Groundbreaking Cases

Harper Grey LLP lawyers have been involved in some of Canada's most significant cases - groundbreaking cases that significantly impacted the legal landscape of our nation in matters ranging from environmental concerns, to health care, and the protection of children and families.

The Supreme Court of Canada is the forum where cases of the highest importance to Canadians are heard and decided. We have represented clients before the Supreme Court of Canada on numerous occasions. Highlights of these appearances include:

• Acting for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia in a matter against the Attorney General of British Columbia. The Attorney General appealed a judgment in which the British Columbia Court of Appeal held him vicariously liable to pay damages resulting from the death of a driver in a crash that occurred during a police chase of a stolen car. The appeal was dismissed. 
• Acting for an insured in a case regarding compensation for environmental damages to public lands caused by forest fire. British Columbia v. Canadian Forest Products Ltd.
• Acting for our client where the issue before the Court was whether social welfare benefits in the future should be taken into account in the assessment of damages for the parents of a handicapped child. Krangle (Guardian ad litem of) v. Brisco
• We argued the leading case on access to and production of counselling records for those bringing claims for psychiatric injury. M. (A.). v. Ryan
• Counsel on a leading case on the public safety exception for solicitor-client privilege. Smith v. Jones
• Litigating the leading case on causation of damages and medical negligence: Arndt v. Smith
• Representing the parents of children with autism who sought coverage for therapy under the Medical Services Plan. Auton (Guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia (Attorney General)
• Appearing twice before the Supreme Court of Canada to address the deductibility of collateral benefits paid to tort victims, once in the Cunningham v. Wheeler case in 1994 and again recently in the leading case of M.B. v. British Columbia in 2003.
• We were counsel on the leading cases on vicarious liability for intentional torts. Blackwater v. Plint; and Bazely v. Curry
• Counsel on the leading case on liability for medical products in Hollis v. Dow Corning.
• We argued the scope of the bar against civil proceedings in the Workers Compensation Act in Kovach v. British Columbia
• Addressing the issue of the vicarious liability of an insurer for the intentional and wrongful acts of its agents. Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Canada v. Thiessen
• Arguing almost all of the leading cases from British Columbia on the Limitation Act. Novak v. Bond
• We argued the leading case on damages for loss of life expectancy and the principles applicable to a future income loss claim. Toneguzzo-Norvell (Guardian ad litem of) v. Burnaby Hospital
• Representing our client in the seminal decision by the SCC which determined in what circumstances compliance with standard medical practice will defeat a claim in negligence. ter Neuzen v. Korn
• Counsel on a leading case regarding the judicial review of professional discipline. Q. v. College of Physicians & Surgeons