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Hairdresser loses dead fly case | Hairdresser loses dead fly case |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A Canadian hairdresser who says he suffered from depression and phobias after finding a dead fly in his bottled water has lost a case for damages. | A Canadian hairdresser who says he suffered from depression and phobias after finding a dead fly in his bottled water has lost a case for damages. |
Waddah Mustapha had been awarded $341,775 in damages in 2005, but the Supreme Court of Canada has now overturned that award. | Waddah Mustapha had been awarded $341,775 in damages in 2005, but the Supreme Court of Canada has now overturned that award. |
The court said the bottling company, Culligan of Canada, could not have foreseen the psychological damage. | The court said the bottling company, Culligan of Canada, could not have foreseen the psychological damage. |
Mr Mustapha says the discovery wrecked his sleep and his sex life. | Mr Mustapha says the discovery wrecked his sleep and his sex life. |
A Lebanese immigrant who owns a hairstyling business with his wife, Mr Mustapha first installed Culligan water dispensers at his home and his business in 1986. | A Lebanese immigrant who owns a hairstyling business with his wife, Mr Mustapha first installed Culligan water dispensers at his home and his business in 1986. |
The family kept only Culligan water in their house for the next 15 years. | The family kept only Culligan water in their house for the next 15 years. |
Water phobia | Water phobia |
But in 2001 Mr Mustapha noticed one whole fly and another half fly in an unopened bottle as he was loading it onto his cooler. | But in 2001 Mr Mustapha noticed one whole fly and another half fly in an unopened bottle as he was loading it onto his cooler. |
After this, he began to feel nauseous and depressed, and developed a phobia for water, only being able to take showers with his head down, so the water did not strike his face. | |
Justice John Brockenshire found in the original damages case in 2005 that Mr Mustapha suffered a "major depressive disorder". | Justice John Brockenshire found in the original damages case in 2005 that Mr Mustapha suffered a "major depressive disorder". |
In his ruling, he said: "He pictures flies walking on animal faeces or rotten food and then being in his supposedly pure drinking water." | In his ruling, he said: "He pictures flies walking on animal faeces or rotten food and then being in his supposedly pure drinking water." |
But on Thursday the Supreme Court confirmed, in a 9-0 ruling, an Ontario Court of Appeal decision, which overturned the original award. | |
Chief Justice Beverley McLauchlin said that "Mustapha failed to show that it was foreseeable that a person of ordinary fortitude would suffer serious injury from seeing the flies in the bottle of water he was about to install". | Chief Justice Beverley McLauchlin said that "Mustapha failed to show that it was foreseeable that a person of ordinary fortitude would suffer serious injury from seeing the flies in the bottle of water he was about to install". |
The Chief Justice added: "I conclude that the loss suffered by the plaintiff was too remote to be reasonably foreseen and that consequently, he cannot recover damages from the defendant." | The Chief Justice added: "I conclude that the loss suffered by the plaintiff was too remote to be reasonably foreseen and that consequently, he cannot recover damages from the defendant." |
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