midweek edition WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15, 2010
Vol. 101 No. 100 • Established 1908 • West
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Songs for Scrooge
Dailey physical
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City pays out $9 million in lawsuit settlements
From 2000 to Dec. 1, 2010, city hall settled 211 claims Mike Howell Staff writer
The city paid out almost $9 million in the past decade to people who sued the city for a variety of incidents, including falls on sidewalks, property damage and injuries suffered during arrests by police. From 2000 to Dec. 1, 2010, the city settled 211 claims for a total of $8.8 million, according to documents obtained by the Courier under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Total settlement payments ranged from a low of $186,489 in 2000 to a high of $1.5 million in 2001 and 2009. The city’s engineering department, which includes it streets, sewers, transport and waterworks divisions, had the highest number of payouts at 91.
The city declined to break down the worth of each claim or provide detailed descriptions of the incidents, as requested by the Courier. For example, 12 claims involving the Vancouver Police Department in 2007 were described as “miscellaneous.” The same description is provided for several claims related to the park board and engineering department. “To provide more specific case details could reasonably be expected to harm the city’s financial interest,” said city clerk Marg Coulson in a letter to the Courier. “For example, more detailed information would allow a person making a claim to determine the amounts for which similar claims have been settled.” The highest number of claims—33—was paid out in 2007 for a total settlement of $1.4 million. Ten involved the engineering
department and some of the descriptions given included falls on sidewalks, potholes, property damage from city tree roots and sidewalk construction. The fewest number of claims—10—was paid out, as of Dec. 1, this year. Five involved parks, with descriptions given as miscellaneous, pruning, stump grinding and maintenance at community centres. Settlements involving the VPD accounted for 68 claims in the past decade, including 21 paid out in 2007, seven each in 2001 and 2008 and two this year. Descriptions of claims included “miscellaneous, damage/injury during an arrest, damage/injury during riot/civil unrest/protests” and a case involving a police dog. In 2008, a Vancouver police volunteer sued the city and a police dog handler after she was injured during a training exer-
Lawsuit settlements by the city include payouts for unsafe sidewalks, police arrests and potholes.
cise with a police dog. In her statement of claim, April Darsch claimed she was bitten by a police dog in the right shoulder. The dog then landed with his paws on Darsch’s right knee, which made a “popping” sound, according to her statement. Darsch, who was wearing a protective suit, claimed the incident tore the anterior cruciate ligament on her knee, which later required reconstructive surgery. The Courier reached Darsch at the Anglo Canadian Shipping Company, where she works in customs brokerage. She was reluctant to speak about her lawsuit or reveal the amount of money she received from the city. “I’m not at liberty to discuss anything about the suit,” she said. “It’s been resolved and I’m happy with it and that’s basically all I can say.” See LAWYER on page 4
photos Dan Toulgoet
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