Is the observation of a lay witness as much weight as that of a doctor?

British Columbia, Canada


The following excerpt is from Wilton v Koestlmaier, 2018 BCSC 1257 (CanLII):

In James v. Field, 2001 BCCA 267 the Court of Appeal recognized that the observation of a lay witness may carry as much weight as those of a doctor:

Other Questions


What is the burden of proving a claim of discrimination against a doctor who is not a qualified doctor? (British Columbia, Canada)
Can a lawyer be found guilty of professional misconduct by misleading opposing counsel by including a witness he knew was dead in his list of witnesses? (British Columbia, Canada)
If there is a contradiction between two statements made by the same witness at different times, can that contradiction affect the credibility of the witness? (British Columbia, Canada)
In what circumstances will a witness be required to fully disclose his or her personal information to a witness? (British Columbia, Canada)
What discretion does the BCSC have to allow an undisclosed witness to be added to the witness list? (British Columbia, Canada)
Are there any cases where a plaintiff failed to call a long-standing family doctor as a witness? (British Columbia, Canada)
Is evidence of a statement made to a witness by a person who is not himself called as a witness admissible? (British Columbia, Canada)
Can a lawyer who fails to put a proposition of evidence to a witness in cross-examination in a civil matter be held liable to sue the witness in a criminal case? (British Columbia, Canada)
Does a party have to obtain a report from a doctor before obtaining the report from that doctor? (British Columbia, Canada)
What is the case law on weight of causation and weight of fault? (British Columbia, Canada)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.