Representatives from several families first got together a little more than a decade ago to formalize a collective effort aimed at meaningful legislative change when it comes to wrongful death.
As each family would soon learn, families seeking justice in honour of their deceased loved ones were in essence prohibited from pursuing justice, unless their dead family members were breadwinners.
In BC, those who wrongfully take the lives of others enjoy tort immunity in innumerable cases where there is little or no pecuniary loss. This is possible because children, the elderly, and often the seriously disabled are financial dependents.
As a consequence, many lives are worthless in the eyes of BC law.
In Their Name: “For families thrust into dealing with a wrongful death in British Columbia, matters become even more painful and frustrating if they seek advice on legal avenues to find justice.”
The Verdict: “As each family would soon learn, families seeking justice in honour of their deceased loved ones were in essence prohibited from pursuing justice, unless their dead family members were breadwinners…”
The family of a 28-year-old Mexican woman killed while tandem hang-gliding is suing the instructor who was given five months in jail for causing her death, as well as the sport’s governing associations.
