$95,000 Non-Pecuniary Assessment for Chronic Wrist Injury

Adding to this site’s archived case summaries of non-pecuniary awards for wrist injuries, reasons for judgement were released today by the BC Supreme Court, Chilliwack Registry, assessing damages for a chronic wrist injury.
In today’s case (Ozeer v. Young) the Plaintiff was riding as a passenger in a vehicle that ran head on into a hydro pole.  He suffered some soft tissue injuries which resolved without issue.  He also suffered a wrist injury which required multiple surgeries and continued to pose problems.  In assessing non-pecuniary damages at $95,000 Mr. Justice Saunders provided the following reasons:
[22]         In short, in addition to relatively mild or mild-to-moderate soft tissue injuries, Mr. Ozeer has sustained a severe wrist injury resulting in significant restriction in the use of his dominant hand that will be permanent. He has undergone two surgeries directly attributable to the accident, with an extended recovery period, and will probably have to undergo another surgery to fuse the wrist. He has continued to suffer pain and discomfort to varying degrees. I infer the pain and discomfort will likely only worsen due to the onset of arthritis…

[27]         Of the cases cited, the facts in Ferguson bear the closest resemblance to the present case. The 37-year-old plaintiff in Ferguson suffered injuries to his neck, back and left wrist. His neck and back problems resolved within weeks, but his wrist injury persisted, requiring three surgeries. A report prepared by an orthopaedic and hand surgeon concluded that the plaintiff would be left with permanent weakness in his left hand and he would require job retraining as the injury would probably permanently prevent him from returning to his job as a heavy duty mechanic. Madam Justice Gill awarded the plaintiff $75,000 in non-pecuniary damages.

[28]         I award Mr. Ozeer non-pecuniary damages of $95,000.