Supreme Court to hear case of a man killed by tree in Westmount

The Supreme Court of Canada has decided to hear an appeal by the City of Westmount involving an accidental death. In two thousand and six, Gabriel Rossy was killed by a falling tree while in his car. The coroner concluded that the death was preventable since the one hundred year old poplar tree was ninety percent rotten.

The Quebec Superior Court first ruled that the no-fault insurance board, the SAAQ, was responsible for the death. However, ruling that the car was not a factor in the death, the Quebec Court of Appeals overturned the decision. Rossy’s family then decided to target their lawsuit towards the City of Westmount for one point three million dollars.

The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case could have repercussions in the future for the province.