Wilson Estate et al. v. Byrne et al., [2004] O.T.C. 487 (SC)

• Judge: Himel, J.
• Court: Superior Court of Justice of Ontario (Canada)
• Case Date: June 04, 2004
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: [2004] O.T.C. 487 (SC)

Wilson Estate v. Byrne, [2004] O.T.C. 487 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2004] O.T.C. TBEd. JN.028

Earl Wilson Personally and as Estate Trustee of the Estate of Margaret Wilson, Kathy Wilson, Christine Harten, Terry O'Reilly, Jake Wilson and Kelly Wilson Pijnenburg by their Litigation Guardian Kathy Wilson, and Cody O'Reilly and Mason O'Reilly by their Litigation Guardian Terry O'Reilly (plaintiffs) v. Dr. Alan J. Byrne and Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (defendants)

(98-CV-153753)

Indexed As: Wilson Estate et al. v. Byrne et al.

Court of Ontario

Superior Court of Justice

Himel, J.

June 4, 2004.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Damage Awards - Topic 120

Injury and death - Head injuries - Resulting in paralysis (including strokes) - See paragraphs 95 to 111.

Damage Awards - Topic 492.1

Injury and death - General damage awards - Pretrial income loss - See paragraphs 112 to 115.

Damage Awards - Topic 580

Torts - Injury to third parties - General and special damages for personal care of injured person - See paragraphs 116 to 132.

Damage Awards - Topic 586

Torts - Injury to third parties - Economic loss - See paragraphs 143 to 147.

Damage Awards - Topic 590

Torts - Injury to third parties - Loss of care, guidance and companionship - See paragraphs 133 to 142.

Medicine - Topic 4242

Liability of practitioners - Negligence or fault - Standard of care - See paragraphs 17 to 70.

Medicine - Topic 4245

Liability of practitioners - Negligence or fault - Surgical operations by doctors - See paragraphs 29 to 52.

Medicine - Topic 4250

Liability of practitioners - Negligence or fault - Failure to diagnose an illness or condition (incl. improper diagnosis) - See paragraphs 53 to 94.

Medicine - Topic 4254

Liability of practitioners - Negligence or fault - Post-operative care - See paragraphs 29 to 52.

Torts - Topic 35

Negligence - Standard of care - Particular persons and relationships - Medical doctors and medical personnel - See paragraphs 17 to 70.

Torts - Topic 61

Negligence - Causation - Causal connection - See paragraphs 80 to 94.

Cases Noticed:

Crits v. Sylvester, [1956] O.R. 132; 1 D.L.R.(2d) 502 (C.A.), affd. [1956] S.C.R. 991, refd to. [para. 18].

Ter Neuzen v. Korn - see Neuzen v. Korn.

Neuzen v. Korn, [1995] 3 S.C.R. 674; 188 N.R. 161; 64 B.C.A.C. 241; 105 W.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 20].

McKeachie v. Alvarez (1970), 17 D.L.R.(3d) 87 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 20].

Johnston v. Wellesley Hospital (1970), 17 D.L.R.(3d) 139 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 20].

Badger v. Surkan (1970), 16 D.L.R.(3d) 146 (Sask. Q.B.), affd. [1973] 1 W.W.R. 302 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

Palsgraf v. Long Island Railway Co. (1928), 248 N.Y. 339, refd to. [para. 21].

Fontaine v. Loewen Estate, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 424; 223 N.R. 161; 103 B.C.A.C. 118; 169 W.A.C. 118; 156 D.L.R.(4th) 577, refd to. [para. 23].

Jackson v. Millar, [1976] 1 S.C.R. 225; 4 N.R. 17; 59 D.L.R.(3d) 246, refd to. [para. 24].

Hellenius v. Lees, [1972] S.C.R. 165; 20 D.L.R.(3d) 369, refd to. [para. 24].

Hassen v. Anvari, [2003] O.A.C. Uned. 339 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused [2003] S.C.C.A. No. 490, refd to. [para. 25].

Cranwill v. James (1994), 164 A.R. 241 (Q.B.), affd. (1997), 193 A.R. 204; 135 W.A.C. 204 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

Wilson v. Swanson, [1956] S.C.R. 804; 5 D.L.R.(2d) 113, refd to. [para. 27].

White v. Turner (1981), 31 O.R.(2d) 773 (H.C.), affd. (1982), 47 O.R.(2d) 764 refd to. [para. 28].

Whitehouse v. Jordan, [1981] 1 All E.R. 267 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 28].

Smith v. Grace, [2004] B.C.T.C. 395; 2004 BCSC 395 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 28].

Nichols v. Keyzer, [2000] O.T.C. 794 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 28].

Lewis v. Joutsi, [1995] O.J. No. 2076 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 28].

McCabe v. Lomax, [1994] O.J. No. 70 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 40].

Williams v. Cumberlidge (1999), 4 B.C.T.C. 265 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 40].

Gonda v. Kerbel (1982), 24 C.C.L.T. 222 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 40].

Anderson v. Nowaczynski, [1999] O.T.C. 54 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 41].

Brics v. Stroz, [2002] O.T.C. 171 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 41].

Lapointe v. Hôpital Le Gardeur - see Lapointe v. Chevrette.

Lapointe v. Chevrette, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 351; 133 N.R. 116; 45 Q.A.C. 262; 90 D.L.R.(4th) 7, refd to. [para. 42].

Segal v. Frimer, [2002] B.C.T.C. 1303; 2002 BCSC 1303, refd to. [para. 42].

Shumka v. Holloway, [2002] O.T.C. 1019 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 42].

Scott v. Mohan (1993), 142 A.R. 281 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 61].

Gallant v. Fialkov (1989), 69 O.R.(2d) 297 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 63].

Bergen Estate v. Sturgeon General Hospital District No. 100 (1984), 52 A.R. 161 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 63].

Layden v. Cope (1984), 52 A.R. 70; 28 C.C.L.T. 140 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 63].

Daniels v. Strangway, [2001] B.C.T.C. 304; 2001 BCSC 304, refd to. [para. 64].

Fagan v. Walfish, [1995] O.J. No. 1046 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 64].

Andree v. Pierce (1985), 35 Man.R.(2d) 244 (Q.B.), affd. (1986), 39 Man.R.(2d) 215 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 65].

Reibl v. Hughes, [1980] 2 S.C.R. 880; 33 N.R. 361; 114 D.L.R.(3d) 1, refd to. [para. 65].

Ferguson v. Hamilton Civic Hospital (1983), 40 O.R.(2d) 577 (H.C.), affd. (1985), 50 O.R.(2d) 754 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 65].

Cork v. Kirby Maclean Ltd., [1952] 2 All E.R. 402 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 80].

Athey v. Leonati et al., [1996] 3 S.C.R. 458; 203 N.R. 36; 81 B.C.A.C. 243; 132 W.A.C. 243; 140 D.L.R.(4th) 235, refd to. [para. 82].

Snell v. Farrell, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 311; 110 N.R. 200; 107 N.B.R.(2d) 94; 267 A.P.R. 94; 72 D.L.R.(4th) 289, refd to. [para. 83].

Laferrière v. Lawson, [1991] 1 S.C.R. 541; 123 N.R. 325; 38 Q.A.C. 161; 78 D.L.R.(4th) 609, refd to. [para. 83].

Taylor v. Hogan (1994), 119 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 37; 370 A.P.R. 37 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 85].

Dowhan v. Cates, [2000] O.T.C. 441 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 85].

Lankenau Estate v. Dutton (1991), 79 D.L.R.(4th) 705; 55 B.C.L.R.(2d) 218 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 85].

Heidebrecht v. Fraser-Burrard Hospital Society, [1996] B.C.J. No. 3042 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 86].

Cottrelle v. Gerard (2003), 178 O.A.C. 142; 67 O.R.(3d) 737 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 87].

Locke v. Smith (2002), 159 O.A.C. 328 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 89].

Liuni v. Peters (2001), 151 O.A.C. 389 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 89].

Hughes v. Lord Advocate, [1963] 1 All E.R. 705 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 101].

Gill Estate v. Marriott, [1999] O.T.C. 52 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 102].

Giles v. Canada (Attorney General), [1994] B.C.J. No. 3212 (S.C.), revd. (1996), 71 B.C.A.C. 319; 117 W.A.C. 319 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 102].

Wallace v. Taylor Estate, [1991] I.L.R. 1-2685 (S.C.), varied (1992), 19 B.C.A.C. 123; 34 W.A.C. 123 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 105].

Jackson v. Anderson, [1989] B.C.J. No. 852 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 105].

Andrews et al. v. Grand & Toy (Alberta) Ltd. et al., [1978] 2 S.C.R. 229; 19 N.R. 50; 8 A.R. 182, refd to. [para. 106].

Thornton v. Board of School Trustees of School District No. 57 (Prince George) et al., [1978] 2 S.C.R. 267; 19 N.R. 552, refd to. [para. 107].

Teno et al. v. Arnold et al., [1978] 2 S.C.R. 287; 19 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 107].

Cartaginese v. Castoro, [1995] O.J. No. 142 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 116].

Bystedt v. Hay, [2001] B.C.T.C. 1735; 2001 BCSC 1735, refd to. [para. 116].

Jones v. Rostvig, [2003] B.C.T.C. Uned. 488; 17 C.C.L.T.(3d) 253 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 118].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Colapinto, Nicholas D., The Problem of Post-operative Peritonitis (1984), 39:3 Journal of Modern Medicine of Canada, generally [para. 60].

Klar, L.N., Tort Law (3rd Ed. 2003), pp. 389 [para. 80]; 396 [para. 82]; 402 [para. 83]; 506 [para. 24].

Nathan, H.L., Medical Negligence (1957), p. 57 [para. 65].

Picard, Ellen I., and Robertson, Gerald B., Legal Liability of Doctors and Hospitals in Canada (3rd Ed. 1996), pp. 174 [para. 18]; 186 [para. 19]; 193, 197 [para. 21]; 239 [para. 65]; 251, 252 [para. 21].

Phillips, E., and Rosenthal, R., Operative Strategies in Laparoscopic Surgery (1995), pp. 65 to 72 [para. 50].

Soper, N.J., and Strasberg, S.M., Avoiding and Classifying Common Bile Duct Injuries during Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, in Phillips, E., and Rosenthal, R., Operative Strategies in Laparoscopic Surgery (1995), pp. 65 to 72 [para. 50].

Strasberg, S.M. et al., An Analysis of the Problem of Biliary Injury During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (1995), 180 Journal of American College of Surgeons, pp. 101 to 122 [para. 50].

Counsel:

Duncan N. Embury and Janice E. Grevler, for the plaintiffs;

William Black and Sara J. Erskine, for the defendant, Dr. Byrne.

This action was heard on April 13-16, 19-23 and 26, 2004, by Himel, J., of the Ontario Superior Court, who released the following decision on June 4, 2004.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.