Insurance Policies – Better Catch ‘Em All!
Pokémon Go is the latest gaming phenomenon that is taking the world by storm. Within one week of its launch, 65 million people had downloaded the game to their device. Android and iPhone users all over the world are playing...
Automobiles Owned by the Insured or Spouse are “Uninsured Automobiles” when Taken without Consent
In the recent case Skunk v Ketash, 2016 ONSC 2019, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice examined the availability of uninsured and underinsured coverage to a policyholder’s spouse where the vehicle is operated without the consent of the owner. The...
Does the Failure to Equip a Vehicle with Winter Tires Equate to Negligence?
Evidence now clearly shows that winter tires are superior to all other types of tires in winter driving conditions.[1] Winter tires maintain elasticity at low temperatures allowing for better vehicle control in both braking and turning ability.[2] Despite compelling scientific...
Fort McMurray Fire Loss Update: The “Beast” – Its Cost to the Insurance Industry and the Need for Greater Risk Management
Fort McMurray, Alberta is a northern urban community within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. It is situated in the middle of the Athabasca oil sands and is nestled in a valley surrounded by boreal forest. With a population of...
Adverse Cost Insurance: Evolving Case Law
A growing issue in personal injury litigation has been the propagation of adverse cost insurance, also known as “after-the-event” insurance. This insurance is typically a policy purchased by a plaintiff in a lawsuit to provide protection in the event of...
A Defendant By Any Other Name: Of Limitation Periods, John Doe, and Misnomer
Having read the reasons for decision in Stechyshyn v. Domljanovic, 2015 ONCA 889 you would be forgiven for wondering whether the panel of the Court of Appeal had taken in a showing of Romeo and Juliet during their deliberations. The...
The Ins and Outs of The “Impaired Property” Exclusion in Commercial General Liability Policies
Upcoming Amendments to British Columbia’s Costs Rules: An Update
This is a brief update on the original article published in our April 7, 2016 issue titled “Is it Going to Cost You More? Upcoming Amendments to British Columbia’s Costs Rules”. On March 31, 2016, the Attorney General of British...
Case Commentary: Defeating an Application to be Added as a Defendant – The Owners, Strata Plan KAS 2971 v. American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, et al., 2016 BCSC 581
Most actions commenced by a strata corporation[1] alleging negligence in the design and construction of their condominium development name multiple parties as defendants, including the original owner/developer, municipality, general contractor, trades, material suppliers and all consultants, including the architect, engineers...
Back to the Future (Contract): Job Offers and Economic Loss for Attendant Care Service Providers
When the “future contract” provisions were eliminated from the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule effective April 15, 2004, the industry breathed a sigh of relief that yet another category of “questionable” claims for Income Replacement Benefits were being eliminated. Recall prior...
