Christine Galea
Christine Galea has significant experience litigating claims involving product liability, medical malpractice, complex bodily injury, professional liability, construction and property damage. She has represented clients in a number of trials, arbitrations, applications, motions and tribunal hearings.
Prior to joining Dolden Wallace Folick LLP in 2017, she maintained a busy practice at an insurance defence boutique in Toronto. In the earlier years of her career, she litigated commercial, employment and personal injury claims as an associate lawyer in a full service law firm.
Christine’s practice areas include:
Class Action Defence
- Representing Canadian and international clients in the defence of class action proceedings, including indemnity claims arising from class action settlements, in a variety of practice areas.
- Co-Chair of the firm’s Class Action Practice Group.
Product Liability
- Representing clients in a number of product liability claims involving allegations of defective and unfit products, such as motor vehicles, building materials, food products and component parts of mechanical and other items.
- Defence counsel in the indemnity claim arising from the settlement of numerous Canadian and U.S. class actions involving allegations of defective Kitec products (cross-linked polyethylene piping).
- Trial counsel in a claim involving allegations of defective roofing materials installed on a commercial building.
Medical Malpractice
- Representing clients in negligence claims involving doctors, hospitals, nurses and other medical professionals, including a claim against a family physician arising from allegations of sexual assault.
- Trial counsel in a medical malpractice claim against a family physician.
Complex Bodily Injury
- Acting as counsel in bodily injury claims involving occupiers’ liability, liquor liability, product liability, motor vehicle accidents, boating accidents and assaults.
- Defending numerous contractors and subcontractors in negligence claims against them.
- Defending benefits claims arising from accident-related injuries in arbitration proceedings.
- Representing clients in complex bodily injury claims at trial.
- Trial counsel in a claim arising from allegations of assault against a Peace Officer.
Professional Liability
- Acting as counsel in negligence claims involving professionals such as lawyers and financial advisors.
- Trial counsel in a negligence claim against a boarding facility for dogs.
Property Damage
- Acting as counsel in nuisance and negligence claims involving property damage due to water, dust and smoke.
Fraud Defence
- Counsel to an anti-fraud task force with the special investigations unit of a large insurer.
Professional and Community Involvement
- Law Society of Ontario
- Ontario Bar Association – CPD Liaison Officer, Insurance Law Section (2019-2021)
- Canadian Cancer Society
- Royal York Football Club
- Advocates’ Society – former Committee Member, Young Advocates’ Standing Committee (2012-2014)
- Brain Injury Association of Durham (“BIAD”) – former Board Member, Board of Directors
- Ontario Brain Injury Association (“OBIA”) – former Representative of BIAD, OBIA Advisory Council
Publications and Presentations
- “A Caution to Insurers on Defensible Programs”, Ontario Bar Association, March 9, 2020
- “Best Practices for Technology Contracts”, CFC Underwriting, 2019
- “Clinical Notes: Critical Evidence in Misconduct Proceedings Against Medical Health Practitioners”, DWF Insure Updates, May 9, 2019
- “Making it Count: Duty of Employers in Discrimination Claims”, Hearsay (Canadian Defence Lawyers), April 2019
- “Subrogated Claims Involving Bankrupt Insureds: the Aftermath of Douglas et al. v. Stan Fergusson Fuels Ltd.”, DWF Insure Updates, April 10, 2019
- “Mandatory Appraisals in Property Loss Claims”, DWF Insure Updates, October 11, 2018
- “Assault on the Pitch: The Role of Supervising Authorities”, DWF Insure Updates, September 2018
- “Examinations for Discovery: To Exclude or Not to Exclude, That is the Question”, Keeping Tabs, The Advocates’ Society
Decisions
- W. v. Royal and Sun Alliance, 16-001517/AABS (March 28, 2017)
- Fu v. State Farm, FSCO A13-003598 (March 27, 2017)
- Khuram v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, FSCO 5177 (March 13, 2017)
- Askar v. State Farm, FSCO 4850 (March 28, 2016)
- Tran and Vu v. State Farm, FSCO 4677 (November 3, 2015)
- Askar v. State Farm, FSCO 4671 (October 30, 2015)
- Lin v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, FSCO 4544 (June 23, 2015)
- Sakka et al. v. Societe Air France et al., 2011 ONSC 1995
- McClintock v. Alidina, 2011 ONSC 137
