BRITISHCOLUMBIALAWINSTITUTE 1822EastMall,UniversityofBritishColumbia Vancouver,BritishColumbiaV6T1Z1 Voice:(604)8220142Fax:(604)8220144E‐mail:bcli@bcli.org Website:www.bcli.org

Backgrounder

BCLIReportno.28—ReportonPost‐AccidentRemedialMeasuresDate:January2004

Thisreportexaminesthelawofevidencewithregardtoissuesthatariseafteranaccidentoccursonaperson’sproperty.Thelawnowpermitspost‐accidentremedialmeasurestobeadmittedinlitigationasevidenceofnegligence.Theconcernthatarisesisthatthelawmaycreateapowerfuldisincentivetotakethenecessarystepstoensurethatfutureaccidentsdonotoccur.Apersonmayleaveadangerousconditionunalteredinordertoavoidhavingsuchmeasuresusedasevidenceagainsttheminanongoinglitigation.AdmittingevidenceofremedialmeasuresispartofalargertrendinCanadianlawseekingboth to relax exclusionary rules and to admit asmuch relevant evidence as possible forconsideration.ThisreportexaminesthehistoricalexclusionofevidenceinBritishColum‐biaaswellthecurrentlawsofevidencerelatedtoadmittingevidenceofaremedialorpre‐cautionarymeasurestakenafteranaccident.Based on research and feedback from the Consultation Paper on Post­AccidentRemedialMeasurespublishedinApril2003,thereportrecommendsamorerestrictivetest.There‐port proposes that the Evidence Act be amended to provide that evidence of remedialmeasurestakenafteranallegedtortiousinjuryordamagewillnotbeadmissibleinatrialofthataction,unlessitisofferedtoproveafactotherthanliabilityandthathasbeendis‐putedbythedefendant.Draftlegislationisincludedinthereport.