Wilson v. Bobbie, 2006 ABQB 75

• Judge: Lee, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: January 23, 2006
• Citations: 2006 ABQB 75;(2006), 394 A.R. 118 (QB)

Wilson v. Bobbie (2006), 394 A.R. 118 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2006] A.R. TBEd. FE.058

Frank John Wilson (plaintiff) v. Jeffery John Bobbie (defendant)

(9603 24116; 2006 ABQB 75)

Indexed As: Wilson v. Bobbie

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Lee, J.

January 31, 2006.

Summary:

The defendant assaulted the plaintiff in the parking lot of a bar, causing serious injuries to the plaintiff. The defendant was convicted of aggravated assault. The plaintiff sued the defendant for damages and obtained a default judgment against the defendant. The matter proceeded to an assessment of damages. The defendant argued that damages should be reduced on account of provocation.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench assessed compensatory and punitive damages accordingly, including a 20% reduction in light of provocation.

Damage Awards - Topic 105

Injury and death - Head injuries - Skull fracture and closed head injuries - The defendant assaulted the 30 year old plaintiff in the parking lot of a bar, causing serious injuries to the plaintiff - The plaintiff was in a coma for 26 days requiring life support, sustained a severe head injury and brain damage, basal skull fracture, partial hearing loss, memory impairment, personalty change, etc. - Continuing memory difficulties - Off work 9.5 months - Unable to do household tasks or yard work for 10 months - The defendant was convicted of aggravated assault - The plaintiff sued the defendant for damages - The defendant argued that damages should be reduced by 75% on account of provocation - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench assessed nonpecuniary general damages of $125,000 and punitive damages of $50,000, reduced by 20% because of the provocation factor - The court noted that the plaintiff likely struck the first blow on the defendant's face believing that the defendant was breaking into the plaintiff's vehicle or that he was stopping a car theft - See paragraphs 41 to 79.

Damage Awards - Topic 2011

Exemplary or punitive damages - Assault and battery - [See Damage Awards - Topic 105 ].

Damages - Topic 1302

Exemplary or punitive damages - Assault and battery - [See Damages - Topic 2421 ].

Damages - Topic 1322

Exemplary or punitive damages - Bar - Where wrongdoer criminally convicted - [See Damages - Topic 2421 ].

Damages - Topic 2421

Torts affecting the person - Assault - Provocation - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench discussed when compensatory damages or punitive damages for assault would be reduced for provocation - The court also discussed whether punitive damages could be awarded where the defendant had also been convicted of a criminal offence arising out of the same matter - See paragraphs 29, 30 and 55 to 79.

Cases Noticed:

Kuehn v. Hougen, [1997] A.R. Uned. 267 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

Selles v. Ling et al. (1999), 12 B.C.T.C. 1; 87 A.C.W.S.(3d) 1255 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Gelinas v. Gelinas, [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. 896 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Vannan v. Kamloops (City), [1991] B.C.T.C. Uned. D86; 30 A.C.W.S.(3d) 930 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Kenny v. Siddall (1991), 120 N.B.R.(2d) 107; 302 A.P.R. 107; 29 A.C.W.S.(3d) 120 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 46].

Laframboise v. Billett, [1991] A.J. No. 743 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Messmer v. Daley et al., [1991] B.C.T.C. Uned. 648 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Millette v. Waller (1988), 12 A.C.W.S.(3d) 313 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Oulette v. Daon Development Corp., [1988] 4 W.W.R. 366; 86 A.R. 161 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Panasar et al. v. Hamilton, [1987] B.C.D. Civil 3385-13 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Senger v. Fidelak and P.T.F. Construction Ltd. (1987), 77 A.R. 89; 50 Alta. L.R.(2d) 302 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Duguay v. Moore and Lavoie (1985), 60 N.B.R.(2d) 420; 157 A.P.R. 420; 30 A.C.W.S.(2d) 260 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 46].

Reid and Reid v. Letteney and Royal Insurance Co. of Canada (1984), 61 N.S.R.(2d) 156; 133 A.P.R. 156; 27 A.C.W.S.(2d) 44 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 46].

Laflamme v. Duguette (1982), 15 A.C.W.S.(2d) 294 (Que. C.A.), refd to. [para. 46].

Egan v. Farrar-Karram (1981), 29 A.R. 180 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Ducharme and Holben v. Davies and Rogoschewsky (1981), 12 Sask.R. 137; 12 A.C.W.S.(2d) 88 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Scott et al. v. Etter et al.; Phoenix Assurance Co. of Canada (1980), 5 A.C.W.S.(2d) 358 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Korczak et al. v. Houle (1977), 2 A.C.W.S. 1137 (Sask. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Crackel v. Miller et al. (2003), 342 A.R. 109 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

White v. Aransibia et al., [2003] O.T.C. 586; 124 A.C.W.S.(3d) 219 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 46].

Traynor v. Degroot et al. (2003), 186 B.C.A.C. 213; 306 W.A.C. 213; [2003] B.C.D. Civil 730.55.40.00-07 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 46].

Jones v. Cheesebrough et al., [2003] A.R. Uned. 117 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Konopada v. Blais et al. (2001), 155 Man.R.(2d) 294; 104 A.C.W.S.(3d) 685 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Gordon v. Harmon (1999), 246 A.R. 305 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Townsend v. Kroppmanns et al., [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. F19 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Shaw v. Arnold et al., [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. H47 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Hilderley et al. v. Dore, [1996] B.C.T.C. Uned. 262; 61 A.C.W.S.(3d) 619 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Waterworth v. Freeman et al. (1998), 78 O.T.C. 278; 83 A.C.W.S.(3d) 605 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 46].

Baynton v. Rayner, [1995] O.J. No. 1617 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 46].

Whittington v. Christison, [1994] B.C.T.C. Uned. I41; 51 A.C.W.S.(3d) 840 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Johannesson v. Mandel et al. (1994), 148 A.R. 53 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

LaPlante v. LaPlante (1993), 42 A.C.W.S.(3d) 1001 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Zoobkof v. Yellow Cab Co. (1993), 37 A.C.W.S.(3d) 1057 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Grozelle v. Sadler (1993), 44 A.C.W.S.(3d) 1090 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 46].

Pond v. Potter (1992), 124 N.B.R.(2d) 104; 312 A.P.R. 104 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 46].

McDonald v. Nguyen (1991), 138 A.R. 81 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Shanazarian v. Rogers et al., [1990] B.C.T.C. Uned. 917 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Solbach v. Siebert and Abrahamson (1989), 101 A.R. 201 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Rachansky and Rachansky v. O'Connor (1987), 76 A.R. 110; 49 Alta. L.R.(2d) 422 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 46].

Pearson v. Abbey (1987), 7 A.C.W.S.(3d) 342 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Aucoin v. Master Excavators Ltd. et al. (1982), 36 A.R. 570 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46].

Rookes v. Barnard, [1964] A.C. 1129 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 60].

Gebauer v. Bourassa and Highlander Motor Hotel Ltd. (1978), 11 A.R. 123 (Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 61].

Herman v. Graves et al. (1998), 217 A.R. 275; 1998 ABQB 471, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Rhyason (B.P.) (2006), 389 A.R. 289; 2006 ABQB 86, refd to. [para. 75].

R. v. Bremner (R.) (2000), 138 B.C.A.C. 200; 226 W.A.C. 200; 146 C.C.C.(3d) 59 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 78].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Waddams, Stephen M., The Law of Damages (Looseleaf Ed.), c. 11 [para. 61]; p. 11-32 [para. 65].

Counsel:

Charles E. Campbell (Campbell & Van Doesburg), for the plaintiff;

David L. Schwartz, for the defendant.

This case was heard on January 23, 2006, before Lee, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following judgment on January 31, 2006.