Causation in Tort III 2015


Course Date: May 5, 2015

Total: 4h 43min

Welcome and Introduction

David Cheifetz — Pacific Law Group, Vancouver

Causation: The “But For” Test

  • necessary: the meaning of "but for"
  • evidence issues: proof of factual causation, Snell inference
  • factual  indeterminancy
  • other causal tests 

The Honourable Mr. Justice Russell S. Brown  Alberta Court of Appeal, Edmonton

Networking Break

Causation: The Material Contribution Test

  • contribution to the risk of injury, not contribution to injury
  • prerequisites
  • future development

Professor Lynda M. Collins  Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Ottawa
Professor Heather McLeod-Kilmurray  Centre for Environmental Law and Global Sustainability (CELGS), Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Ottawa

Networking Break

Scope of Liability: Remoteness and Proximate Cause

  • legal causation versus factual causation
  • requires a finding of legal causation
  • limitations on the scope (extent) of liability

 Professor Craig E. Jones, QC Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops 

Networking Lunch

Causation in Economic Loss Claims in Personal Injury

  • proof of past loss
  • proof of future loss
  • key evidence issues

Jeffrey Joudrey  Pacific Law Group, Vancouver

Causation and Medical Negligence

  • complexity
  • expert evidence
  • factual indeterminancy

David W. Pilley  Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Causation and Expert Evidence—Lost in Translation

  • clarifying concepts
  • helping the judge and jury

The Honourable Madam Justice Elaine J. Adair Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Dr. Paul Bishop, MD, PhD Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, Vancouver
David Cheifetz Pacific Law Group, Vancouver
Jeffrey Joudrey Pacific Law Group, Vancouver
David W. Pilley Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver

Concluding Remarks

David Cheifetz — Pacific Law Group, Vancouver