The University of Regina is appealing a jury’s decision that awarded $9.1 million to Miranda Biletski in a swimming accident.
Biletski was left a quadriplegic after she dove into the university’s pool and hit the bottom in June 2005. A jury found the university liable in the accident at Court of Queen’s Bench in November.
Lawyers for the university have asked the judge to overturn the lawyer’s decision because the jury’s findings were “unreasonable.” Days before the case was set to close, the university’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal. The appeal faulted closing arguments by Biletski’s lawyer, Alan McIntyre, and the lawyer for the Piranhas Swim Club, Reginald Wilson. The university claims those arguments played to the jury’s sympathies and were inflammatory.
In his closing arguments, McIntyre read a series of statements about Biletski’s life expectancy, her lack of resources and her courage facing her injury, and Wilson made similar remarks. The university argued the statements influenced the jury in coming to its verdict.
Biletski will not receive her settlement until the appeal process is complete.
