), 318 N.B.R.(2d) 272; 821 A.P.R. 272; 2007 NBCA 57, refd to. [para. 15].

Jacob v. Roy, [2006] N.B.R.(2d) Uned. 165; 2006 NBCA 102, refd to. [para. 15].

Eng v. Medjuck - see Eng v. Chahoud et al.

Eng v. Chahoud et al. (1999), 180 N.S.R.(2d) 274; 557 A.P.R. 274; 1999 NSCA 138, refd to. [para. 16].

Fowler et al. v. Schneider National Carriers Ltd. et al. (2001), 193 N.S.R.(2d) 206; 602 A.P.R. 206; 2001 NSCA 55, refd to. [para. 16].

Fraser v. Hunter Estate (2000), 184 N.S.R.(2d) 217; 573 A.P.R. 217; 2000 NSCA 63, refd to. [para. 16].

Boutilier and Tutty v. Merrill and Tompkins (2000), 189 N.S.R.(2d) 267; 590 A.P.R. 267; 2000 NSCA 149, refd to. [para. 16].

W.E.D. v. Rice - see Day v. Rice.

Day v. Rice, [2000] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 5; 2000 NSCA 12, refd to. [para. 16].

Leddicote v. Nova Scotia (Attorney General) et al. (2002), 203 N.S.R.(2d) 271; 635 A.P.R. 271; 2002 NSCA 47, refd to. [para. 16].

Mosher v. LeFort Estate et al., [2010] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 136; 2010 NSCA 48, refd to. [para. 16].

Hanke v. Resurfice Corp. et al., [2007] 1 S.C.R. 333; 357 N.R. 175; 404 A.R. 333; 394 W.A.C. 333; 2007 SCC 7, refd to. [para. 22].

Counsel:

Avocats:

Marie-Claude Bélanger-Richard, Q.C., for the appellants;

Hélène L. Beaulieu, Q.C., for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on June 30, 2010, by Drapeau, C.J.N.B., Larlee and Quigg, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal. Judgment of the court was rendered on September 2, 2010, when Drapeau, C.J.N.B., filed the following reasons for judgment in both official languages.