British Columbia Insurance Blog : Canada Insurance Lawyer & Attorney : Michael Thomas of Harper Grey Law Firm : British Columbia, Vancouver

The Court held that a travel Insurer ("RBC Travel") did not have a right to bring a subrogated claim in the name of an Insured against the Insured's husband where the husband was also insured under the policy.

Kerr v. Kerr, [2009] N.S.J. No. 63, January 29, 2009, Nova Scotia Supreme Court, G.R.P. Moir J.

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This is a motion by two Defendants in two cases with the same factual matrix arising out of the same event to have the second action struck. The two Plaintiffs are the same in the first action, with one of those Plaintiffs becoming a Defendant in the second action. The motion was dismissed and the actions were ordered restructured, so that both Plaintiffs could pursue their subrogated and uninsured claims against each set of Defendants in a specially managed proceeding.

Hodder Tugboat Co. v. J.J.M. Construction Ltd., [2009] F.C.J. No. 204, February 13, 2009, The Federal Court, Lemieux, J.

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The appeal by the Government of Manitoba ("Manitoba") from a trial decision finding that Lumsden was totally disabled under the terms of the Long Term Disability Income Plan for Manitoba employees was allowed in part where the Court found that the $45,000 award for mental distress was excessive and reduced this award to $25,000.

Lumsden v. Manitoba, [2009] M.J. No. 48, February 17, 2009, Manitoba Court of Appeal, R.J. Scott C.J.M., M.H. Freedman and A.D. MacInnes JJ.A.

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The Insured ("Pearlman") brought a claim against the Insurer ("ACI") alleging that, amongst other things, ACI had acted in bad faith, deceitfully and fraudulently in handling Pearlman's claim for medical expenses related to a motor vehicle accident which occurred in British Columbia. ACI brought a Summary Trial Application to dismiss Pearlman's Action. The Summary Trial Judge dismissed the Application indicating that there were "valid questions" concerning ACI's conduct which he was unable to answer on the material before him. ACI appealed from this decision.

Pearlman v. American Commerce Insurance Co., [2009] B.C.J. No. 299, February 24, 2009, British Columbia Court of Appeal, L.S.G. Finch C.J.B.C., K.J. Smith and S.D. Frankel JJ.A.

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The Plaintiff was driving in his work truck, which was insured by his employer, when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident with the Defendant who was uninsured. The Court held that the insurer of the Plaintiff’s personal vehicles was not required to provide uninsured coverage. The policy was not triggered because the Plaintiff was not in an “uninsured vehicle” at the time of the accident.

Oliviera v. Mullings 2009 CanLII 3983 (ON S.C.).  January 29, 2009.  Ontario Superior Court of Justice.  Justice J. Kelly.

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Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. ("Teck") sued its Insurers in the US for coverage in relation to environmental damage alleged to have occurred in the US. The Insurers commenced parallel proceedings in British Columbia seeking Declaratory Orders regarding their obligation to defend or indemnify Teck. The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the dismissal of Applications by Teck for Orders staying the BC proceedings in favour of proceedings Teck commenced in the US.

Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. v. Lloyd's Underwriters, [2009] S.C.J. No. 11, February 20, 2009, Supreme Court of Canada, McLachlin C.J. and Binnie, LeBel, Deschamps, Fish, Charron and Rothstein JJ.

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